The Art of Wellbeing

Chaim van Luit (1985)

Discover the hidden stories in this cosmos with twinkling stars, where past and present merge.
You wouldn't say it at first glance, but this artwork was created using centuries-old coins from Roman and Celtic times. Coins which have passed through hundreds of human hands, traveled long distances and carried many stories.

The artist found the coins during his trips through nature and city. He laid them on light-sensitive canvas and exposed it with the cyanotype technique. Where the light touched the canvas, a deep blue colour emerged. The places where the coins were placed became white or pale blue dots.

Caroline Walker (1982)

We are looking at a typical Palm Springs landscape. With a perfectly mowed apple green lawn, a tented canopy, palm trees, a high garden wall and a swimming pool. Looking further, we discover a woman in a dress, sitting next to a pile of towels. It is not entirely clear whether she feels lonely, exhausted or bored. Is she the maid or the owner of the house? A beautiful illustration of the good life, or an existential crisis? What do you think?

This work of art offers an excellent opportunity to dream away. And did you know that while you're doing that, your stress level can be reduced?

Amélie Bertrand (1985)

Bertrand paints surreal landscapes with a meticulous precision. Recognisable elements, such as fences, chains and water lilies, appear in smooth colour transitions. Does the landscape feel enchanting and familiar to you, or alienating?

Across different cultures, the water lily (or lotus) is a powerful symbol. Just as the flower rises from the mud to bloom beautifully on the water's surface, it symbolises its resilience and ability to rise above difficulties. In Western culture, the water lily represents purity of heart, tranquillity, and peace.

Lily van der Stokker (1954)

Only when you feel good and comfortable you are at your best, both at home and at work. Doing nothing can increases your chances of coming up with better ideas. This artwork will help you remember this.
With playfulness and bright, cheerful colours, Lily van der Stokker refers to recognisable subjects and shows them the beauty of it.

Persijn Broersen (1974) and Margit Lukács (1973)

This artist duo explores the relationship between humans and nature, at a time when the boundaries between reality and fictional or virtual representations are increasingly blurred. Do you ever think about how you relate to nature in this predominantly digital world?

The rhythmic dance of these hyperrealistic plants begins so quietly that you can dream away. But do you notice that the tones are getting brighter and the dance more intense?

The videos are constructed as moving sculptures, in which each element is a construction. What feeling do these digital plants that come to life evoke in you? Estrangement... or wonder?

Ryan Gander (1976)

How do you organise your time? Are you good at setting priorities? Artist Ryan Gander is very consciously working on this. Especially with how technology and social media affect our time. With his language and the choice of a reflective surface (selfies/vlogs) he refers to social media in a playful way.

Gander follows Roman philosophers who said that you should focus your time and energy on what you can change and not on everything you cannot control. Are you aware of what you spend most of your time on? And does that give you a lot of energy?

Eleri Lee (1997)

Listening to understand one another is an important skill in life and work. We often discover that our fears and joys are similar. Artist Eleri Lee takes you on an emotional journey of a woman with an anxiety disorder, who is looking for an old patron god. By using the folklore of the lion, she follows her desire to find this god. How would you feel if you could embrace your own fears and find an inner protector? Eleri wants to inspire you by showing a humorous, but also profound exploration of femininity and tradition.

Alicia Framis (1967)

Is this space safe? This can not only be read literally on this artwork, but also the material refers to this message. This artwork is part of the series LifeDress dresses, which are made of airbag material. The high quality and technical material is made to protect. In its original form, a dress, this artwork provides protection when harassment occurs on the work floor.
In a playful way, Safe Space? highlights the innovative power of art and how it can help us feel safer and more connected in our environment.

Jasmin Werner (1987)

Meaningful connections are essential for human beings. This becomes even clearer to those who are forced to work and live abroad for financial reasons.

Artist Jasmin Werner addresses the problems in her parents’ home country. Many people from the Philippines are migrant workers. They use mobile telephones and the internet to send money home and keep in touch with family. That makes the Philippines one of the biggest internet users on the planet. But the online world also has its dangers, such as misuse and the dissemination of fake news.

In the photograph, you see Dolor at her computer. This picture shows how some companies pay people to spread fake news and to troll and threaten others online.

The papier-mâché mobile telephones were made in the village of Paete, where Werner’s parents come from, and painted with Facebook messages, emojis and apps. The wooden eyes were carved in accordance with age-old tradition. They reference holy sculptures and inspire fascination and fear as symbols of an all-seeing gaze.
What do you think of how the internet affects our daily life?

Bas Kosters (1977)

In his project ‘JOY’, the artist, originally a fashion designer, explores how joy manifests itself and whether it can be sparked by the creation and experience of art.

Jobe is short for Joy Bear. For the artist, the teddy bear is a symbol of generosity and care. It represents the strong connection we can feel with an object, and how we project our hopes and dreams onto it. And what about you? Do you have an object that sparkles that joy?

Jochen Mühlenbrink (1980)

Is our perception of reality realistic? Perception is just a lens or mindset from which we view the world. We create our own reality based on those perceptions. And even though they feel very real, that doesn't mean they're factual.

Mühlenbrink uses art to get us off the hook, through which we see things that aren't really there. What do you see? A stuffed window, or a painting?

The doodles*, or funny faces, invite us to look through them to see what's behind the imaginary glass.

*By the way, Doodling is not only about making haphazard drawings; it also has a deeper meaning. It can be a way to organise your thoughts, reduce stress, and even improve your concentration. Which, in turn, can lead to more real perceptions!

Hans Op de Beeck (1969)

What was the last time you wanted to stop the clock?

Time seems to freeze in the Beecks artworks. This allows us to reflect for a moment on the simplicity, but also the value of everyday events that we often miss out on in the haste.

The snapshot of the young girl sleeping is based on an experience of the artist, which is recognizable to many. It shows a blissful moment for him in which a parent watches over his sleeping child.

Noor Nuyten (1986)

While scrolling on your smartphone a cosmic ray can strike the Earth’s atmosphere. Without realizing it, you have experienced a cosmic ray attack, creating a bitflip in your smartphone. In the future, cosmic bit flipping will happen more often because processors become smaller and more energy efficient.

For Gazing Bitflips Nuyten started to detect and collect bitflips with a smartphone turned into a pocket detector, discovering lit pixels caused by cosmic rays on a daily basis. It is a first attempt to get bitflips off the screen, by melting and solidifying the exact moment of a cosmic strike on a smartphone. The outcome reminds one of a dazzling galaxy; the home of the cosmic rays.

This artwork is made of shredded, melted and pressed production waste of Dutch designer Joris Laarman and e-waste, developed in collaboration with Stefania Petroula and circular company van Plestik.

Alicia Framis (1967)

This work was born from the artist's experiences during the pandemic, in which for many moments of uncertainty affected our way of being. Recently, these insecurities have increased with the war and the increasing global chaos in which we live. We have developed more fears, doubts, tears, anger, melancholy, loneliness, and, above all, stress. But, on the other hand, these experiences have given us the opportunity to acquire more solidarity, more humility, and greater acceptance of risk.