about

Life is a massive collection of particles that randomly collide into each other, which for no reason at all formed into a repetitive framework. Self-regulation, random adaptation and information optimalisation.

As a homosexual cyborg, I find the search between autonomy and inevitable effect, agency and determinism, rad. How do the objects around us allow us to think certain thoughts? Are our tools what makes us humans? How do we appreciate the inputs that objects and technology give us?

As a future seamstress, I find it fascinating how we as humans hold our models of reality in our brains so sacred. How can we make our realities shakeable? How can we be more doubtful? Alienating familiar worlds, showcasing the fluidity and disorder of life is what I would like to do. For me the bizarre and grotesque, as well as the meaningfulness of the banal are routes that I would like to wander.

I’m most interested in costume, puppetry, audience participation, lighting and interactive technology to shape a space or convey a feeling. I find textiles, trash, jellies, and hair excellent materials.

I often begin from a conceptual starting point and then gather and create images, texts and physical materials intuitively. I enjoy the playfulness and endless possibilities in this stage of the process and sometimes find it hard to choose one concrete topic; I would be interested in seeing how other makers make this transition. Collaborating with others often helps to make this transition faster. I'm not so interested in being the autonomous artist and I believe in the qualities of listening, co-creation, amateurism, and togetherness.

email: iwan.vaandrager [at] student.ahk.nl
education: https://www.atd.ahk.nl/en/theatre-programmes/scenography/

Artists and thinkers that I resonate with:
The necessity of awareness in David Foster Wallace and Zen Buddhism,
continuing life despite all horrors in Roberto Bolano, Fleabag and the Office US,
a need for sharing of non-eventful soft experiences in Ursula LeGuin, Frieren and Toon Tellegen,
the inclusion in the poetry of Mary Oliver and the wigs of Tomihiro Kono,
the reverence in the poetry John O’Donohue and music of Shenseea,
letting our bellies show in the lyrics of Lauryn Hill and BbyMutha,
failure as a style for House of Tupamaras and Quentin Crisp,
life as an ensemble stochastically accessible molecular states in William Bialek, Eugene Koonin, Karl Friston and Bergson,
personal non-ness in Lacan and searching for otherwise possibilities in Deleuze.

Skills and statements:
Dutch, 28 years old who speaks Dutch, English and broken French
In my 2nd year of scenography at the ATD in Amsterdam
An eye for color, textiles and materiality
I must have sewn more than 2km by now
I have enthusiastically programmed something in Touchdesigner thrice
Statistical physics is my personal Jesus
Molecular epigenetics rocks
Pretty independent, soft
I style big wigs and press-on nails amateuristically but with soul
It’s all relative