Van Gogh Museum Organisation

With the mental health program Open up with Vincent, the Van Gogh Museum wants to make a positive contribution to the conversation about mental health through art and the life story of Vincent van Gogh. Vincent van Gogh experienced the healing power of art in his life and drew comfort and hope from it. For him, painting was the only remedy for the psychological complaints with which he struggled. Scientific research also shows that art promotes health and general well-being. In this time, when many young adults indicate that they experience stress and gloomy feelings and the consequences of a two-year pandemic have a major impact on our mental well-being, art can play a positive role in preventing or mitigating psychological complaints.
The Open up with Vincent program was developed together with young adults, care institutions and professionals specialized in mental health. It consists of activities such as mindfulness sessions and painting workshops in the museum, at external locations and online. In addition, teaching materials for primary and secondary education are also available. Artworks are a great source or 'anchor' to practice mindfulness. People experience mindfulness with their senses, such as looking. A museum is therefore a pleasant, accessible place. You step out of the issues of the day for a while, look at art, and be amazed. On some Wednesdays there are mindful art viewing sessions in the museum at some of the masterpieces in the Van Gogh and the Olive Groves exhibition. There is a mindfulness trainer that takes participants on guided meditations of approximately seven minutes on the paintings Olijfgaard (1889) and Kreupelhout (1889) by Vincent van Gogh.