Minerva Art Academy at the Dutch Design Week 2023

Alumni Monika Romanowska (Spatial Design '23) and Marija Venckute (Graphic & Interaction Design '23) present their graduation work at the Art, Tech & Fun Exhibition Manifestations and are nominated for the Young Talent Award 2023.

The Material Magic collection of lecturer/researcher Jack Brandsma was presented at Isola Design.

Marija Venckute - You are the U in U-niverse

Marija Venckute is a Lithuanian multidisciplinary designer/artist whose work is characterised by layers, abstraction, zooming in and out. She uses multimedia such as graphics, photography, moving image, and installation art to explore the multifaceted nature of reality. Marija believes that by uncovering connections and exploring diverse perspectives, we can gain a deeper understanding of the world around us, opening us up to objectives previously foreign. Her work invites viewers to engage with new ways of seeing and to consider the interconnectivity of nature, human behaviour, science, and spirituality. 

Monika Romanowska - Cocoon

Cocoon is an experimental space, where you experience low-stimuli surroundings. It is designed to help you calm down your mind, which is often bared to overstimulation. It is a small, one-person capsule that uses natural elements to achieve its goals.

Material Magic

The Material Magic collection of lecturer/researcher Jack Brandsma was presented at Isola Design in the Schellensfabriek. This project by designer, researcher and teacher Jack Brandsma in collaboration with Innovation Hub Oost Groningen (IHOG) and Minerva Art Academy is research project on innovative materials. 

These prototypes are the result of extensive experiments by Brandsma and his students, aimed at replacing synthetic materials common in the design industry. The results include a remarkable remake of the iconic Gerrit Rietveld chair by student Eimert Fossen, made of hemp fibers cleverly bound together with magnesium oxychloride (better known as sorel cement) or potato starch.