Tranen van Breda (Tears of Breda)

Organic patterns

The artwork Tranen van Breda (Tears of Breda) is inspired by the symbolism of tears, which represent strong emotions such as sadness and joy. Every tear is unique; each person's tears are unique, and tears of sadness differ from tears of joy. Microscopically enlarged tears resemble botanical forms, creating an association with nature and the cycle of life and death. We also see these natural forms in the church, such as in the ceiling paintings depicting the gardens of paradise.

PORTRAIT IN THE GROTE KERK BREDA

From now onwards, you can place a portrait in the Chapel of Silence in memory of a deceased loved one. You can place a portrait in one of the official photo holders for one year. These are available at the reception desk for a fee of €20. At the end of the year, you can collect the photo and the holder and take them home with you as a memento.

If you wish, we can light a candle every day next to the portrait of your loved one. Our volunteers at the reception desk will be happy to tell you more about this.

About the artists

Margit Lukács and Persijn Broersen work at the intersection of technology, media and art. They have a deep interest in the changing way stories are told in a world full of digital communication. The artist duo investigates the influence of technology on our perception of history and political landscapes, among other things.

Their work is a reflection of the zeitgeist, in which technology is fundamentally changing the way we experience and understand the world. Such is the case with Tranen van Breda (Tears of Breda), for which tears are magnified under a microscope before being scanned and converted into a three-dimensional form in a permanent material.

Maurice Mikkers (Apeldoorn) creates the unique combination between scientific and artistic photography. With his ongoing project Imaginarium of Tears, Mikkers captures the beauty of tears by crystallising them and then photographing them under a microscope.

Capturing (emotional) tears is challenging. Mikkers has perfected this process over the lifetime of the Imaginarium of Tears by engaging in various collaborations with universities and their various departments, including psychology, sociology, physics and biotechnology. Mikkers: ‘Through these collaborations, art and science come together. For me, that's a beautiful symbiotic relationship.’