When we started this project, I must honestly say, I was blank. It scared me a little because I’m usually overcome with images. But this idea of hope left me uncomfortably empty.
One thing I’ve learned over the years, is that it’s fine to sit with things that make you uncomfortable. Not everything needs pulling or shouting at. Not everything needs to be forced. For some people – like myself – the first instinct is to ride a wave of negativity. Pain and sorrow are very focussed, high-energy forces. It doesn’t take a lot of patience to go along with it. And in that fast-paced nature, they can become a little addictive.
So I sat, with this notion of hope, while I swear my soul was itching. The kind of itch you can’t reach. And I saw nothing but a dark background. One might think, ‘well, that’s not very hopeful…’ but they’d be wrong. One artistic decision made already!
In 2023 I created a body of work in collaboration with the composer Janneke Moes. Our work, titled “A Whisper of Hope” consisted of my work and Janneke’s multiple choir composition. “A Whisper of Hope” was performed on December 9 and 10, 2023 in Zeist and Amersfoort (The Netherlands). Watch and listen to it here.
“A Whisper of Hope III”
70×100 cm, oil on panel
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