Together with my twin brother Bram, I attended the same school for 16 years, played soccer together, and worked the same job at the supermarket. These environments shaped us and turned us into different people. Zo zie ik jou (That's how I see you) delves into the realm of perception, exploring how we view one another, the life lessons that we learned and who we look up to. Through a series of conversations, my twin brother and I challenge ourselves to introduce and describe each other using our own perspective of the other. Dynamic moving collages are composed of carefully selected fragments or printed materials such as cherished childhood images and filmed footage. This material offers glimpses of our way of seeing and understanding each other.
With When they walked, their feet crossed tales, I aim to inspire diaspora children and their parents to share their stories with each other, in order to heal their bond and past traumas. With an anecdote shared by my father in mind, I analyzed conversations and visuals from old family pictures in Egypt. When he first moved to Amsterdam and was looking for work, young baba always walked beside the tramline so he wouldn't get lost, he always walked nearby, but never got in. Together, we walked this route again. In this project I have created visual studies and printed them on carpets. Each carpet comes with their own narrative, and together they tell a grand story. The carpets are modular so the perspectives of the narrative can change. My hopes are that children of the diaspora come to the installation with their parents, and walk together, and maybe, get inspired to share their stories with each other someday. The work aims to make you feel at home, like you belong, and to realize, your story is important.
With One by One, I explore the way our profit-driven society's idea of productivity presents itself in a spatial way. As a symbol I chose the “cubicle” — a three-walled space to serve as a personal productive space for the worker. To me, this is the perfect visual representation of a non-distractive, isolated space and with that a nightmarish outlook on work life. This project serves as a critique on this conservative way of viewing productivity. From that idea “play space” elements have been incorporated to the working environment, including elements that connect the cubicles together as a communicative tool, showing that communication can be the most helpful tool when it comes to motivation and creativity. There are three playground cubicles set up with playful elements such as crawling tubes, sharing tubes and a slide. One by One serves as an imaginative space to spark interest in changing the way we choose to be productive and motivated in the workspace.
Dari Generasi Ke Generasi is a personal project. My roots are half-Dutch and half-Indonesian, which makes me an Indo. Growing up, I never felt really connected to my Indonesian roots because the Indonesian culture was not prominent in my upbringing and my family did not talk much about their past in Indonesia. My Indonesian grandparents had to flee their home country because of the independence of Indonesia. My dad was six years old when he came to the Netherlands. When his family arrived in the Netherlands, they quickly adapted to the Dutch culture. This meant that talking about their past in Indonesian was not and still isn't talked about. Only in the last couple of years, have I become more interested in doing research about my roots and the past of my family in Indonesia. This was the start of my research project. This project is about the relationship I have as a third-generation Indo with my Indonesian roots. It is focused on my feelings about the decay of the culture and stories about the past from generation to generation. I visualized this through batik, a traditional Indonesian printing technique.
Rising from a collection of secret audio recordings, received letters and written material, I made the auditory installation (toch nog altijd) je dominee. I grew up in a heavily reformed church and after years of talking with my pastor, I left the community. Through the soundscape, I criticize indoctrination, manipulation and abuse of power within religious communities. Within a heavily reformed community there is no room for those who deviate from the biblical norm, critical thinkers or apostate believers. In the soundscape I "ascend" the pulpit like a pastor to express the undermined, and above all, misunderstood position in which I found and still find myself. I mainly use auditive elements that can be traced back to heartbeat, organ and recordings, which I weave together with electronic sounds. On the one hand I translate the religious community and power difference between pastor and congregation for those who have never been to a (strict) church and on the other hand I want to open the eyes of the ones that still go to church.
Catch the Sinking Emotion guides the viewer with simple actions that can help challenge negative emotions. All emotions are essential in life; even the ones that we consider negative. For example, a certain level of anxiety protects us and allows us to move forward in a future that contains uncertainties. When negative emotions become overwhelming it can feel like our lives can begin to sink. We believe what we think is truth, but this notion can be challenged. Truth can also be a fictional world in the mind where illusions have been created. With this in mind it is important to consider how to deal with negative thought patterns. The act of searching for a word to express emotions can clarify the feelings of uncomfortableness. The act of writing can isolate these thoughts and make them more tangible. Finding and realizing the distortion that exists in our thoughts can help challenge the untruth, and allow for a more positive mindset.
In the past decade our phones and computers have stopped being functional and recreational devices and become a refuge from reality. This stems from a sense of dissatisfaction within our society particularly among younger generations, who turn to social media and digital platforms to escape the drawbacks of the real world and to express their frustrations. This phenomenon is known as escapism and can be a healthy coping mechanism. However, excessive escapism can give rise to mental health issues. Teenagers and young adults spend an average of 7 hours and 22 minutes on screens consuming nearly half their day in the digital realm. Are we destined to be part of this digital era, merely adapting to its technological advancements? Or does this behavior lead us to inhabit a self-created digital utopia? Perhaps through escapism, we can reflect on our screen habits and raise awareness among future generations. By drawing from the digital ASCII art form, I want to visualize the potential consequences of our actions through an envisioned digital utopia.
