We live in a time where smartphones and television screens are echoing one calamity after another in our living rooms. The abbreviation BC has taken on a new meaning. It is no longer 'before Christ', It is now 'before Corona'.

Whether we are now living in a 'post-corona' era remains to be seen. The virus no longer has a grip on life as it did, but the roller coaster of misery seems far from over. The war with Ukraine was soon followed by the war between Israel and Palestine and the news is also filled with a possible war between China and Taiwan. The roller coaster goes on and on.

All this tragedy makes some people think that we have reached the end-times. Uncertainty is increasing day by day and affects the quality of life. Even where there is no calamity yet, the calamity is felt. Gloom and dejection are lurking.

But is the focus on misery actually healthy? End times have been predicted for as long as there is time. Of course, there is misery and there seems to be little good in the offing. However, the big question is; What to do?

The answer to this question is simply put, but difficult to do. Focus your attention on the positive and the beauty that is there. The beauty can be simple, it is enough as an antidote and a shift of emphasis that is necessary. Not saying you should look away when there's ugliness. It's about not staring at the ugliness. And in times full of ugliness, the trick is to find beauty again.

The three-dimensional paintings by artist Jan Maarten Voskuil are a fine example of an antidote. His paintings are deceptively simple. We see little color and little complexity. However, creating beauty by focusing on simplicity is not easy.

In all cultures around the world, there are 'simple' forms that affect the mind. Often this can be found in religion. Examples include: the hexagon, star-like shapes, squares and circles. They are shapes or symbols that can transcend the mind. This tradition is as old as mankind designs symbols.The shapes used by Jan Maarten Voskuil are based on this tradition, but he also designs his own shapes with the same appearance.

When we look at artists such as Mondrian, Kandinsky, Malevich and Rothko for example, we quickly overlook the intention of the artworks that are based on the spiritual experience. It's not just about the color planes and compositions themselves. It's about a little more or a lot more. These artists aspired to a kind of religious experience. A connection to something higher, a connection to the beauty that nature has to offer.

Although the artist Jan Maarten Voskuil does not use the same teachings as the aforementioned artists, the intention is the same. A subliminal experience based on simplicity. And if there's one thing needed in this time, it is: seeing, acknowledging, recognizing and experiencing the beauty in simplicity. If you can experience the beauty in the simple things in life, you can see the forest for the trees even in complex times. Perhaps it is a good time to fill the living rooms with paintings by Jan Maarten Voskuil.