Interactive art installation 'Family Fountain' - A New Intersection of Art and Mental Coaching
NL: Kunst als ruimte voor transformatie ^ click hier boven ^
It's a multiform entity based on interaction and development that offers endless possibilities for connection and interpretation, occupying space and creating space at the same time; It is a visual space for meeting, exchange, and transformation in one, generating awareness of mental processes, making mental issues tangible and discussable.
Family Fountains Art project is an intersection of mental skill development and art by artist and certified mental coach Reggie Voigtländer. The project aims to contribute to the global women empowerment movement: By not only creating awareness or discussion, but actually contribute to development and real change.
With Family Fountain, I initiated a unique and new direction in which my artistic practice and mental coaching come together. This installation marks a shift—from interactive engagement in my previous works to a truly activist component, where the experience not only invites reflection but actively supports transformation.
Emerging from artistic research about the family fountain as a metaphor for the family system, Family Fountain moves beyond symbolic representation into direct engagement, offering visitors a space to explore their inner world in relation to the tangible and social structures surrounding them. This process of recognition, inspection, and exchange echoes my ongoing exploration of site and context, but here, interaction becomes a tool for empowerment rather than mere observation.
The concept of the family fountain draws on Bert Hellinger’s work in systemic family constellations, where family dynamics are seen as flowing energies—patterns passed through generations, shaping relationships and personal development. In this installation, the family fountain becomes a metaphor for that continuous movement, inviting visitors to reflect on their own place within these evolving structures.
The installation can be presented in a classical exhibition format or booked as part of a mental coaching training on location. Contact through links below or LinkedIn.
From artistic research to interactive sculptural installation
Installation 'Family Fountain' arose from a study into understanding the 'family system', which essentially influences all human functioning and actions. In this way, 'Family Fountain' represents a basis from which everything in the world manifests and can manifest. The installation ‘Family Fountain’ invites one to explore one’s inner world and how it relates to the tangible world, the everyday world. It is built from a minimalistic attitude, according to the natural principle multiplying and dividing, in line with the magical geometric principles of the universe.
photo: Family Fountain at BigArt, Amsterdam, 2024
Centre Space - Space Within Space
The sculptural center space, composed of willow branches and electrical conduits, reflects the delicate nature of the family system—open, vulnerable, and interconnected. The interior is lined with carpet, and at its heart, a round mirror rests on the floor. Gazing downward, visitors see the reflection of what lies above, reinforcing a continuous interplay between perspectives.
This space has no fixed beginning or end—only movement, openness, and connectedness. Visitors are free to determine their level of engagement, whether by walking around, weaving through the installation, or settling in the center. There, an inner presence may come into focus—something that seeks recognition, acknowledgment, inspection, or care. The act of sharing can generate an exchange of energy, offering new insights to carry forward.
Performance video
The willow branch element is accompanied by a performance video, making the flow of the Family Fountain tangible. I constructed a layered formation of willow branches, built from three standing circles and a supporting one, each increasing in size. During each phase, I placed the structure over my head, capturing the process through a series of photographs. These images were then processed into an animated performance video, visualizing the evolving movement and form of the piece.
Can lids hanging in the upper section reveal recognizable patterns of limiting self-talk and beliefs—like sharp mirrors, exposing what remains hidden within the mind.
'Family Fountains' - series of ink paintings
At the heart of the project is a series of ink paintings in which I envisioned my family fountain. These works emerged from within, each successive painting building upon the last, informed by the progression of art history—from modernism to contemporary practice.
Sculptural light elements
Following the Family Fountains series, new intuitive ink works emerged—arising from a meditative painting process that deepened over time. I named these works Light Works. As I developed the installation’s concept, I realized they could be transformed into actual Light Beings: figures that illuminate the darkness present within the installation.
Placed in and around the center, these Light Beings accompany visitors on their journey through the space, reinforcing the installation’s layered exploration of perception and transformation. Their material—drawn from homely elements—further emphasizes the underlying theme of the family system, grounding the experience in familiarity and connection.
While the installation concept draws upon the family fountain metaphor from systemic family constellations, my coaching practice does not specifically focus on systemic work. Instead, the installation serves as a cross-over space where mental coaching and artistic experience come together, offering an open framework for reflection and transformation.
The installation can be presented in a classical exhibition format or booked as part of a mental coaching training on location.
Contact me for more information: Instagram and Facebook or Linkedin