This installation simulates the dream-like state of mind and aims to create an alternate reality; in-between dream and real life. How can one touch upon the distorted visuals, truths, and physics one sees while dreaming? This installation is an escape from the distractions of everyday life, as well as an ode to daydreaming – a part of me that, as a child, came naturally — being in touch with my fantasies. With this project, the viewer can create spaces within their conscious and unconscious in order to become open to the wonders of their mind. The installation invites the audience to enter through the curtain, sit or lay down, and observe. The elements in the installation refer to childhood associations, such as blanket forts, mosquito nets, inflatable structures, and soft textures. The colors of the projections are saturated and bright, sharp, or blurry. The physics caused by the 360 camera and distorted projections enlarge the misshapen bodies, objects, and landscapes.
This project focuses on the topic of machismo. Its main objective is to convey the emotions of disturbance, fear, awkwardness, and the need to hide your identity that I personally experienced during my youth while closeted. This overwhelming — albeit unrealistic — fear originated from my upbringing with the Brazilian culture, where machismo is more prominent, as well as from high school where alpha male behavior was sup-ported. To explore this concept, I created five different realities, each presenting a different "what if" scenario. These scenarios decide how machismo should be portrayed within each reality. The first video depicts our current world with the most extreme form of machismo, while the fifth video showcases the least extreme form. Across these five videos, the meaning of machismo subtly changes, gradually becoming less disturbing, which is a transformation that is seen in the footage. The films consist of found footage, including Brazilian novellas, and self-made footage capturing the postures that respond to machismo. This mix of visuals allows for an exploration on machismo, connecting both cultural references and personal expressions.
My deep connection to nature has made me aware of the human addiction to exploiting non-human beings, which has an overall negative impact on the planet and undoubtedly affects human survival as well. The lack of resources in nature will force humans to rely on their bodies as the only option for survival. In the distant future, humans will be born with modified body organs implanted with non-human intelligences and abilities, creating a symbiotic relationship that safeguards their bodies from environmental toxins. BADA-23, the first model of a future human body, is designed to survive the environmental crisis. It incorporates the intelligences and abilities of sea animals, effectively functioning as designated sea animals themselves. Its regeneration ability protects the human body from chemical toxins and hunger, purifying and feeding itself as an emergency snack. Additionally, the altered human body converts carbon dioxide into oxygen autonomously, acting as a cleaner without losing its human identity. This modified human body serves to counteract the legacy effects of environmental toxins and ensure the survival of the human race.
The project is an exploration on how modern technologies can be used in the context of the GDA library. The work examines the physical library for graphic design students with an accompanying digital database that provides relevant information about the publications. The aim for the project is to act as a translation layer between the physical library and its digital archive.
The installation is com-posed of three layers: the self, the collective spirit, and the universal consciousness. Humanity is stuck on the ego. I want people to experience a unitive ritual and rethink their obsession with the ego. The liquids I used in the installation demonstrate transformation, movement, oneness, and expansion. My objective is to illustrate to the viewer that everything and everyone is connected our lifelines are entangled, we participate in the same reality, and our stories play out simultaneously. These interconnections could act as a conduit to a more profound dimension of being. The astral world, mysticism and futurism are themes that I want to explore further in my design practice.
Cyber Symbiosis: Portals of Transcendence to Liquified Reality is a video installation that challenges traditional structures of power in cyberspace by exploring the potential for fluidity and reimagination in digital interfaces. Drawing from cyber-feminist principles, it advocates for the liquifying of gender; there's much more to discover than just zeros and ones. Instead, there are transdimensional possibilities for interaction and hybrid methods of representation in the digital realm. It is a potent reminder that the cyborg body is an intertwined game of both human and machine, experiencing their surroundings affected by tech-developers. Glitching and nostalgia reveal machine flaws, providing time for reflection. With its neon slime skins dripping out of the hardware, data poetry and visual metaphors the installation invites online beings on a journey for an ethereal future with new cyber-visions of our digital destiny.
I USE A POTATO TO DRAW I believe that designing and cooking share principles and methodologies, either directly or indirectly. For cooking, one ingredient can change into several recipes and one recipe can adjust with every person to be a new recipe of its own. Different seasons and different regions have a unique variation of ingredients, seasoning, spices, and herbs that can produce an endless possibility of combinations and recipes. I use a potato to draw offers new visuals out of the Dutch cuisine, which is known for consisting of plain and sometimes tasteless food. Through an exploration of the possibilities of endless forms and colors, I wanted to bring more joy and excitement to the dishes.
I set out to investigate alternative ways of growing and producing food. Like many others, I am used to the comfortable habits of buying food from around the globe in supermarkets made available by exploited distribution systems. To challenge those habits, I lived and worked on a permaculture farm in Germany. Permaculture farms exist to have a more permanent and regenerative role while working together with nature and place importance on giving the soil nutrients back to keep it healthy with microorganisms which will in turn give you a nutrient-dense crop. When a system does a lot of harm, as an individual, you can still do things to challenge that system. In my project I'm showing ways how you might approach that; growing a portion of food yourself, supporting permaculture-grown food and using permaculture-based principles in everyday life. This active research transformed into a documentary of three chapters: planting, growth and giving back. Together they represent the full cycle of plants. Each chapter is accompanied by a tray filled with organic soil that feeds the growing.
