Experience with Stroomversneller: Merel Franx - Vergezicht

Merel Franx developed *Vergezicht* with support from Stroomversneller. At a crucial moment in her early career, this support provided her with opportunities for artistic research, collaboration, and professional guidance.

The fund used in two ways. First, it funded an artistic exploration of key elements from previous work, carried out in collaboration with students from the “Dancer, Creative Contemporary” program at Rijn IJssel in Arnhem. This exploration resulted in the short performance *Vergezicht* and an afternoon presentation. In addition, the grant made it possible to arrange mentoring sessions and artistic guidance provided by theater maker and Maastricht Theater Academy instructor Sanne van Rijn.

Panorama

A stirring landscape in which the layers blend into one another more and more.

The theme of *Vergezicht* is inspired by the work of Mark Rothko. In the performance, the performers form a color palette in the space that gradually blends and becomes more abstract.

With the audience on both sides of the performance space and surrounded by music, the dancers move continuously in patterns. The viewer enters the space and immediately finds themselves in the center of the scene. Three dancers stand at each corner of the space, beginning with the same movement. From that position, they explore the tension between distance and connection, visible in their gazes, breathing, and movement.

Slowly but systematically, the interplay between the dancers, the space, and the audience changes. Just as the viewer thinks they’ve grasped the essence, the image shifts again—and the moment remains just out of reach.

About Stroomversneller

Stroomversneller a grant program that supports new initiatives in their artistic development by giving them room to experiment. The goal is to help these initiatives gain momentum in an accessible way, without too many restrictions or obligations.

Click here for more information about Stroomversneller.