The legacy of Ritsaert ten Cate (1938-2008)

Touch Time (not a festival) was the name given to the last season (1991) of 'his' Mickery theatre by Dutch producer of avant-garde theatre and visual artist Ritsaert ten Cate (1938-2008).  

I decided to do TouchTime, to do what we did till our last breath, and to end Mickery with dignity and festivity.

In 2004, Ritsaert used the name for his studio in the De Clerqstraat in Amsterdam. He also used the name for his website, with an overview of his visual works: www.touchtime.nl

“The space is an example of developments in hybrid enterprises. A gallery? No. A shop? No. A Workspace with opening hours? Again, no. Sorry.”

In 2008, Ritsaert reflected on his Touch Time :

"Touch Time was an ideal and it hardly ever had worked the way I thought it had". One day later, he emailed: "Maybe I was a little down and you were on the right track. The original Touch Time might need some polishing, new energy and content."

Bruno asked Ritsaert if he could continue Touch Time, one day or another, with some new energy and content.

“It’s OK", he said, "and we should never forget to laugh!”

Obituary Ritsaert ten Cate (1938-2008) by Drangan Klaic for the Guardian 

Ritsaerts last visual art work: The offering (2008, a meditation, made with Catherine Henegan and Erik Hobijn)