We often hear the world is changing, mainly because of climate change, but don't get a clear picture of this, it is often that one aspect is shown. With this book, I want to give an overview of the problems climate change brings forth, and in what way the world is changing. This is done through maps, essays, research papers and photos, This book looks at the present, but its main focus is on the future. It speculates on disasters caused by climate change that will continue if no changes are made in the near future. This will be a world that deals with more intense precipitation, but also, drought, flooding and increases in temperature. The spine of the book is made up of folds, the pages will be inside the folds, these folds will create space for the folded maps in between the chapters.
With the progressive digitalization of our personal lives, we have begun to lose touch with the natural world and its importance to our mental and spiritual well-being. To reinvigorate this connection, the project E Kaminda di Tera (The Road to Earth) is a video art installation that utilizes the digital and physical space, to recreate an artificial abstracted natural environment. The installation invites viewers to experience vivid visuals, sounds, and scents that imply nature. It also emphasizes the limitations of such an experience compared to real-world natural elements. Ultimately, E Kaminda di Tera hopes to spark contemplation around nature's beauty and encourage people towards visiting nature themselves.
As I gaze through the ocular of my microscope, a new world reveals itself before my eyes. The ordinary, seemingly mundane objects that populate our surroundings begin to take on a mesmerizing allure and reveal a hidden surface below: a hidden tapestry of life that flourishes on our planet. With each adjustment of the lens, the world transforms, showing me vibrant colors and intricate structures. The Real Surface is a gentle reminder that there is more to our world than meets the eye. If only we develop our vision with the patience to explore and the wonder to appreciate the smallest miracles that exist right beneath our noses, we will discover a surface of life that captivates and inspires.
If You Stand Far Away Enough, You Can Still See the Dinosaurs. As humans, we are considered ephemeral beings. Whether it is you, me, or our loved ones, within a short span of 70 to 100 years we will die, be cremated or buried, and eventually dissolve into dust. Compared to the cosmos, the life of a human being is merely a flicker. Even with the inevitable fading of the physical body, does our existence dissipate at the time of death? In the present, we observe the light emitted by stars light years away through telescopes. We observe light that has traveled through the universe for tens of thousands of years before coalescing into an image. If you stand on a star 66 million light-years away and look back at Earth, you can still see the dinosaurs. Our existence is frozen in photons, radiating towards the infinity of the cosmos.
At 26/03/2023 a total of 121 objects were forgotten or left behind on the train or at any NS station. The number may be a lot higher, but some of the objects already found a way back to their owners. The rest is portrayed in this book. This random collection of lost objects is stored in a secret location somewhere in Utrecht, organized and categorized in the same way every day. I was curious about what stories and data are hidden in these storage shelves. Can an object be anonymous and personal at the same time? 26/03/2023 is an archive of lost and found objects from the NS and their journey home or somewhere else.
Wandering Habits follows the notions of a habitual methodology which the designer tends to use in their practice. During a series of workshops, the designer aims to teach its participants a method of observation through a modular space in which participants are asked to observe and create according to their immediate surroundings. This space in turn sparks a linear motion in which further workshops will be held. Each workshop lays out the toolset for the following workshop. Wandering is a preparatory action or a habitual linear motion in which we find ourselves. Moving from the comfort of the gray walls to the openness of outdoor space allows us to wander on our own and makes the habits we have developed in the building obsolete. However, the work habits will remain. By creating this modular working space, the new methodologies being taught will gain a foothold in which the habitual workings can further evolve.
To playfully document my daily life, I created symbols that depict the actions I routinely engage in. There are moments when I perceive my daily life as monotonous and repetitive. However, I found joy in the mundane moments captured through photographs or texts. These records have led me to realize that my daily life holds more value than I had initially thought. The symbols I am inspired by are sheet music. In the work, I transformed the rhythm of my daily life by incorporating special moments that introduce good or bad occurrences amidst repetitive actions. I created my everyday patterns into a visual portrayal reminiscent of a musical score.
In the Netherlands, only a few individuals practice the art of making aesthetic prostheses. Their atelier is filled with tools, materials, and machines used to create lifelike prosthetics. Fascinated by this subject, combined with a passion for photography, my graduation project captures the atelier. I have created a book, with which I aim to highlight the contrast between the raw materials and the craftsmanship behind these creations. The book pays tribute to the materials and tools present in the atelier, as well as the craftsmanship involved. In addition, it explores how to capture a space and its contents in the form of a book.
This book focuses on the often overlooked subtle changes that many don’t pay attention to, but which hold great value. The purpose of the publication is to help readers recognize subtle transformations by emphasizing and building upon familiar settings.
In the rhythm of our daily strides, we often miss what’s in front of our eyes, everything feels the same, as we pass them by. But everything slowly changes, the changes in this book happen per minute, per day and per week. The changes are small. Not every change is captured by humans. Changes can happen through chance encounters, human interaction, or interferences of nature. Watch everything change slowly, with the inevitable change that comes with a world that is in motion, and a life that is always in commotion.
