Lento

I wondered if hope was always happiness. If it was always looking up and beyond, towards the better things to come.

And when those better things come, does hope end there? Does it vanish into air or does it save itself for messier times?

When times are dark, does hope shine brighter? Or does it appear that way, because we look for it more carefully in the shadows cast upon us.

I sat thinking about these things, and the world seemed quite light. It made me wonder; does one have hope, when one thinks about hope?

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). You can watch and listen to it here.

“Lento”

40×30 cm, oil on panel