After 2 years of Corona-measures and with little opportunity to travel with groups, the Graphic Design Department went with 80 first, second and third year students and 10 tutors on a trip to visit the Biennial in Venice on August 23.
“It was really nice to be with first, second and third year graphic design students, we got to hang out together and it feels more like a community from the start of the study. Seeing the Biennial was pretty amazing, something I really wanted to do for a long time.”
"I think at the beginning of our studies it is the most important thing to look around, sense the world and experience. The trip to Venice have us an opportunity to see things from a different perspective, it prepares us to process art in our own way."
After a trip of 17 hours the bus arrived at the Anda Venice Hotel in Mestre. After a short break and taking care of all the red tape everyone was ready to visit the most famous city of Italy.
The whole group started together in the St Marco Square with a lecture of our fabulous Philosophy tutor Maarten Cornel, who contextualised the art work and architecture of this famous place in a historical perspective.
"Never in my life have I seen so much art in such a little period of time. It was an amazing and inspiring experience. Even the mosquito attacks and the beach couldn't ruin the fun."
Being together, feeling connected as a group was one of the main objectives of this trip, an opportunity for first, second and third year students to get to know each other in an environment of art. In small groups students and tutors explored the centre of Venice.
In the following two days The Biennial in the Giardini and Arsenale were explored - experiences shared and first class coach meetings organised in the sun. The female artist representation, the minority presentation and topics important in contemporary society were inspirational for all. Katrin Korfmann, Image tutor of year 3 enlightened us in the morning about the history of the Biennial and the most important trends and absolute must sees.
“My favourite thing was that most artists in Giardini in the main section were female and non-binary and seeing the old works from these artists that were not highlighted before. It was such a contrast with the Academia, where women were only muses.”
While everyone got to know the city and the different exhibition places in the last day, Maarten Cornel showed some highlights of Venice the Gallerie dell’Accademia, several churches and the exhibition of Bruce Nauman.
On Sunday morning August 28 the whole group returned safely at the Royal Academy of Art. Is was a great start of the new academic year.
“My highlight of the trip was to be there with so many different (and new) people. Because while you watch so many amazing art (old and new) everybody from our group can shine a different light on it. Because we're bringing different points of view by knowledge, culture and what not by all the students and teachers we're having. That really felt like such a big luxurious position to be in!"
“There were many highlights but I really liked how many energy I still have to look at all the art, I was so interested in what I saw. It was fascinating and I did not get tired of it at all!”
Guiding tutors & coordinators:
Rob vd Nieuwenhuizen - Class coach year 1 & tutor typography
Hannes Bernard - Class coach year 2 & tutor IMD
Katrin Korfmann - Class coach year 3 & tutor Image
Maarten Cornel - Philosophy tutor
Guido de Boer - Calligraphy tutor
Alex Cromer - IST coach
Lauren Alexander - Co-head (ad interim)
Chantal Hendriksen - Co-head (ad interim)
Marit van der Meulen - Coordinator (organization Venice trip)
Ingrid Grunwald - Coordinator
"The trip was a nice opportunity to enjoy pieces of art from all around the world with newly met people that you are going to spend four upcoming years with. Being able to go on walks across Venice and visiting a cemetery were definitely one of my favourite activities out of all of them."