A visual study of modular and movable stencils that are painted with an airbrush. During the process of experimentation, I realized that the modular stencils are based on the principles of the double pendulum that is often used to describe dynamical systems in physics and mathematics. A double pendulum is a circle with two (or more) moving joints attached to each other from the middle. This theory is often used to explain the chaos theory; the motion of the pendulums depends on different variables which can never be exactly predicted. By using different-shaped pendulums, different speeds of movement, the movement and pressure of my hand, and the variable air of the airbrush, I can never exactly predict how the print is going to turn out. By writing down all the different variables as precisely as possible in a formula system, I want to find out how the visual outcomes of this system evolve by adjusting certain aspects and pushing the boundaries of what repetition and iteration can bring. The project is a collection of non-hierarchical experiments, tests, and tryouts, some successful and some failures.
What if you had to pause your life? Everything you have to do comes to a standstill, not because you want to, but because your body doesn't allow you to go any further. That is what I experienced in the past few months when I developed a spinal disc herniation. Experiencing pain, repeating the same day over and over again, feeling confined and stuck in place and body, the days bleeding together, and having gaps in your memories because of painkillers. By using the slow and repetitive process of trichrome photography with my analog camera, I wanted to create a photo that shows the monotony of recovery. This work is a self-portrait of a significant time in my life. It aims to express my feelings as well as being a voice for people with similar experiences. The final presentation of this photo is shielded by a curtain featuring a poem. This poem is made in collaboration with Lauren Kleinbussink and Jacob Colenbrander, it is written as a counterpart story. But everything slowly changes, the changes in this book happen per minute, per day and per week. The changes are small. Not every change is captured by humans. Changes can happen through chance encounters, human inter-action, or interferences of nature. Watch everything change slowly, with the inevitable change that comes with a world that is in motion, and a life that is always in commotion.
My project, Unraveling the Algorithm focuses on Artificial Intelligence. AI has rapidly advanced in the field of Graphic Design, but its use is not without controversy. The book series Unraveling the Algorithm: AI's Influence on the Role of the Graphic Designer is a critical examination of the impact AI has on the role of graphic designers, exploring both the possibilities and limitations of collaborating with AI in design. But what does this mean for the future of graphic design as a profession? The book series explores collaborations between AI and designers, AI tools and techniques, and its ethical implications, the impact of AI on jobs, and an exploration of the bookmaking process, as well as a final critical reflection on AI. The book explores why and what AI is capable of, the data that was fed into it and how this reflects on its output.
Throughout the books, I showed what part of the bookmaking process was done by an AI and what was done by the designer to provide
more transparency.
Coping with Mechanisms is an immersive art installation that addresses the recent rise of anxiety disorders among young adults and teenagers in the digital age. This project showcases the meditative potential of crochet and knitting as calming activities that counterbalance the negative effects of excessive screen time. Visitors are invited to reflect on their own mental well-being and explore alternative coping mechanisms, while listening to the hidden audio pieces inside the structure. The installation creates a serene environment where individuals can engage in the meditative qualities of crochet and knitting, hereby countering triggers for anxiety. By raising awareness on the impact of anxiety disorders and promoting the benefits of mindful crafts, Coping with Mechanisms aims to inspire conversations and action to address this pressing issue. It emphasizes the importance of finding a balanced relationship with technology while prioritizing mental health. Through this project, I hope to empower individuals, particularly the younger generation, to seek healthier ways to navigate the digital landscape and promote holistic well-being.
The Path of Uncertainty began with the concept of overthinking and how to overcome it. After taking great inspiration from the movie “Stutz”, the psychologist highlights that uncertainty is one of the three fundamentals we can never live without. I ended up wanting to create a project that shows both the pattern of intricate thoughts and how uncertainty overcomes it. So this work shows a pattern that I used to make since a young age as a form of escapism, using black markers to represent this chaos. The concept focuses on the feeling of uncertainty through an outcome that is not static, but changes constantly and is uncertain in itself. This project focuses on creating ambiguity for the viewer and making them feel unsure in regard to the meaning of the output. It's about expecting the unexpected, viewers have enough freedom to create their own narrative. The Path of Uncertainty embraces the ever-changing nature of uncertainty itself, encompassing the complex patterns of overthinking and overcoming them.
My project, Between Here and There, focuses on identity crisis and on losing an identity while developing a new one. Being Lithuanian and liv-ing, studying, and working in the Netherlands I face many challenges connected to how I adapt and adjust to a new environment and social life. I wanted to dwell in the experience of being a wolf in a foreign forest; Of being alone and creating a new home. I came to the realization that I am not the only one who feels or lives a life like this. I focused my research on my family members, relatives, and friends, who made the same life choices as me. In my project I talk about adjustment and the reasons for leaving a homeland and choosing a new one. I wanted to also explore the feeling of being torn between two places through the form of a book and a transmedia work.
Together with my twin brother Bram, I attended the same school for 16 years, played soccer together, and worked the same job at the supermarket. These environments shaped us and turned us into different people. Zo zie ik jou (That's how I see you) delves into the realm of perception, exploring how we view one another, the life lessons that we learned and who we look up to. Through a series of conversations, my twin brother and I challenge ourselves to introduce and describe each other using our own perspective of the other. Dynamic moving collages are composed of carefully selected fragments or printed materials such as cherished childhood images and filmed footage. This material offers glimpses of our way of seeing and understanding each other.
