Willem de Kooning Academy

23/06/2026

GRADUATION SHOW 2026 — BA DOCENT BEELDENDE KUNST EN VORMGEVING

Een nieuwe lichting kunstdocenten en artist-educators van de bacheloropleiding Docent Beeldende Kunst en Vormgeving staat klaar om hun afstudeerwerk te laten zien. Kom kijken, denken en doen tijdens Intermezzo — de tentoonstelling die het moment vangt tussen opleiding en praktijk.

Ecologie, inclusie, technologie, schaamte, ontheemding, verbinding: het zijn de thema’s waarmee deze makers zich verhouden tot de wereld om hen heen. Verwacht installaties, participatieve werken, gesprekken, workshops en performatieve interventies — werk dat je niet alleen laat kijken, maar uitnodigt om mee te doen.

Nieuwsgierig naar wat de volgende generatie kunstdocenten beweegt? Dit is het moment.

DBKV Graduates: Nina van Aken, Surud Arif, Petra Buijs, Robin Cuppens, Fleur Dietz, Charissa Elward, Joshua Enker, Marijn Fokkema, Anouk Gielen, Oğulcan Günday, Astrid Honcoop, Michiel van den Hoven, Mordecai Ijeh, Noa van IJsseldijk, Ryanne Indira Jacques, Roos Kause, Merel van de Kerkhof, Esmée Kuiper, Dominika Kryńska, Guinevere Lucassen, Melanie Luchtenveld, Minka Medik, Nova Mensach, Janna de Smet, Meike Smolders, Julie Thelosen, Will van Twuijver, Angeliek Vermonden, Jasmijn van Zonneveld en René van Zundert

📍Kunstinstituut Melly, Rotterdam
🗓️ 26 juni, 13:00–21:00
27 juni, 11:00–18:00
Entree: gratis

Graduation Show 2026
WdKA: 26–27 juni & 8–11 juli
Piet Zwart Institute: 19 juni – 12 juli
👉 Meer info: link in bio

23/06/2026

GRADUATION SERIES 2026 part two | Maoro Bultheel (Product Design)

In this year’s graduation series, we highlight the journeys of 15 BA students as they move through the early stages of their graduation projects and begin preparing for what’s next.

Read the graduation project update of Maoro below and check out the interview about her first steps on our website, link in bio.

“This is my RO-1 project or resonant object 1. The aim is to give digital instruments a physical body that has a distinct sound using traditional techniques and different types of wood. I am inspired by futuristic design and something I call eastethics of covenience for the shape. Further I aim to incorporate traditional techniques into new technologies bringing back craft in a world increasingly devoid of that.

It took a long time to build. Starting in the beginning of march and still not 100% done I have never had a more challenging project in my life especially because I had a very limited woodworking experience. Luckily it all worked out fine and I learned a lot!”

Check out his final project at our Graduation Show, location Keilepand from 9-11 July.

19/06/2026

GRADUATION SERIES 2026 part two | Mordecai Ijeh (DBKV)

In this year’s graduation series, we highlight the journeys of 15 BA students as they move through the early stages of their graduation projects and begin preparing for what’s next.

Read the graduation project update of Mordecai below and check out the interview about her first steps on our website, link in bio.

“For my graduation series, i’m taking inspiration from art history and its famous major artists to create my own sculptures and paintings. I’ve always had a huge fascination for art history, and I’ve used it to evolve old traditional techniques for my own practice. As an educator, I try to teach art history to help students think critically about the world around them, and make artistic and critically motivated choices during their artistic process.

In the slides above you will see some snippets of me curating the space for the final assessment, some of my sketches, and other WIPS! Along with nervousness comes the excitement, ofcourse! You can view these works in Kunstinstituut Melly, june 26-27th. See you there ✨️”

17/06/2026

GRADUATION SERIES 2026 part two | Iga Wojak (Audiovisual Design)

In this year’s graduation series, we highlight the journeys of 15 BA students as they move through the early stages of their graduation projects and begin preparing for what’s next.

Read the graduation project update of Iga below and check out the interview about her first steps on our website, link in bio.

