Anne-Rieke van der Mel - Plas

I've always been busy creating stories. It was my way to grasp the world and empathise with others. In stories, I sometimes discovered connections between things I'd never seen before. I've always explored human life through play.

As an artist, I find myself preoccupied with humanity's quests in relationships and life itself. How can I live fruitfully? What's truly important? What role does connection with others or with yourself play? I prefer to use symbols and metaphors to find perspective on these questions. Spaces are often metaphors that recur in my work. Places are, as it were, mirrors of our inner quest. By shaping these spaces, both physically and within stories, I can express thoughts.

This is also reflected in my current work, Eremos. The courtyard I designed embraces you and invites you to wander. It invites you to enter among the organic forms, but also into your heart. Within the core of the work, you won't find answers to the questions, but rather an encounter with yourself. The narrative audio takes you into a space that is physically inaccessible. The images are woven together with both my words and your associations to create a space. This place can offer insight into your own life and questions. There, reflection also takes place by using the space as a mirror.

Ultimately, my work doesn't aim to provide answers to my questions, but rather to encourage wandering. Philosopher Bollnow writes, "In wandering, a person can experience a rejuvenation of their entire being."