Esther Mirjam Griffioen is of Dutch origin and has been a harpist since childhood. After studying performing arts at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, she worked with storyteller Henri Gougaud in Paris to deepen her understanding of traditional stories. In 2008, she completed her training as a harp therapist in the United States and began working in oncology and neonatal/pediatric units in Vannes, in palliative care in Malestroit, and in nursing homes. For seven years, she worked with weekly groups of people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related conditions in assisted living facilities. With them, she developed a method combining music and storytelling and introduced “active storytelling” sessions, in which participants created stories based on artistic images. Practicing various forms of visual art has always been a part of her life, and she has always been convinced of the role art can play in promoting well-being and even as a therapeutic tool. Currently, she draws labyrinths on beaches for meditative walks and explores plant dyeing and botanical printing. Passages and spaces between worlds in all their forms have always fascinated her—whether in theater, through traditional folktales, by drawing labyrinths, through creative work, by connecting with the plant world, or by working with patients… It is this connection that motivates her.
She designed the set for Chant Végétal, using long panels of fabric featuring prints and plant-based dyes.
→Her personnal website