With When they walked, their feet crossed tales, I aim to inspire diaspora children and their parents to share their stories with each other, in order to heal their bond and past traumas. With an anecdote shared by my father in mind, I analyzed conversations and visuals from old family pictures in Egypt. When he first moved to Amsterdam and was looking for work, young baba always walked beside the tramline so he wouldn't get lost, he always walked nearby, but never got in. Together, we walked this route again. In this project I have created visual studies and printed them on carpets. Each carpet comes with their own narrative, and together they tell a grand story. The carpets are modular so the perspectives of the narrative can change. My hopes are that children of the diaspora come to the installation with their parents, and walk together, and maybe, get inspired to share their stories with each other someday. The work aims to make you feel at home, like you belong, and to realize, your story is important.
With One by One, I explore the way our profit-driven society's idea of productivity presents itself in a spatial way. As a symbol I chose the “cubicle” — a three-walled space to serve as a personal productive space for the worker. To me, this is the perfect visual representation of a non-distractive, isolated space and with that a nightmarish outlook on work life. This project serves as a critique on this conservative way of viewing productivity. From that idea “play space” elements have been incorporated to the working environment, including elements that connect the cubicles together as a communicative tool, showing that communication can be the most helpful tool when it comes to motivation and creativity. There are three playground cubicles set up with playful elements such as crawling tubes, sharing tubes and a slide. One by One serves as an imaginative space to spark interest in changing the way we choose to be productive and motivated in the workspace.
Dari Generasi Ke Generasi is a personal project. My roots are half-Dutch and half-Indonesian, which makes me an Indo. Growing up, I never felt really connected to my Indonesian roots because the Indonesian culture was not prominent in my upbringing and my family did not talk much about their past in Indonesia. My Indonesian grandparents had to flee their home country because of the independence of Indonesia. My dad was six years old when he came to the Netherlands. When his family arrived in the Netherlands, they quickly adapted to the Dutch culture. This meant that talking about their past in Indonesian was not and still isn't talked about. Only in the last couple of years, have I become more interested in doing research about my roots and the past of my family in Indonesia. This was the start of my research project. This project is about the relationship I have as a third-generation Indo with my Indonesian roots. It is focused on my feelings about the decay of the culture and stories about the past from generation to generation. I visualized this through batik, a traditional Indonesian printing technique.
Rising from a collection of secret audio recordings, received letters and written material, I made the auditory installation (toch nog altijd) je dominee. I grew up in a heavily reformed church and after years of talking with my pastor, I left the community. Through the soundscape, I criticize indoctrination, manipulation and abuse of power within religious communities. Within a heavily reformed community there is no room for those who deviate from the biblical norm, critical thinkers or apostate believers. In the soundscape I "ascend" the pulpit like a pastor to express the undermined, and above all, misunderstood position in which I found and still find myself. I mainly use auditive elements that can be traced back to heartbeat, organ and recordings, which I weave together with electronic sounds. On the one hand I translate the religious community and power difference between pastor and congregation for those who have never been to a (strict) church and on the other hand I want to open the eyes of the ones that still go to church.
Catch the Sinking Emotion guides the viewer with simple actions that can help challenge negative emotions. All emotions are essential in life; even the ones that we consider negative. For example, a certain level of anxiety protects us and allows us to move forward in a future that contains uncertainties. When negative emotions become overwhelming it can feel like our lives can begin to sink. We believe what we think is truth, but this notion can be challenged. Truth can also be a fictional world in the mind where illusions have been created. With this in mind it is important to consider how to deal with negative thought patterns. The act of searching for a word to express emotions can clarify the feelings of uncomfortableness. The act of writing can isolate these thoughts and make them more tangible. Finding and realizing the distortion that exists in our thoughts can help challenge the untruth, and allow for a more positive mindset.
In the past decade our phones and computers have stopped being functional and recreational devices and become a refuge from reality. This stems from a sense of dissatisfaction within our society particularly among younger generations, who turn to social media and digital platforms to escape the drawbacks of the real world and to express their frustrations. This phenomenon is known as escapism and can be a healthy coping mechanism. However, excessive escapism can give rise to mental health issues. Teenagers and young adults spend an average of 7 hours and 22 minutes on screens consuming nearly half their day in the digital realm. Are we destined to be part of this digital era, merely adapting to its technological advancements? Or does this behavior lead us to inhabit a self-created digital utopia? Perhaps through escapism, we can reflect on our screen habits and raise awareness among future generations. By drawing from the digital ASCII art form, I want to visualize the potential consequences of our actions through an envisioned digital utopia.
This installation simulates the dream-like state of mind and aims to create an alternate reality; in-between dream and real life. How can one touch upon the distorted visuals, truths, and physics one sees while dreaming? This installation is an escape from the distractions of everyday life, as well as an ode to daydreaming – a part of me that, as a child, came naturally — being in touch with my fantasies. With this project, the viewer can create spaces within their conscious and unconscious in order to become open to the wonders of their mind. The installation invites the audience to enter through the curtain, sit or lay down, and observe. The elements in the installation refer to childhood associations, such as blanket forts, mosquito nets, inflatable structures, and soft textures. The colors of the projections are saturated and bright, sharp, or blurry. The physics caused by the 360 camera and distorted projections enlarge the misshapen bodies, objects, and landscapes.
