The fourth edition of h3h biennale will take place from 21st June till 3rd August 2025, in The Holy Triangle region in Oosterhout, North Brabant. The exhibition offers a visitor route along three still-active convents and monasteries. Nanda Janssen is the curator for the programme, titled “A Deeper Shade of Soul”.
The Holy Triangle (De Heilige Driehoek in Dutch) is the only site in the Netherlands that houses a combination of three active monastic communities, inhabited by communities of sisters and brothers. In fact, Saint Catherine’s Valley, which has been around since 1271, is the oldest surviving convent in the country. The Holy Triangle is an idyllic region with historic buildings, monumental barns and lanes, an English landscape garden, herb and vegetable gardens, farmlands, and vineyards.
Replete with layers
No other art manifestation in Europe is this intertwined with religion or situated on such hallowed grounds. Curator Nanda Janssen: “This little patch of soil in Oosterhout is just replete with layers. And it hosts a religious community that really embodies its soul. Art and religion are two ways to try to give meaning to our place under the sun, to what it means to be human. Both are ways to reflect on life, while providing guidance and meaning. On a site like this, art is bound to be extra intense, extra meaningful.”
Stories kissed awake
The kaleidoscopic approach underpinning “A Deeper Shade of Soul” enables visitors to experience The Holy Triangle in all its facets, both religious and worldly. Three lines are interwoven: inspiration and finding meaning, monastic life, and the rich history of the three religious communities making up The Holy Triangle. The works of art on display will engage with these topics and connect them to contemporary social themes, kissing awake all manner of stories lying dormant in The Holy Triangle.
