Future music

My studio

 

Last summer I moved my electronic music studio into the atelier I'm grateful to be able to use. It has transformed into an inspiring art space, where I compose and paint, looking out over the historic city center of Leiden...

I took the above picture on October 13th, which is a very significant date for me. My father, from whom I inherited my interest in music, passed away on October 13th 1996... A composer, father and socially committed person, he will always remain a great example for me, standing tall like a majestic mountain in the uncharted landscape of my life.

Now, exactly 20 years later, I finally summoned all my courage to start composing music on a daily basis. For real. For the first time. Ever.

So I decided to dedicate to my father the piece I'm working on right now. It will embody my World view, my gratitude toward my father and my mentor, and my resolve toward the future.

It is called "Indara-Mo", which is Japanese for "Indra's Net". This is a Buddhist metaphor expressing the fundamental interconnectedness of all life and the universe. Do check out the story, it's so beautiful, and its implications so important...

My wish is to compose music that transcends what I have learned, expresses a new paradigm of interconnectedness, and resonates with people's hearts...

I will write more about this in the near future.

The Wing

The Wing, 60 x 60 cm acrylic on canvas, © Olivier Hijmans 2016

Flapping feathered wings, making wind, moving and navigating through a complex World, breathing life into stillness..

Silver light is shining at us from a distance, revealing colors in a clouded realm..

There is a particular depth and dynamism in this painting, that I'm trying more and more to achieve. The warped triangular shapes are a recurring entity in my work. I find them to be elegant and vibrant elements from which to build harmonic structures and movement. The jagged line in the center adds to the gestural contrast as it disappears into the distant shimmer.

For sale at Saatchi Art.