Rietveld Review(ed) is part of the Graduation Show’s side programme.

2021

An independent, external committee was asked to reflect on the Graduation Show as a whole and to signal current tendencies and themes within the exhibition. The committee was also asked to select a number of projects by graduating students that support these observations.

Luuk Heezen and Rik Lauwen create video portraits of all selected projects, like last year. The selected visual art projects also get the opportunity to develop either a RietveldTV episode (aired on AT5) or an exhibition in Eight Cubic Meters (the academy’s public gallery in the city centre of Amsterdam) and thus bring their work to a new audience in a new context; either on public television or in gallery in public space.

Reflection Report 2021

The reflections and observations of the committee were processed by the Rietveld Academie into a reflection report. The report also includes the observations of the thesis committee. 

Download the reflection report (pdf) here.

Podcast

Rietveld Review(ed) is initiated to carry on the reflective qualities of Gerrit Rietveld Academie Awards (GRA Awards). This podcast by jajajaneeneenee focusses on this change of direction. The Gerrit Rietveld Academie moves away from presenting awards to graduates and instead invites a committee to signal tendencies and themes in the graduation show. To reflect on this change, Andrea and Arif speak to members of the committee and the academy as well as a recent graduate. The guests are: Joram Kraaijeveld, Marina Otero Verzier, Katja Mater, Mica Pan and Tomas Adolfs.

Listen to it here: jajajaneeneenee.com/shows/rietveld-review-ed

Video Portraits

The committees were also asked to select several projects by graduates that support their observations. Presenter and program creator Luuk Heezen and cameraman Rik Lauwen then created video portraits of these selected projects and their makers. The two-to-four-minute videos offer an accessible way to explore these intimate and personal art projects further and get to know the artists and designers behind the projects – something which might not have been possible for visitors amidst the plethora of art works in the exhibition, or because the art projects could only receive a limited number of visitors due to the COVID-19 outbreak. 

All video's are published on 24 November 2021 on this page and on Vimeo. There will also be a screening of all video's at the academy on 24 November. From 24 November until 3 December 2021, every day a new video will be launched on the online channels of the Rietveld Academie. 

Visual arts category

Mathild Clerc-Verhoeven (TXT) – French Shopping, an Anthology (selected in both categories) 

Novi Erytryasilani (DOGtime Expanded Painting) – Untitled 

Roxane Mbanga (Fashion) – NOIRES 

Mica Pan (Fine Arts) – “...from...to..." and "...from...to...(2)" 

Anna Plowden (Fine Arts) – I Don’t Sleep, I Dream 

Shifra Osorio Whewell (VAV – moving image) – Rebecca & Her Daughters 

Eva van der Zand (The Large Glass) – Tutti Frutti Irony 

 

Thesis category

Mathild Clerc-Verhoeven (TXT) – French Shopping, an Anthology (selected in both categories) 

Karly Gerharts (Fashion) – Spin the Wheel, Seal Your fate 

Jun Ortega (Fine Arts) – The Glistening Abyss

Committee members

In 2021, the committee for Rietveld Review(ed) consists of: 

- Roel Arkesteijn is a writer and curator active for museums in The Netherlands and France. He is also teaching at the academy of Antwerp and the HISK in Gent; 

- Théo Demans is a scenographer, designer and sculptor currently based in Brussels; 

- Imara Limon is curator at Amsterdam Museum and advisor at Mondriaan Fund &  Prince Bernhard Culture Fund; 

- Tirzo Martha is a sculptor and performance artist. He is co-founder and director of  Instituto Buena Bista, the centre for contemporary art in Curaçao; 

- Marina Otero Verzier is an architect. She is Director of Research at Het Nieuwe  Instituut and head of the Social Design MA at Design Academy Eindhoven. 

And the committee for the theses consists of: 

- Katja Mater is a visual artist, filmmaker and an editor for Girls Like Us Magazine; an independent magazine turning the spotlight on an international expanding community of lesbians and queers within arts, culture and activism; 

- Jeroen Boomgaard is Professor at the Lectorate Art & Public Space (LAPS) at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie. With an expertise in art in public space, he is also a member of various committees, such as the Stadscuratorium Amsterdam and Stadscuratorium of Leiden (Lucas van Leydenfonds); 

- Sarah van Binsbergen is an art journalist, writer based in Amsterdam and a critic at newspaper De Volkskrant. She has written for platforms such as Metropolis M, Boekman Cahier and Kunsten ’92.

Rietveld Review(ed) is initiated to carry on the reflective qualities of Gerrit Rietveld Academie Awards (GRA Awards). The GRA Awards that were given each year to remarkable graduates are discontinued since 2021. More information and previous winners can be found here.