Biography
While travelling, I acquire
The world at large and the connections and movements within it are the main focus of my work, how landscape interacts and interferes in the lives of people and vice versa, to contextualize landscapes and natural phenomenon on a macro and micro level. This stems from an urge to discover, order, reshape and represent all of the world’s complexities. To understand and engage often depends upon the specific time, place, historical conditions and memories.
In my projects I search for possibilities to lay bare the intrinsic value of places and its people and of phenomena that appear to be deemed unimportant or forgotten. Something useless or absurd can prove to have great meaning.
Many of my works originate during travels, whereby the journey itself is an important part of the work. The possibilities of traveling in this world have become infinite. This makes the world smaller, but at the same time larger. In many of my works this contradiction is present.
The invisible but continuous presence of borders, coordinates and meridians fascinates me. Geography is literally describing the world. I would rather depict it in a poetic way.
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Esther Kokmeijer (08-04-1977)
Studio:
Het Wilde Weten
Robert Fruinstraat 35
3021 XB Rotterdam
The Netherlands
0031 (0)6 41 81 2828
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1977 - Born in Brantgum (Friesland), The Netherlands
1996 - 2001 Studied at Constantijn Huygens, Institute of the Arts, The Netherlands
2003 - 2005 Journey to the geographical centre of each continent
2005 - now Studio At het Wilde Weten, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2008 - 2009 Journey to the geographical centre of the 27 countries of the EU
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Member of:
Het Wilde Weten www.hetwildeweten.nl (member of the board since 2009)
Exhibitions:
(upcoming) Summer 2012 / Six degrees to conjunction / Tuvalu
(upcoming) Spring/Summer 2012 / Abstraction / Duo show / Het Wilde weten hetwildeweten.nl / Rotterdam, The Netherlands
(upcoming) March/April 2012 / there (work from recidencie Indonesia) / Solo show / heden.nl / The Hage, The Netherlands
(upcoming) December 2011 / Collectie Imaginaire / Group show / Arti Et Amicitiae www.arti.nl / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
(upcoming) November 2011 / Hot wave #3 / Group show / Cemeti Art House cemetiarthouse.com / Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2011 / On time, In place / Duo show / De kabinetten van de Vleeshal vleeshal.nl / Middelburg,The Netherlands
2011 / Gravity of centres / permanent installation / Europos Parkas europosparkas.lt / Vilnius, Lithuania
2011 / Het is aan / Exhibition Experiment / hetisaan.com / 13 places in The Netherlands
2011 / Contains the EU / Duo show / Atrium atriumdenhaag.residentie.net / The Hage,The Netherlands
2010/ Sporen (Tracks) / Group show / Kunstenlab kunstenlab.nl / Deventer, The Netherlands
2010 / Contains the EU / Duo show / Casa Vertigo TU/e w3.bwk.tue.nl/nl/casa_vertigo / Eindhoven, The Netherlands
2010 / Tracks, Traces and Transformations / Group show / Nest nestruimte.nl / The Hage, The Netherlands
2010 / First Virtual Exhibition of Shows - Art Amsterdam / Art Fair / artamsterdam.nl + trendbeheer.com / Amsterdam,The Netherlands
2010 / On the Road / Group show / CBK cbk.rotterdam.nl / Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2010 / Centres / Solo Show / Moordnoces and Trendbeheer secondroom.be + trendbeheer.com / Brussels, Belgium
2010 / Contains the EU / Duo show / European Parlement europarl.europa.eu / Brussels, Belgium
2009 / Farmer and Style / Group show / Designhuis designhuis.com / Eindhoven, The Netherlands
2009 / Home-ness / Installation / Art Rotterdam artrotterdam.nl / Rotterdam,The Netherlands
2009 / Trendbeheer Presenteerd / Group show / Art Rotterdam / trendbeheer.com + artrotterdam.nl / Rotterdam, The netherlands
