• IDOL_1 (2023)

    Upcycled synthetic materials, LED light, bolts, ratchet strap, 45×250x45cm.

    Idol was commissioned to be displayed during the Motel Mozaique annual festival in 2023. This ambitious piece seeks to illustrate the fluidity of contemporary identity and the culture of Rotterdam by merging traditional iconography and archetypes with advanced digital techniques. The iconographic symbolism featured in this work strives to explore the ambivalences of present-day identity; by emphasising both a reflection of the past and a search for a new form of self-realisation. Its purpose further develops the notion of modern-day liminality, providing a window into a speculative future whilst simultaneously evoking the death of the traditional deity-image.

    EXHIBITION HISTORY

    MOMO FESTIVAL (2023)
    Curation: Nikki Georgiou
    Arminius Church, Rotterdam

    Re-build (2023)
    Curation: Nart Ozel, Samyuktha “Sam” Rajagopal
    Featuring works by: Brody van Muijden, Geertje Brandenburg, Niya Tsenkova, Sakhi, Jochem Mestriner, Joseph Thabang Palframan
    De Hillevliet, Rotterdam

    IN PROGRESS; IN SITU (2023)
    Curation: Borbala Magdolna Pal
    Featuring works by: Tyler Chan, Sina Dyks, Gaetan Langlois-Meurinne, Luvtoshima, Sunhyo Mast, Marysia Swietlicka
    Baanhof, Rotterdam


  • FUNGI_IN_THE_SPOTLIGHT//UNTITLED (2023)

    acrylic on wall
    acrylic and ceramic stucco on wood, 90x130cm

    In March 2023, eight young adults dubbed as the “Nestbouwers” joined the team at The Natural History Museum. They were a vibrant addition to the regular staff, always ready to voice their ideas and continually surprising the museum-goers. Their debut exhibition, ‘Fungi in the Spotlight’, served as an introduction to their unique group and their fascination with the under-appreciated group of organisms – fungi.

    The Nestbouwers transformed the museum’s Haverhorst Vestibule into a new exhibition space called “The Broedplaats”. In this revamped space, they aimed to bridge the gap between humans and nature, bringing their innovative ideas to fruition. ‘Fungi in the Spotlight’, the first exhibition by The Nestbouwers, debuted on July 8, 2023.

    During a guided tour through The Natural History Museum’s storage rooms, the Nestbouwers were captivated by the small yet exquisite fungi collection, predominantly encompassing mushrooms. Their curiosity led them to delve into how these organisms resonate with human life. ‘Fungi in the Spotlight’ allows visitors to learn more about the eight Nest Builders while simultaneously exploring the diversity, aesthetics, and functionality of fungi.

    Part of this exhibition involved creating a prominent painting that directly interacted with a striking mural in the center of the space. This functioned as a visual representation, accentuating the symbiotic relationship between the fungi and the environment

  • ARCHIVIST_1.0

    Assemblage, filing cabinet, computer, software, plastic, servo motors, CRT monitor (4:3), dot-matrix printer, 1000 pages continuous 90 grs paper, 135x45x125cm.

    Archivist 1.0 (2023) is an interactive art installation examining the relationship between time, technology, and human presence, through the exploration of the concept of ruins, metaphysics, and our evolving digital culture. It melds the physical and digital, autonomously searching for and capturing visages of everyone that appears in front of it and transforming them into binary data that’s then printed onto a 300 meter long scroll of paper.

    Questions arise such as who has the authority to govern the potential everlasting existence of our digital traces? How are these preserved or extinguished? The procedural aspect of Archivist 1.0 is a manifestation of the broader context of corporate data accumulation, where our data is stored clandestinely and indefinitely without our consent or input.

    Contrastingly, the use of paper in the installation underscores the vulnerability of digital media. It signifies the prospect of a “digital dark age”. Data degradation, platform shutdown, or simply losing access through forgotten passwords could result in parts of our digital existence becoming unavailable, misinterpreted, or erased – much like ruins that lose context over time.

    Derived from the term “post-digital”, the work advocates a shift from the traditional techno-positivist approach to digital technology. It eradicates distinctions between new and old media, reflecting technology’s pervasive role in contemporary life, changing meanings of words like ‘digital’ and ‘memory’, and the looming possibility of a ‘Digital Dark Age’ due to the lack of secure, permanent digital data solutions. The installation’s post-digital stance aims to reconcile both online and offline, material and immaterial, highlighting shared elements of the past, present, and potential futures.

    EXHIBITION HISTORY

    IMPAKT Festival (2023)
    Curation: Ezgi Aktug, Merit Zimmermann
    Stadsklooster, Utrecht

  • WEAREDATA_2 PORTRAITS (2022-2023)

    Acrylic on paper, 21×29,7cm


  • DE_FOG (2023)

    Installation incorporating video art (155 seconds), print and virtual reality.

    The collaborative research project “de_fog” explores how cultural artifacts can be manipulated through different media in times of crisis. Using a virtual reality environment, the project examines how digital objects and characters can be distorted to create new meanings and interpretations. This multimedia installation captures the transitory nature of digital media to create a liminal space in time.

    EXHIBITION HISTORY

    (im)material ruins exhibition (2023)
    Video preface/introduction: Federico Campagna
    Guest editor: Stanisław Liguziński
    Curation: Martina Raponi, Belle Phromchanya, Eden Mitsenmacher
    Featuring works by: Hasna El Ouali, Dasha Starostin, Eli Hooper, Federico Ramírez Hönack, Johannes Heißenberg, Keo Borejszo, Kirwin Lonwijk, Ringaile Demšyte, Vanya Tretyakov, Vera Serlier, Victoria McGuire, Yasemin Kevser
    Het Nieuwe Instituut, Rotterdam