April 28, 2025

What inspires an artistic director? Where does he find peace, direction, and new ideas? In this personal column, artistic director Roel Voorintholt invites you into his living room, where five abstract paintings serve as daily reminders of the power of art. What began as an aesthetic admiration took on a deeper meaning after a life-altering experience. A story about rhythm, recovery, and the healing power of visual art—like dance, captured in lines and colors.

“In my living room hang these five abstract paintings by artists Bob Bonies and François Morellet. For years, I simply found them beautiful, even inspiring, because they reminded me of dance: rhythm, balance, energy. But it wasn’t until after my brain hemorrhage a few years ago that they took on a deeper meaning. As I slowly recovered and returned home, I noticed how these works brought me peace. The mathematical precision of the geometric patterns, the clear lines and colors—they brought order to the chaos in my brain. When my head felt overwhelmed, these canvases gave me calm and structure. I still look at them every day, and each time I feel that same serene power. Just like in dance: the interplay of tension and harmony, of letting go and control. Art, in any form, is not just a source of inspiration for me, but also of healing.” – Roel Voorintholt