2009 / Symphony in White / Group show / Het Wilde Weten hetwildeweten.nl / Rotterdam,The Netherlands
2008 / Summary of the World / Solo Installation / Netherlands Architecture Institute nai.nl / Rotterdam,The Netherlands
2008 / At Home Anywhere / Duo show / Het Wilde Weten hetwildeweten.nl / Rotterdam,The Netherlands
2008 / Heim / Group show / CBK cbk.rotterdam.nl / Rotterdam,The Netherlands2008 / Project(OR) / Art Fair / Showroom MAMA showroommama.nl / Rotterdam,The Netherlands
2007 / ArtBBQ - de finissage / Group show / Het Wilde Weten hetwildeweten.nl / Rotterdam,The Netherlands
2007 / Centre of Gravity / Solo show / Stadsgehoorzaal stadsgehoorzaalkampen.nl / Kampen,The Netherlands
2006 / Mental Maps / Group show / HVVCA Peekskill hvcca.org / New York, USA
lectures, (TV and radio)interviews and artist-talks:
2011 / Hot wave #3 / Cemeti Art House cemetiarthouse.com / Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2011 / On time, In place / De kabinetten van de Vleeshal vleeshal.nl / Middelburg
2011 / Trans national design / BNO bno.nl / Pakhuis de Zwijger, Amsterdam
2011 / European Bites / DOK www.dok.info / Delft
2010 / Tracks, Traces ans Transformations / Met Maarten Vanden Eynde en Jaring Dürst Brit nestruimte.nl / Nest, The Hage
2010 / Lecture Creative space / FNV Kiem fnv-kiem.nl + dezwijger.nl / Pakhuis de Zwijger, Amsterdam
2010 / Lecture on European Dreams / europeandreams.nl + melkweg.nl / Melkweg, Amsterdam
2010 / Artist-talk about inspiration / HKU Institute of the Arts hku.nl + academiegalerie.nl / Utrecht
2009 / Pecha Kucha (International Architecture Biennale) / www.nai.nl + pechakucha.nl / Nai, Rotterdam
2009 / Pecha Kucha / platformgras platformgras.nl + pechakucha.nl / Stadschouwburg, Groningen
2009 / Various Lectures about the project At Home Anywhere / 5 different places
2008 - 2009 / Various radio interviews from different places / Atlas http://llink.nl/atlas + Llink llink.nl
2008 / Live radio interview Desmet Live / Llink llink.nl + desmet.tv
2008 / Lecture about At Home Anywhere / Animo animotilburg.nl / University, Tilburg
2008 / TV interview A Summary of the World / Goede Morgen Nederland / Hilversum
2008 / Lecture on fascination / Artez, Institute of the Arts artez-cabk.nl / Zwolle
2008 / Various radio interviews A Summary of the World / NCRV, Llink, Radio Capuchino, wereld omroep etc.
2008 / Several lectures on the book and the project A Summary of the World
2006 / Argument about individuality / Constantijn Huygens, Institute of the Arts artez-cabk.nl / Kampen
2006 / Debate on Graphic Design / Constantijn Huygens, Institute of the Arts artez-cabk.nl / Zwolle
2003 - 2006 / Various Interviews / including: spits spitsnieuws.nl, Op Pad oppad.nl, BNN bnn.nl etc.
Residencies:
2011 / Cemeti Art House Yogyakarta cemetiarthouse.com, Indonesia. Commissioned by Heden heden.nl, The Hage, The Netherlands
Teaching and workshops:
2008 / Workshop OveralThuis / Institute Media aan de Maas mediaaandemaas.ning.com / Rotterdam
2007 / Project leader Great Place to Live - Inspire Day / Nieuwe Garde nieuwegarde.nl / Rotterdam
2007 / Workshop Habitat Amore / Institute Media aan de Maas mediaaandemaas.ning.com / Rotterdam
2006 - 2007 / Guest lecture / Constantijn Huygens, Institute of the Arts artez-cabk.nl / Zwolle
2005 / Counseling Project / Constantijn Huygens, Institute of the Arts artez-cabk.nl / Zwolle
Books:
(upcoming) 2011 / A journey, the centre of gravity and home / will be published around june 2011
2008 / A Summary of the World / ISBN: 978-90-79344-01-7 / 372 pages, 22 x 27 x 3cm (Hardcover) / Concept, photography, text and design: Esther Kokmeijer / Content: 6 continents, 46 countries, 620 photos / translations: 6 languages, Dutch, English, French, German, Spanish and Esperanto / copies: 2000
Publications:
News papers:NRC-Next nrcnext.nl, de Pers depers.nl, Spits spitsnieuws.nl, Trouw trouw.nl, de brug bcoreclameburo.nl/brugmedia, Stentor destentor.nl, nieuwsblad van het noorden dvhn.nl, Leeuwarder Courant leeuwardercourant.nl.
