The Current is

We exhibit the nominees and winner of the EKP Excellence in Research Award and Toonboom Award, awarded during the graduation show of class 2023.

Hosted by Avans University of Applied Science

This project is now archived and was part of DDW23

film still “From Rivers to Dust”, Mary Sarsam

MIVC presents the projects of the winnner and nominees of the EKP Excellence in Research Award: Mary Sarsam, Radu-Mihai Tănasă, and Yujia Lin and the winner of the Toonboom Award: Eva Bonnevits.

Winnner of the EKP Excellence in Research Award: Mary Sarsam

Mary Sarsam- From Rivers to Dust “From Rivers to Dust” is a multimedia collage of encounters and stories from Tunisia to Iraq and the places in between. Through videos, memorabilia, food and interactive elements, the artist invites visitors to reflect on how relationships to places change as a consequence of movement and displacement. Family archives, field trips, and curious corners of the internet feed into her body of work. In this installation, Mary Sarsam maps coincidences and shared experiences of extraction, dispossession and environmental conditions across space and time, attempting to highlight stories overlooked by dominant narratives.

Nominees of the EKP Excellence in Research Award: Radu-Mihai Tănasă and Yujia Lin

Radu-Mihai Tănasă- What if you embraced your inner stereotype? A video-art installation of 10 pieces, each an investigation into Balkan masculine gender expression. Inspired by local contemporary cinematography and musical trends and making use of existing stereotypes, each video-art piece explores the relationship of 5 different characters. Each character embodies a specific aspect of migrant culture and society. As more and more migrant workers from Eastern Europe and the Balkans move to the Netherlands, the urgency to talk about the way they are looked at, perceived and treated grows. Yujia Lin- D@ N@T STAND@ MY GRAVE AND WEEP This project delves into the connection between “reincarnation” and Weibo account bans. “Reincarnation” refers to the act of blocked users creating new accounts to start afresh on Weibo. The artist, whose Weibo accounts have been banned twice for reposting ‘‘inappropriate comments,’employs an oriental fantasy literature approach based on the ‘reincarnation of three lifetimes’ of their Weibo accounts. Through this narrative, the artist explores the interplay between spirit and flesh, self-consciousness, emotional memory, and resistance to fate.

Winner of the Toonboom Award: Eva Bonnevits

Eva Bonnevits- Next please I have always been afraid of the doctor and now so will you. In this fever dream or rather fever nightmare I will take you on a neverending doctor's appointment straight out of HELL