What is your occupation now?
I am an independent visual sociological researcher. Have you ever played trivial pursuit? Each time a question is asked you feel your brain working and then it comes, the solution! You bravely yell the answer and hope for a positive outcome so you can fill up your little pie with bright coloured pieces. And each time when you play it again you start to remember the answers and so create a little library of trivial information in your head. That is me, a living trivial library of the world. Always eager to play another game until I can describe the impossible and that is my work I am active as an Artist, (sociologist) researcher and writer. It sounds like a lot, but do not forget how colourful a filled trivial pie is.
What did you gain from your study at WdKA?
I learned to see the changes in various cultures, how to operate in a public sphere and how to explain my thought processes and outcomes via imagery.
Authoritative by Design, Graduation Project
The Internet is not as democratic as we would like to believe. Even though the different platforms provide a multi-dimensional view on the content we wish to receive, it is still mainly created by those who are able to execute the means of power, needed to gain visibility on websites. In the project Authoritative by Design I explore the intricate ways in which offline means of communicating information are finding their way onto the Internet. Specifically, I take the case of news design to explore the tension created by the repurposing of offline design principles in combination with the opportunities presented by the online environment. The project ‘Authoritative by Design’ explains how digital expression by image and text is easily misinterpreted and manipulated.
Favourite WdKA memory?
The Honours Minor Visual Culture, it truly changed my perspective and has shown me where my interests are.
What is the future of your profession in your opinion?
It is very unknown in The Netherlands and in so I need to undertake steps that make me trustworthy. I noticed that coming from an art academy can have its plus- and downsides in the field of science. An artist lies (presumably), a researcher tells the truth, I am trying to walk on this fine line and practice art as a method in sociology. The more this becomes accepted as a valid practice the better I can do my work.
You never leave your house without…?
A book, my analogue pocket camera, pen and paper, my phone.
Don't bind your ideologies to a name or title.
Any words of advice for future students?
Just go for it and don't bind your ideologies to a name or title. I carry many different titles when working. It causes confusion if you always try to stuff everything that you are in one word. It won't come through so my advice: try to find a common field and operate from there when you are stretching out their boundaries. Eventually, when your practice is grounded you can operate from the title you wish to carry.
Name your favourite recent project.
Practices of care. The practice of care is a relatively recent research area that is rooted in Science and Technology Studies. It first arose in nursing theory and feminist theory, where it was mostly applied to caring for other human beings, but since then has moved on to dealing with any kind of object or subject such as the text you are reading, to the thing you last ate. Care is about seeking improvement of the status quo of its subjects. Research on the practice of care emphasises care’s fluid character and looks at all that is involved in the process of caring. Care has endless complexities as it is made up of different settings.
An image from Failed, Forgotten, Valuable series
Future plans and hopes.
I want to gain some more relevant working experience aside from my artistic practice. Setting up your business can be tricky and I have experienced that there are some things I won't learn without gaining the confidence to undertake action.
Visit Lisa's website to learn more about her work.