This project focuses on the topic of machismo. Its main objective is to convey the emotions of disturbance, fear, awkwardness, and the need to hide your identity that I personally experienced during my youth while closeted. This overwhelming — albeit unrealistic — fear originated from my upbringing with the Brazilian culture, where machismo is more prominent, as well as from high school where alpha male behavior was sup-ported. To explore this concept, I created five different realities, each presenting a different "what if" scenario. These scenarios decide how machismo should be portrayed within each reality. The first video depicts our current world with the most extreme form of machismo, while the fifth video showcases the least extreme form. Across these five videos, the meaning of machismo subtly changes, gradually becoming less disturbing, which is a transformation that is seen in the footage. The films consist of found footage, including Brazilian novellas, and self-made footage capturing the postures that respond to machismo. This mix of visuals allows for an exploration on machismo, connecting both cultural references and personal expressions.
My deep connection to nature has made me aware of the human addiction to exploiting non-human beings, which has an overall negative impact on the planet and undoubtedly affects human survival as well. The lack of resources in nature will force humans to rely on their bodies as the only option for survival. In the distant future, humans will be born with modified body organs implanted with non-human intelligences and abilities, creating a symbiotic relationship that safeguards their bodies from environmental toxins. BADA-23, the first model of a future human body, is designed to survive the environmental crisis. It incorporates the intelligences and abilities of sea animals, effectively functioning as designated sea animals themselves. Its regeneration ability protects the human body from chemical toxins and hunger, purifying and feeding itself as an emergency snack. Additionally, the altered human body converts carbon dioxide into oxygen autonomously, acting as a cleaner without losing its human identity. This modified human body serves to counteract the legacy effects of environmental toxins and ensure the survival of the human race.
The project is an exploration on how modern technologies can be used in the context of the GDA library. The work examines the physical library for graphic design students with an accompanying digital database that provides relevant information about the publications. The aim for the project is to act as a translation layer between the physical library and its digital archive.
The installation is com-posed of three layers: the self, the collective spirit, and the universal consciousness. Humanity is stuck on the ego. I want people to experience a unitive ritual and rethink their obsession with the ego. The liquids I used in the installation demonstrate transformation, movement, oneness, and expansion. My objective is to illustrate to the viewer that everything and everyone is connected our lifelines are entangled, we participate in the same reality, and our stories play out simultaneously. These interconnections could act as a conduit to a more profound dimension of being. The astral world, mysticism and futurism are themes that I want to explore further in my design practice.
Cyber Symbiosis: Portals of Transcendence to Liquified Reality is a video installation that challenges traditional structures of power in cyberspace by exploring the potential for fluidity and reimagination in digital interfaces. Drawing from cyber-feminist principles, it advocates for the liquifying of gender; there's much more to discover than just zeros and ones. Instead, there are transdimensional possibilities for interaction and hybrid methods of representation in the digital realm. It is a potent reminder that the cyborg body is an intertwined game of both human and machine, experiencing their surroundings affected by tech-developers. Glitching and nostalgia reveal machine flaws, providing time for reflection. With its neon slime skins dripping out of the hardware, data poetry and visual metaphors the installation invites online beings on a journey for an ethereal future with new cyber-visions of our digital destiny.
I USE A POTATO TO DRAW I believe that designing and cooking share principles and methodologies, either directly or indirectly. For cooking, one ingredient can change into several recipes and one recipe can adjust with every person to be a new recipe of its own. Different seasons and different regions have a unique variation of ingredients, seasoning, spices, and herbs that can produce an endless possibility of combinations and recipes. I use a potato to draw offers new visuals out of the Dutch cuisine, which is known for consisting of plain and sometimes tasteless food. Through an exploration of the possibilities of endless forms and colors, I wanted to bring more joy and excitement to the dishes.
I set out to investigate alternative ways of growing and producing food. Like many others, I am used to the comfortable habits of buying food from around the globe in supermarkets made available by exploited distribution systems. To challenge those habits, I lived and worked on a permaculture farm in Germany. Permaculture farms exist to have a more permanent and regenerative role while working together with nature and place importance on giving the soil nutrients back to keep it healthy with microorganisms which will in turn give you a nutrient-dense crop. When a system does a lot of harm, as an individual, you can still do things to challenge that system. In my project I'm showing ways how you might approach that; growing a portion of food yourself, supporting permaculture-grown food and using permaculture-based principles in everyday life. This active research transformed into a documentary of three chapters: planting, growth and giving back. Together they represent the full cycle of plants. Each chapter is accompanied by a tray filled with organic soil that feeds the growing.
We often hear the world is changing, mainly because of climate change, but don't get a clear picture of this, it is often that one aspect is shown. With this book, I want to give an overview of the problems climate change brings forth, and in what way the world is changing. This is done through maps, essays, research papers and photos, This book looks at the present, but its main focus is on the future. It speculates on disasters caused by climate change that will continue if no changes are made in the near future. This will be a world that deals with more intense precipitation, but also, drought, flooding and increases in temperature. The spine of the book is made up of folds, the pages will be inside the folds, these folds will create space for the folded maps in between the chapters.