Magazines:Tubelight, Metropolis M, Colombus columbusmagazine.nl, Rails rails.nl, Rotterdam uit krant uitburo.nl, Elle elle.nl, Op pad oppad.nl, Home, Safe, Platteland, Geo-info geo-info.nl, Boomerang cards.boomerang.nl, vormberichten BNO bno.nl, Phileas Magazine, Vergeten Verhalen hetvergetenverhaal.nl, OnzeWereld onzewereld.nl, Blvd., Goodies etc.
Online (selection): http://trendbeheer.com/index.php?s=esther+kokmeijer, http://www.fotografie.nl/nieuws/14097/a-summary-of-the-world, http://www.nai.nl/content/356343/zaal_3_nest_25_-__esther_kokmeijer, http://llink.nl/atlas/viewpage.php?expeditie=3&page=expeditie_atlas, http://www.trouw.nl/incoming/article1540093.ece, http://www.onzewereld.nl/index.php?page=3&articleId=760, http://www.nrcnext.nl/bibliotheek/2009/08/31/europa-kent-27-navels-ze-zijn-gefotografeerd, http://www.animotilburg.nl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=68:overal-thuis&catid=1:nieuws&Itemid=2, http://gaialogie.web-log.nl/gaialogie/2008/01/continentale_ge.html, http://www.inspiratiepost.nl/pages/Inspiratiepost/Publiek/Mensen/Nieuws/nieuwsartikel/5991, http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/7218940, http://hjgeerdink.blogspot.com/2008/10/excursie-vrijdag-3-oktober-bezoek-nest.html, http://en.nai.nl/exhibitions/archive/2008/item/_pid/kolom2-1/_rp_kolom2-1_elementId/1_356424
selection of projects:
2008 - 2009 / Journey to the centre of gravity of the 27 countries of the EU, travelling 42,755 kilometres, in 223 days, passing through 28 countries, with 127 different places to sleep, crossing 3 time zones, 3 longitudes and 3 latitudes.
2003 - 2005 / Journey to the centre of gravity of each continent, travelling 120,000 kilometres, in 455 days, passing through 46 countries,
in 6 continents, with 211 different places to sleep, crossing 18 time zones, 27 longitudes and 9 latitudes.
Grants, prizes and nominations:
2011 / Publication grant / Stroom stroom.nl / The hague
2010 / Development and research grant / CBK Rotterdam cbk.rotterdam.nl / Rotterdam
2009 / Project grant / Foundation Stokroos stokroos.nl / Utrecht
2009 / Project grant (Live) / Fonds BKVB fondsbkvb.nl / Amsterdam
2005 and 2007 / Nominated by National Geographic / National Geographicnationalgeographic.nl
2002 / Chris Leeflang price / De Roos foundation / Utrecht
2001 / Startersstipendium / Fonds BKVB fondsbkvb.nl / Amsterdam
2001 / Nominated for the Art Academie prize / Constantijn Huygens, Institute of the Arts artez-cabk.nl / Kampen
The following (73) countries I have visited for various works, articles and projects:
Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Morocco, Mauritania, Mexico, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Togo, Thailand, The Netherlands, Turkey, United States, United Kingdom, Vietnam, West Timor.