Erik Holm | Eliminating Stereotypical Perception

It was a typical happy Friday in the life of a 25 year old actor. In August 2007, Erik Holm took a lunch break after the theatre production “Fila’s Child” when his life changed forever. He dived into a shallow man-made lake to retrieve a ball. He took for granted that the lake was deep enough for a simple dive. For most of the bystanders, the blood in the water must have been an instant testimony to the absolute horror that awaited the Holms thereafter, but the Holms are not your average family. Erik comes from a long lineage of multi-talented, performing, fine artists, musically and academically inclined descendants who never gave up on life. As seen in the book “Magaliesberg Kaleidoscope” by Willie Meyer. His Family believes that the accident was a positive intervention.

Erik Holm is best known for his role as “Rian Malherbe” a much hated businessman in the South African Soap Opera “Binnelanders.” He is also an actor, writer and assistant director, known through movies like “Liefling”, ”Pretville” and “Die Lang Kat”. He performed in multiple theatre productions like “Fila’s Child”, “Blou-Blou” (the touching story about his accident), “Dogma” and many more. He was a news reader on SABC2 and even had a great review after he tried his hand at stand-up comedy.

Possibilities motivate him to get up in the mornings. Excitement of what the day might bring, new opportunities and the knowledge that it is in his faculty to bring home the bacon and being able to compete in the same realm as able-bodied people. “On good days it’s a challenge, on bad days it’s a responsibility.” 

His world revolves around creativity. The ideas comes from all directions and he feels inspired by everyday happenings as well as dreams.  His family also inspires him and his girlfriend is the muse that motivates him to stay creative.

 Erik insists that he never even considered the fact that other people doubt his abilities. He had an amazing support structure in his friends and family. Sometimes a person, able or disabled should face the facts no matter how difficult. You can either do something, or you can’t. But only if it’s factual; if not, you should at least try. He loves to surprise others and himself and always shifts his energy to the people that believe in him.

Before the accident one of his great loves was music. He played guitar and although he was never a technical musician, it meant a lot to him on an emotional level. That was one of the things he missed the most. It baffled his mind that there were no guitars that were accessible to quadriplegics. Eventually after almost giving up on the possibility to master an instrument as a quadriplegic, he found Mervyn Davis who is a master luthier. After a lengthy process of about a year, brainstorming ideas and trying to customise the guitar to suit him, Mervyn build this amazing instrument that did not play itself like other instruments on the market but that was as close to the real thing that you can possibly find. This guitar is specifically designed to accommodate disabilities no matter if you suffer from MS, if you are an amputee or have any other disability we can customise a guitar for you.

Eric is extremely excited about the prospect that this instrument offers for the fine motor skills that so many disabled people suffer from. After a year of practice he noticed a formidable difference in his own fine motor skills. He puts this down to the fact that it is a challenge to master an instrument and that will motivate any person to practice more often.

They are battling to get investors to sponsor entire guitars for the less fortunate or even to get involved with the project on a larger scale. This is a world’s first, the patents are in place and ready to be customised for each individual. It is a complex piece of machinery and it is really expensive to make. In Erik’s own words “it’s expensive to be disabled”. This is not something that can be mass manufactured, they need forward thinking, large medical bodies or aids that can see the enormous value that this instrument has for the entire disabled community in South Africa and in the World.

Any large business or private person that wants to get involved are welcome to contact Eric personally on calamitykid@gmail.com or 066 101 4678. His big dream for this project is that every disabled person that is interested in music should be able to afford such a guitar for physical and emotional rehabilitation.

More about Erik’s Art projects

His cast iron and wood designs happened after he had a specific orders from friends and family. He does the designing, his Dad (a retired professor in entomology), but also an adventurous artist, assists with the woodwork and his cousin from Mukila Forge does the forging of the metal. His crosses are very popular and so are the little creatures that he started painting.

 If anyone is interested in such a personal piece of art, please feel free to check out Erik’s work on his Facebook page “Erik Holm Actor” and contact him directly for more information.

Erik believes in Networking. “You start with your immediate circle, then ripple out on social media and make sure that the quality of your work and service calls for re-sales and referrals. Be visible.”

He advises young South Africans abled or disabled, not to give up but to study the market and be honest with themselves regarding their abilities and the feasibility of a preferred direction.  Go to an agent or someone that will be critical and realistic with you. Someone that you can trust to give you the truth without being worried about hurting your feelings.

 People tend to walk on eggshells when dishing out hard facts to a disabled person. “We are the same, so please grace disabled people with the truth instead of sending them on a “wild goose chase.” The inclusivity laws that came into play the last 10 years also helped a lot with the placement of disabled people in the job and entertainment market. “I know disabled producers, singers, editors, television presenters that are very successful in what they do”

 This man has such a positive energy about him, he is a giant warrior with an old soul that acknowledges his own imperfections. He is the ultimate motivation for able and disabled people that can so easily dive into their dark side after a setback. He is the kind of person that wants to be admired for his skills and humour and not for how he handles his disability. He reminds you that the human spirit is fierce and provocatively able to overcome almost anything if it wants to. Erik Holm is NOT a quadriplegic bound to his wheelchair, his mind is free and creative, more innovative than most able bodies you know……he will undoubtedly motivate you to utilize your own God given talents.