With the progressive digitalization of our personal lives, we have begun to lose touch with the natural world and its importance to our mental and spiritual well-being. To reinvigorate this connection, the project E Kaminda di Tera (The Road to Earth) is a video art installation that utilizes the digital and physical space, to recreate an artificial abstracted natural environment. The installation invites viewers to experience vivid visuals, sounds, and scents that imply nature. It also emphasizes the limitations of such an experience compared to real-world natural elements. Ultimately, E Kaminda di Tera hopes to spark contemplation around nature's beauty and encourage people towards visiting nature themselves.
As I gaze through the ocular of my microscope, a new world reveals itself before my eyes. The ordinary, seemingly mundane objects that populate our surroundings begin to take on a mesmerizing allure and reveal a hidden surface below: a hidden tapestry of life that flourishes on our planet. With each adjustment of the lens, the world transforms, showing me vibrant colors and intricate structures. The Real Surface is a gentle reminder that there is more to our world than meets the eye. If only we develop our vision with the patience to explore and the wonder to appreciate the smallest miracles that exist right beneath our noses, we will discover a surface of life that captivates and inspires.
If You Stand Far Away Enough, You Can Still See the Dinosaurs. As humans, we are considered ephemeral beings. Whether it is you, me, or our loved ones, within a short span of 70 to 100 years we will die, be cremated or buried, and eventually dissolve into dust. Compared to the cosmos, the life of a human being is merely a flicker. Even with the inevitable fading of the physical body, does our existence dissipate at the time of death? In the present, we observe the light emitted by stars light years away through telescopes. We observe light that has traveled through the universe for tens of thousands of years before coalescing into an image. If you stand on a star 66 million light-years away and look back at Earth, you can still see the dinosaurs. Our existence is frozen in photons, radiating towards the infinity of the cosmos.
At 26/03/2023 a total of 121 objects were forgotten or left behind on the train or at any NS station. The number may be a lot higher, but some of the objects already found a way back to their owners. The rest is portrayed in this book. This random collection of lost objects is stored in a secret location somewhere in Utrecht, organized and categorized in the same way every day. I was curious about what stories and data are hidden in these storage shelves. Can an object be anonymous and personal at the same time? 26/03/2023 is an archive of lost and found objects from the NS and their journey home or somewhere else.
Wandering Habits follows the notions of a habitual methodology which the designer tends to use in their practice. During a series of workshops, the designer aims to teach its participants a method of observation through a modular space in which participants are asked to observe and create according to their immediate surroundings. This space in turn sparks a linear motion in which further workshops will be held. Each workshop lays out the toolset for the following workshop. Wandering is a preparatory action or a habitual linear motion in which we find ourselves. Moving from the comfort of the gray walls to the openness of outdoor space allows us to wander on our own and makes the habits we have developed in the building obsolete. However, the work habits will remain. By creating this modular working space, the new methodologies being taught will gain a foothold in which the habitual workings can further evolve.
To playfully document my daily life, I created symbols that depict the actions I routinely engage in. There are moments when I perceive my daily life as monotonous and repetitive. However, I found joy in the mundane moments captured through photographs or texts. These records have led me to realize that my daily life holds more value than I had initially thought. The symbols I am inspired by are sheet music. In the work, I transformed the rhythm of my daily life by incorporating special moments that introduce good or bad occurrences amidst repetitive actions. I created my everyday patterns into a visual portrayal reminiscent of a musical score.
In the Netherlands, only a few individuals practice the art of making aesthetic prostheses. Their atelier is filled with tools, materials, and machines used to create lifelike prosthetics. Fascinated by this subject, combined with a passion for photography, my graduation project captures the atelier. I have created a book, with which I aim to highlight the contrast between the raw materials and the craftsmanship behind these creations. The book pays tribute to the materials and tools present in the atelier, as well as the craftsmanship involved. In addition, it explores how to capture a space and its contents in the form of a book.
This book focuses on the often overlooked subtle changes that many don’t pay attention to, but which hold great value. The purpose of the publication is to help readers recognize subtle transformations by emphasizing and building upon familiar settings.
In the rhythm of our daily strides, we often miss what’s in front of our eyes, everything feels the same, as we pass them by. But everything slowly changes, the changes in this book happen per minute, per day and per week. The changes are small. Not every change is captured by humans. Changes can happen through chance encounters, human interaction, or interferences of nature. Watch everything change slowly, with the inevitable change that comes with a world that is in motion, and a life that is always in commotion.
A visual study of modular and movable stencils that are painted with an airbrush. During the process of experimentation, I realized that the modular stencils are based on the principles of the double pendulum that is often used to describe dynamical systems in physics and mathematics. A double pendulum is a circle with two (or more) moving joints attached to each other from the middle. This theory is often used to explain the chaos theory; the motion of the pendulums depends on different variables which can never be exactly predicted. By using different-shaped pendulums, different speeds of movement, the movement and pressure of my hand, and the variable air of the airbrush, I can never exactly predict how the print is going to turn out. By writing down all the different variables as precisely as possible in a formula system, I want to find out how the visual outcomes of this system evolve by adjusting certain aspects and pushing the boundaries of what repetition and iteration can bring. The project is a collection of non-hierarchical experiments, tests, and tryouts, some successful and some failures.
