Psychiatry and art

All our treatments are centred on a swift return to real life and the “normal society”. We strive to normalise the live of a psychiatric patient as fast as possible. Treatment is a mere means to achieve this higher end. I am convinced art can play an import role in achieving this. In 1998 we have for this reason created a space on the Willem Arntz Hoeve (literally and figuratively) where art and psychiatry can meet. Here patients can be themselves, and use art to enter a different world away from the sometimes closed world of psychiatry. Here nothing is mandatory and everything is possible. Here patients create things unexpected and inspirational for themselves and others. Here the artists discover how colourful and surprising our patients can be when they get room to breathe freely and express themselves in their own creative ways.

Every trimester again we are surprised by the uniqueness of the projects and the extraordinary energy of both artists and patients. Every time again inspiring connections between artist and patient, between patient and his work of art, between patient and the outside world. This is what makes Het Vijfde Seizoen so precious and unique, and this is why we are so happy to have this artist residence on our grounds in Den Dolder.

Roxanne Vernimmen
Board member foundation Vijfde Seizoen
Psychiatrist, chair OLVG Amsterdam, until 2019 chair of the Board of directors, Altrecht