Art in the canteen

Twelve paintings hang in the canteen of the Röling Building. The eight small paintings were made by Zhen Chen (researcher in international private law), the four somewhat larger ones by Hans ter Haar (associate professor of notarial law).

Until recently, Zhen Chen was a researcher in the Department of Private International Law at the Faculty of Law. She is now working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Edinburgh Law School. She started painting during the pandemic and has created around 150 acrylic paintings so far. One of her paintings was exhibited at the Mauritshuis Museum in March 2023. More of her paintings can be found in the Language Center of the Harmonie Building and in many colleagues’ offices in the Röling Building.

Chen's paintings are part of a series called the Zongzi Family (粽子). Zongzi, also known as Rice Dumplings, are made of sticky rice filled with either sweet or salty fillings and wrapped in lotus leaves. People eat this traditional food during the Dragon Boat Festival in China, which is celebrated with dragon boat races.

This festival is linked to the poet and minister Qu Yuan (c. 340–278 BC), who drowned himself in the Miluo River. The local people, who admired and loved Qu Yuan, raced out in their boats to rescue him or retrieve his body. When they couldn't find him, they dropped Zongzi into the river so that the fish would eat rice instead of Qu Yuan's body.

Today, eating Zongzi is a central part of the festival. Typically, people in northern China prefer sweet Zongzi, while those in southern China favor salty Zongzi. Ask your Chinese friends which flavor they prefer, and you might be able to guess which region they come from!

Hans ter Haar is associate professor of notarial law in the Department of Private Law and Notarial Law of the Faculty of Law. He started painting in 2004. He finds inspiration mainly in the travels he makes: preferably far from civilization, but also close to home.

Ter Haar's paintings are characterized by a lot of color. A quick sketch based on (his own) photographs is followed by a careful elaboration with acrylic paint on canvas. This four-part series is inspired by the ancient trees found in Richmond Park, on the Thames just outside London.

Ter Haar's art can also be admired next to the staircase on the left side of the building, on multiple floors.