What if you had to pause your life? Everything you have to do comes to a standstill, not because you want to, but because your body doesn't allow you to go any further. That is what I experienced in the past few months when I developed a spinal disc herniation. Experiencing pain, repeating the same day over and over again, feeling confined and stuck in place and body, the days bleeding together, and having gaps in your memories because of painkillers. By using the slow and repetitive process of trichrome photography with my analog camera, I wanted to create a photo that shows the monotony of recovery. This work is a self-portrait of a significant time in my life. It aims to express my feelings as well as being a voice for people with similar experiences. The final presentation of this photo is shielded by a curtain featuring a poem. This poem is made in collaboration with Lauren Kleinbussink and Jacob Colenbrander, it is written as a counterpart story. But everything slowly changes, the changes in this book happen per minute, per day and per week. The changes are small. Not every change is captured by humans. Changes can happen through chance encounters, human inter-action, or interferences of nature. Watch everything change slowly, with the inevitable change that comes with a world that is in motion, and a life that is always in commotion.
My project, Unraveling the Algorithm focuses on Artificial Intelligence. AI has rapidly advanced in the field of Graphic Design, but its use is not without controversy. The book series Unraveling the Algorithm: AI's Influence on the Role of the Graphic Designer is a critical examination of the impact AI has on the role of graphic designers, exploring both the possibilities and limitations of collaborating with AI in design. But what does this mean for the future of graphic design as a profession? The book series explores collaborations between AI and designers, AI tools and techniques, and its ethical implications, the impact of AI on jobs, and an exploration of the bookmaking process, as well as a final critical reflection on AI. The book explores why and what AI is capable of, the data that was fed into it and how this reflects on its output.
Throughout the books, I showed what part of the bookmaking process was done by an AI and what was done by the designer to provide
more transparency.
Coping with Mechanisms is an immersive art installation that addresses the recent rise of anxiety disorders among young adults and teenagers in the digital age. This project showcases the meditative potential of crochet and knitting as calming activities that counterbalance the negative effects of excessive screen time. Visitors are invited to reflect on their own mental well-being and explore alternative coping mechanisms, while listening to the hidden audio pieces inside the structure. The installation creates a serene environment where individuals can engage in the meditative qualities of crochet and knitting, hereby countering triggers for anxiety. By raising awareness on the impact of anxiety disorders and promoting the benefits of mindful crafts, Coping with Mechanisms aims to inspire conversations and action to address this pressing issue. It emphasizes the importance of finding a balanced relationship with technology while prioritizing mental health. Through this project, I hope to empower individuals, particularly the younger generation, to seek healthier ways to navigate the digital landscape and promote holistic well-being.
The Path of Uncertainty began with the concept of overthinking and how to overcome it. After taking great inspiration from the movie “Stutz”, the psychologist highlights that uncertainty is one of the three fundamentals we can never live without. I ended up wanting to create a project that shows both the pattern of intricate thoughts and how uncertainty overcomes it. So this work shows a pattern that I used to make since a young age as a form of escapism, using black markers to represent this chaos. The concept focuses on the feeling of uncertainty through an outcome that is not static, but changes constantly and is uncertain in itself. This project focuses on creating ambiguity for the viewer and making them feel unsure in regard to the meaning of the output. It's about expecting the unexpected, viewers have enough freedom to create their own narrative. The Path of Uncertainty embraces the ever-changing nature of uncertainty itself, encompassing the complex patterns of overthinking and overcoming them.
My project, Between Here and There, focuses on identity crisis and on losing an identity while developing a new one. Being Lithuanian and liv-ing, studying, and working in the Netherlands I face many challenges connected to how I adapt and adjust to a new environment and social life. I wanted to dwell in the experience of being a wolf in a foreign forest; Of being alone and creating a new home. I came to the realization that I am not the only one who feels or lives a life like this. I focused my research on my family members, relatives, and friends, who made the same life choices as me. In my project I talk about adjustment and the reasons for leaving a homeland and choosing a new one. I wanted to also explore the feeling of being torn between two places through the form of a book and a transmedia work.
Together with my twin brother Bram, I attended the same school for 16 years, played soccer together, and worked the same job at the supermarket. These environments shaped us and turned us into different people. Zo zie ik jou (That's how I see you) delves into the realm of perception, exploring how we view one another, the life lessons that we learned and who we look up to. Through a series of conversations, my twin brother and I challenge ourselves to introduce and describe each other using our own perspective of the other. Dynamic moving collages are composed of carefully selected fragments or printed materials such as cherished childhood images and filmed footage. This material offers glimpses of our way of seeing and understanding each other.
With When they walked, their feet crossed tales, I aim to inspire diaspora children and their parents to share their stories with each other, in order to heal their bond and past traumas. With an anecdote shared by my father in mind, I analyzed conversations and visuals from old family pictures in Egypt. When he first moved to Amsterdam and was looking for work, young baba always walked beside the tramline so he wouldn't get lost, he always walked nearby, but never got in. Together, we walked this route again. In this project I have created visual studies and printed them on carpets. Each carpet comes with their own narrative, and together they tell a grand story. The carpets are modular so the perspectives of the narrative can change. My hopes are that children of the diaspora come to the installation with their parents, and walk together, and maybe, get inspired to share their stories with each other someday. The work aims to make you feel at home, like you belong, and to realize, your story is important.
