(De)fine Art | Graduation Series 2025
Nik van der Meulen (24) used to think that becoming a comic artist wasn’t feasible for him. He is originally from Nootdorp and trained as a history educator, but teaching - especially online during the pandemic - didn’t click. “I’d always secretly wanted to study at WdKA,” Nik admits. “So one day, I just applied.”
Now, a few years later, Nik is preparing to graduate from the (De)fine Art department with a deeply personal and rigorously researched project that explores how queer experiences of time and identity can reshape narrative structure - through comics.
Queer Temporality, Non-Linear Storytelling, and Comics
Nik’s graduation work is an autobiographical comic rooted in the idea of queer temporality:a concept that challenges conventional timelines of growth, adulthood, and identity. The project questions what it means to “come of age” in a queer context, and how storytelling can be reshaped to reflect that experience.
“It all started with people asking, ‘When did you know you were trans?’” Nik explains. “The more I thought about it, the more I felt like that question didn’t matter. It’s not linear.”
Instead of following a traditional arc, Nik’s comic unfolds in fragmented, looping scenes. It blends academic research on narrative theory with personal memory, visual experimentation, and interviews with other trans comic artists. “It’s the first time I’ve really gone this deep into how comics work - structurally, emotionally, ethically.”
The process included reading both scholarly theory and comics, mapping out key scenes, and experimenting with sequencing. Currently, Nik is physically reordering the printed scenes, cutting, pasting, and reshuffling them to explore new forms of coherence - one that reflects lived queer experience rather than fixed narrative logic.
Between Concept and Craft
While Nik could have chosen a path like illustration, the open structure of fine art felt like a better fit. “Illustration might focus more on storytelling craft,” he says, “but in fine art, the focus is on the value and weight of the idea. The questions were more conceptual.”
“I wanted to go deep, both emotionally and intellectually. That’s what fine art gave me.” That freedom allowed Nik to experiment across mediums: photography, installation, music, even robotics. But in the end, storytelling remained the thread through it all. “All those different practices helped me become a better comic artist. They gave me new ways to think about narrative.”
Challenges and Confidence
As graduation approaches, Nik says he feels both ready and reflective. “I didn’t expect to enjoy academic research as much as I do,” he says. “I’ve gained a sense of confidence in my field. I know what I’m doing, and I know what I don’t know and I’m excited to keep learning.”
The biggest challenge? Time. “It’s a long process, and I’m easily distracted by other exciting projects,” he laughs. “I had a deadline recently for the Centraal Museum Utrecht that took me away from the comic for two weeks.”
Still, he’s proud of the balance he’s struck - building a network of peers and professionals through small comic fairs, outreach, and conversations with fellow artists. “I’ve spent the past couple of years connecting with other trans comic makers, asking them about their choices, their safety, their voice. That helped me make more intentional decisions in my own work.”
Growing into His Own Practice
Looking back at the early years, Nik admits he’s changed a lot - especially in his mindset. “In year one, I was late, grumpy, and took things way too seriously,” he says. “I had just come from a teacher training program, so WdKA’s open structure was quite a shock.”
It took time, but eventually that openness became empowering. “I learned how to take control, find my focus, and direct my own motivation. Now I know how to manage my time, choose my battles, and show up with intention.”
He also values the range of perspectives he’s encountered in the fine art department. “There’s not one single influence. It’s the mix of all the teachers, all the station staff. Everyone brings something different, and that variety shaped me.”
After Graduation: Comics, History and Future Projects
Nik’s post-graduation plans blend creative ambition with grounded experience. He’ll continue working as a museum educator, and is in touch with a publisher about writing a children’s book on prehistory: an ideal mix of his love for history and storytelling.
“Working with archaeologists has given me so much material,” he says. “It feels like a really natural next step.”
Long term, Nik hopes to continue making autobiographical comics, while also exploring themes like anti-war stories and historical narratives. A dream? A residency in Belgium working with WWI archives, or building boats in Norway and turning that into a comic too.
“Autobiography is also a way for me to process things. So I think I’ll always come back to it.”
Advice for Future Students
“Try as much as you can. You’ve got four years with very few responsibilities - use that time to experiment.”
Nik encourages new students to explore every medium, attend every station, and stay curious.“Don’t box yourself in. Everything you try will teach you something, especially if storytelling is your end goal.”
