Vanessa von Richter – Anouk Foundation

Interview

Vanessa von Richter – Anouk Foundation

Extracts from an interview by «The Swiss Pulse» magazine with Vanessa von Richter the Co-Founder of the Anouk Foundation and an exceptionally active member of the Zuoz Club.

YOU ARE A CO-FOUNDER OF THE ANOUK FOUNDATION – WHAT IS YOUR VISION?

As a foundation we repeatedly come up against boundaries that we want to push. This is the only way for us to continue to develop. We have learnt to bridge distances during the pandemic and have found ways to produce paintings that are just as effective, such as printer-friendly prints that can be stuck to the wall.

We are also not afraid of places with difficult access. I’m thinking here of refugee centers. We will of course continue to stay strongly focused on the hospital projects with the involvement of patients. Particularly in oncology, both young and old patients have to return repeatedly to the hospital due to their therapy. We want to continue to create a pleasant atmosphere that provides them with positive energy and hope through new therapeutic murals.

We design the walls of various facilities friendly and calming – hospitals, homes for the elderly or for people with multiple disabilities, children’s homes, psychiatric centers, refugee-/ immigration centers and detention centers.

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON CURRENTLY?

The pandemic has obviously also changed the way we work, and maybe one consequence of this was the creation of the «Art4 Impact Program». The main focus was the question of how to integrate patient input more into our paintings. As part of the «Art4 Impact Program» we launched a drawing contest at the pediatric Oncology Department in Utrecht. The jury consisted of a diverse mix: youth/children commission, physicians and caregivers, as well as Anouk Foundation representatives. They specifically chose paintings that could be integrated smoothly into the murals. With the increased integration of the patients, we give their perspective more weight. This integrative method additionally acts as a «booster» for the patients, their relatives, and the hospital staff.