rotterdam art week

mind blowing institute

A weird trippy spacey RGB experience i saw on the street walking by, the 5th picture was a hilarious low budget shitty sci-fi which reminded me a lot of the “people’s though of 2018 in the 50’s vs 2018” memes. It reminded me of soviet underground culture as well which is very analogue and 80’s spacey vibes, they are very young and go against the grain while keeping true to their culture. They also keep an unserious and rough cut vibe. My best friend is Moldavian and i’ve been more immersed in soviet culture thanks to her and they seem to be very popular amongst youth in street culture. They are definitely people to watch out for.

Baggs, A., Guenatri, K., Hevda, J., & Smiljanić , V. (2019). The Mind-Blowing Institute. [Film, Curation] Exhibited at the MAMA, Rotterdam, 11 January 2019 — 10 March 2019.

conclusion | not quite sure if i would want to explore the soviet culture as it doesn't feel close to home enough for me. this could be interesting to go back to during concept  phase, if i want to do something with senses, or something satyrical. it also appeals to a broad audience.

piet zwart institute open day

This space was a dirty couch with a weird funny video on the screen, reminded me of my teen days when I was part of a gang, this was very much like our hangout spots. I stepped out for logical reasons, i came close to being arrested and I was done being around people with drugs, but the setting was interesting. All of the members came from different backgrounds and had different profiles and we were all met with some kind of abandonment from our families or society or school. This was our family and the only people who love us and we stayed blind to the criminality and the fact that some of us went to jail or came close to death. This was an eye opening experience for me, and i still have contact with some of these people. I  am a former breakdancer and skateboarder and these sports were used as a way for kids to use their energy elsewhere than criminality, and i think fashion could play a part in this.

Unknown (2019). Piet-Zwart Institute. [Film, Installation] Exhibited at the Piet Zwart Institute, Rotterdam, 9 February 2019.

conclusion | it seems to close snd complex for me to explore, but i’m keeping my options open. i have a lot of resources and experience with this subject, so it could be interesting for me to use this dark part of my life to make something positive, or create a teachable moment. it's also very current, kids still deal with anbandonment and fall into gangs and anarchy. this is why there is a lot of "casseurs" (breakers) in revolutionary france right now.

wdka open day

This was a reminder that body parts are still taboo, especially female ones. When i saw the hip bones i immediately thought it had an erotic nature hidden behind it because of what it represented, and it got me thinking “it would be funny if this was banned on instagram for displaying sexual content”. The ridiculousness of today’s body taboos could definitely be explored through a fashion lens, even in a satyrical manner.

Various Artists (2019). Willem de Koning Academie Open Day. [Film, Installation] Exhibited at the Willem de Koning Academie , Rotterdam, 9 February 2019.

​conclusion | I like the idea of exploring body parts but differently. i think we often forget to think that anything can be erotic if we want to, and it could be a funny way to mention weird fetishes and challenge body and sexuality taboos.

streets in rotterdam

This to me was very representative of millennial and Gen-Z culture. How we make fun or dramatize certain things that are not taken seriously by other generations, especially mental health issues and  societal issues we’re facing especially in regards to jobs. I think exploring the two fields combined could lead to an interesting collection or campaign to put the youth forward and the struggles they really face into the light. 

conclusion | I think it would be the easiest topic to associate to a brand, but it also seems a bit boring and over done. everyone is talking about it. it is related to my life tho but i feel not in the right way.