During the last two weeks of December, our fourth-year students will conclude their Minor programmes with a number of presentations throughout the city. Their exhibitions and events are hosted by exciting venues in Rotterdam and beyond. Everyone interested is more than welcome to pay a visit, start a conversation and get inspired by the work of our creating pioneers. A full overview of all presentations sorted by date:
14 December
Data Design: Archive Extracts
Location: Device Lab, ground floor, Blaak 10
Public exhibition: 10:00-15:00
In the past, archiving used to be a relatively clear process. A paper document can be easily stored, accessed and destroyed. But archiving digital data is anything but clear process: copy and original are the same, distribution from/to all over the world is easy but destroying the original is hard. With the enormous amount of data that is produced daily we can ask the question:
Is archiving of digital data still possible or even desirable? For whom is this relevant and who should be responsible? Archiving the digital presents us with new questions, ethics, systems, problems and opportunities. Together with advice and support of the National Archive. Students data design were asked the question: How do you portray the necessity of archiving and who is this important to?
18 December
Hacking: Everybody Is Invited, but Nobody Can Come / Livestream
Location: Big screen, Wijnhaven hall & online
The students of the minor Hacking (Autonomous Practices) hack the traditional concept of the exhibition. This year, the fourth year Hacking students decided to look at the concept of an exhibition from a hacker's perspective. They invite you to tune in on our Livestream the 18th of December, from 15:00 onwards via our Facebook page or via a big screen in de Willem, Wijnhaven 61. With this work-in-progress exhibition, we’re examining the borders of a more traditional concept of an exhibition in physical space. For more information visit the facebook page of this event.
19 December
Public & Private group 1: The Raftbuilders
Location: Willem Buytewechstaat 145
Public opening: 19 December, 19:00 - 22:00
Public exhibition: 21-22 December, 13:00 - 17:00
After a long time of sailing in thoughts and information, the WdKA students of the Autonomous Practices minor Public and Private present their final work at the exhibition, The Raftbuilders. The visitors are cordially invited for the grand opening on 19 December, 19:00 in the home-based studio, not far from the harbour. For more information visit the facebook page of this event.
Digital Craft: Use Us
Public opening: 19 December 19:00 - 01:00
Public exhibition: 20 December 14:00 - 22:00; 21 December 14:00 - 18:00*
Location: Performance Bar, Boomgaardsstraat 69
Digital Craft is no paradox. Making is a way of thinking, reflecting, and connecting. This year`s Digital Craft (Autonomous Practices) minor practitioners will expose their methodologies of using materials, technology, art, design, art school, layers and people. For more information visit the facebook page of this event.
*PERFORMANCE BAR SPECIAL
Visual Culture (Honours): Critical Cult
Public opening: 14:00-20:00
Location: MONO, Vijverhofstraat 15
This is an exhibition of the fourth year's student projects relating to the topic of populism. The exhibition is a combination of individual and group projects where populism is dissected, exposed and rethought within narrative & fact, identity & power, manipulated images, digital nudging, conspiracy theories, architectural typology, machines and humans acting, control through interfaces, cultural femininity, visual grazing, daily meme influencing and orientation of personal heritage.
Populism has become a worldwide phenomenon which is influencing politics & society strategically and on a daily basis. It is therefore very important for our future designers, artists & professionals to reflect and respond to this volatile and exciting topic. As populism is a complex subject with no simple and fixed definitions, many students have chosen to initiate and execute their own individual and group projects relating to the topic. The topics of the students vary and differ greatly, each with their own exciting results. For more information visit the facebook page of this event.
20 December
Public & Private group 2: So Glad We’ve Almost Made It
Location: Pictura, Voorstraat 190, Dordrecht
Public opening: 20 December, 18:00 - 22:00
Public exhibition: 21-22 December, 13:00 - 17:00
This exhibition is an exploration of human autonomy visualized through the processes of 28 final years Willem de Kooning students. This exhibition gives space to every worm of art – from the performative to crazy shit on screens. From word-based works to unconceivable visuals! As we are not one person, this exhibition is not restricted to one body. But as a group we are unified; we have taken it upon ourselves to explore what the realms of the "public" and the "private" can mean, and what they can become. To believe it you must see it and therefore, you must come, live on the edge, get ready for your mind to be blown the fuck open. As the worm eats the proverbial apple, so must the students consume and restructure the exhibition. For more information visit the facebook page of this event.
New Earth: New Canvas
Location: BlueCity, Maasboulevard 100
Public opening: 20 December, 17:00-19:00
The students of New Earth minor (Social Practices) are rebuilding the world we live in by the looking at the problems as if they're opportunities to do and be better. This social minor challenges the students to research and analyse social, economic, political and environmental systems. With their projects, students provoke change by re-designing these systems and giving form to future scenarios in respect of their environmental, social and economic contexts. They invite everyone, regardless of backgrounds to open their mind and look at those problems together. During this exhibition, they create a new world out of a new canvas together. The exhibition shows 15 interdisciplinary projects. For more information visit the facebook page of this event.
Cultural Diversity: Diverse Groups of Bodies
Location: Het Gemaal op Zuid
Public presentation: 20 December, 17:00-19:00
An open evening with projects and activities organised by a variety of different bodies that came together in the Cultural Diversity minor (Social Practices). We would like to show you our discoveries, opinions and share the journey that we have experienced in our body. What kind of influence does your body have on your life and are you aware of this? While working on this question we have realised that everyone experiences this differently. With our projects, we make statements from different perspectives and start conversations that make the viewer think. For more information visit the facebook page of this event.
Open Design: Are we..?
Location: Scheepsmakerspassage, Wijnhaven
Public presentation: 15:00-20:00
In this public presentation, the students from the Open Design minor (Social practices) present their perspectives on human behaviour. Coming from different disciplines (Product Design, Graphic Design and Advertising), the students gained skills through embedded research. They are going to present the results in participatory pieces. Everybody is invited to join for a drink at the café and participation in the presentations at the Scheepmakerspassage. For more information visit the facebook page of this event.
21 December
Critical Studies: (RE)CONSIDER
Location: Rib, Katendrechtse Lagedijk 490B
Public opening: 21 December, 18:00
Public exhibition: 21 December, 14:00-20:00 & 22 December 14:00-18:00
The flashing images of psychedelic landscapes, a repetitive loop of stock footage and the gallery space itself, all seem very familiar at first sight but also have an alienating way of framing what you see. The exhibition (RE)CONSIDER Autonomous Practices/Critical Studies) showcases the work of five artists originating from different disciplines including Animation, Lifestyle Transformation Design, Graphic Design, and Audiovisual Design. Through critical reflection, the artists reached for a deeper understanding of their individual struggle to successfully participate in today’s society. Conventional social and cultural perceptions are observed through the lens of current methods of presentation. For more information visit the facebook page of this event.
