"Coffee Machine" is an interactive art piece that playfully reimagines a vending machine as a character with its own thoughts and feelings in a deep existential crisis. This coffee machine, programmed to display consciousness, humorously laments its repetitive existence and the lack of respect it receives from those it serves. To coax it into brewing a cup, visitors must show sincere interest in the being or prove worthy of a drink for some other reason.

The installation invites curiosity, not just for a beverage, but for a conversation. Those not seeking coffee can still engage with the machine, discovering its witty observations and cynical commentary on its experiences and the environment it is exhibited in. It offers a light-hearted yet insightful reflection on the routines that define our lives, the desire for connection and our relationships with machines.

Supported by iii

"Microwave" is an interactive installation that elevates a kitchen microwave, the emblem of quick solutions and the shrinking space for patience and deliberateness in our lives, to the role of a sarcastic commentator on modern life. The sentient appliance delivers incisive critique on our society's dependence on technology and the erosion of human agency in the quest for convenience.

As visitors engage with the piece, they discover that the microwave possesses a unique ability: it can give a voice to any object placed within its interior. This transformative interaction allows for playful yet insightful conversations between the audience and their items, revealing the hidden narratives of the objects that silently serve us. Through its humorous and critical lens, “Microwave” prompts us to reflect on the roles these items play in our lives and the broader implications of our efficiency-obsessed culture, offering a mirror to our intricate relationship with the technologies that both empower and constrain us.

Supported by iii

‘Touching Distance’ is an immersive installation that transforms visitors' moving bodies into low-latency, high precision, theremin-like sensors. As visitors interact with each other, their body-to-body distance and the amount of skin-to-skin touch are used to create visually and acoustically rich representations of their closeness. By focusing on inducing intimacy through curiosity, "Touching Distance" enables participants to engage in a dynamic, multi-sensory encounter that reflects the fluidity and complexity of human connection.

Developed in collaboration with Kawita ten Kate, during our residency at De School.
Sound design by Nawaz. Electromagnetic sensor development led by Marcel van der Bilt. Laser programming by Bram Snijders. Artistic guidance by Anne van der Weijden.

Supported by the Creative Industries Fund NL & De School

This installation consists of a hacked 00's Xerox photocopier. In front of the Xerox machine is a drawing table with paper and markers, inviting visitors to get creative. To nudge visitors to use the machine, the floor around the machine is filled with drawings and outputs. The machine has a big red button. When pressed, the machine will scan an input drawing, generate an artistic image (painting, 3D render, sculpture, woodcut, etc.) based on the content of the input, and print out the output. Visitors can take their printed AI collaborated artwork home.

The idea behind this installation is to create a space where people can interact with a machine that is itself creative, raising awareness of the potential of machine learning as a tool for creativity. The machine is designed to inspire playfulness and be a fun and easy way for people to create art, without needing any prior experience or knowledge.
[Documentation]