How can art help people living with aphasia?
At the age of 29, Mijke suffered a brain haemorrhage which led to aphasia. In 2015 she worked with the Van Abbemuseum to develop a special tour in which art is used as a visual language for people with aphasia to communicate with one another.
Every human being uses language. Talking, searching for the right words, understanding, reading and even making gestures all form part of our language. Aphasia is what we call it when brain damage results a loss of proper function in one or more parts of our language centre. This means that sufferers cannot use language to express themselves in the way they used to be able to.
Aphasia and looking at art
In April 2015, the Van Abbemuseum launched a special programme for this group of visitors. We designed Spraakmakend Van Abbe to offer interactive guided tours of the museum, which were developed in collaboration with the target audience and hands-on expert Mijke Ulrich. The tours focus on a positive, creative and inspiring experience. Mijke describes it as ‘Open your heart’. The tour’s central theme involves looking at art together and the possibility to express yourself about the what you have experienced. Mijke Ulrich and museum guide Jenneke Lambert work on this project together. Every Spraakmakend Van Abbe guided tour starts with a brief introduction and ends with the group enjoying a cup of coffee or tea together.
Sponsored by
The Onbeperkt van Abbe programme is sponsored by participants in the BankGiro Lottery. In April 2014, the programme coordinator Marleen Hartjes used this contribution to start preparations for the Special Guests programme, which was opened to the public in October of the same year.