fields) which his destinations, either recently or in more continuehistorical context, have undergone. In 1995, Van Hoef traveled on the Trans-Siberian Express and visited places in Russia, Mongolia and China. And his subsequent travels, in 1996, 1999 and 2000, to countries along the Silk Route, such as Uzbekistan, Kirgistan, Pakistan and Northwest China) as well as to the Middle East all proved of significant influence on his work. Several visits to Hong Kong caused a change of the thematic focus in is paintings. Urban landscapes where the perception of reality is artificial, constructed and far removed from the ‘normal’ idea of nature became the main subject until 2018. Recent travels to Singapore, Beijing and Japan changed the thematic focus again towards gardens and reflections in water surfaces, which are the main subjects in his actual paintings.