“I’m completing my four years at WDKA Audiovisual Design course with a short film called Cross My Heart. It has been a crazy journey, with a lot of ups and downs, but if I were asked, I would do it all over again. I worked with a full cast of non-actors, collaborated with so many talented creatives, and because of all of us, the film is coming together. In this video, you can see behind the scenes of the culmination point of the project - the film set. It’s my favourite part of it all, yet it lasts the shortest.
In this graduation process, I was looking for an answer to a question that popped into my head when starting this project. “Can film authentically portray the teenage psyche, and if so, how?” This whole process, which lasted more than a year, was a research phase. From writing the script with my brother, interviews with teenagers and psychologists, to choosing to work with non-actors and a documentary visual style. Did I manage to answer this question truly? At the end, the audience will be the judge of that - come to the screening at Kino on the 10th and 11th of July:))”

16/06/2026

GRADUATION SERIES 2026 part two | Nia Paleshnikova (Animation)

In this year’s graduation series, we highlight the journeys of 15 BA students as they move through the early stages of their graduation projects and begin preparing for what’s next.

Read Nia’s graduation project update below and check out the interview about her first steps on our website, link in bio.

“Over the past few months, Surface Value has changed a lot, even though its core idea has stayed the same. I decided to focus on a single body cast instead of three, and to create it entirely myself rather than involving other artists, as I had initially planned. I realised this would give me more control over what is being portrayed and the message I want the work to carry. 

After many conversations about the projects, I also decided to remove the vintage frames. While I believed they represented one thing, in reality, they were sending a different message. Instead, I started treating the latex skin itself as a canvas fabric, stretching it over a wooden frame, which felt much closer to what the project is really about. 
As someone who mainly works digitally, this project was a bit of a challenge. There were a lot of trials and errors involved in figuring out how liquid latex behaves and which materials work best with it. 

Sharing this project from its early stages has been one of the most valuable parts of the process. It gave me fresh perspectives and feedback that continuously challenged me to improve the work and push it further.

More than anything, this project changed the way I think about making art. It made me realize that I don’t want to limit myself to a specific medium. I want to let each idea become whatever it needs to be, whether that’s digital, physical, interactive, or something in between. The concept should come first, and the medium should follow.”

Check out Nia’s final project at our Graduation Show, location Katoenhuis from 9-11 July.

15/06/2026

GRADUATION SERIES 2026 part two | Maja Sowkowska

In this year’s graduation series, we highlight the journeys of 15 BA students as they move through the early stages of their graduation projects and begin preparing for what’s next.

Read Maja’s graduation project update below and check out the interview about her first steps on our website, link in bio.

“The process of creating this project (Rosół / Preservation through re-imagination - new meaning of folklore) has been very chaotic and unpredictable. There is a lot of pressure while creating a project so personal and close to home. Sometimes the best of efforts to include voices are met with a slamming of a door. I have learnt that some traditions and that knowledge are being gatekept. This became a turning point for me as I turned to why did I start this project in a first place. I had to rethink my focus point and zoom into myself. I created this for myself and with hope other Polish people abroad can relate to it. This in very short is how “Rosół” (working title) came to be.

The goal of this project is to create a modern wear piece through the re-imagination of a traditional folklore outfit. I created a jacket inspired by already existing pieces and archival photographs. This connection between fabrics, techniques and visual aspects creates a new and modern garment deeply inspired by traditional folklore ones. It is a wearable identity that is disapearing in Poland. This project consists of three parts: a jacket - representing colorway and pattern of Łowicz - the most recognisable pattern of Poland and embroidered a Gryffin - regional symbol of West Pomeria where I am from, a short video about the fabrics story and possible campaign photographs.”

15/06/2026

15/06/2026

EVENT| Sensing the Living: An Outside Multispecies 🌿 Buitenplaats Brienenoord

Join us for an outdoor exhibition by WdKA students exploring the hidden lives of Brienenoordeiland. Through sound, scent, movement, and multisensory encounters, discover new ways of relating to the more-than-human world. Read more on our website! Link in bio.

📍 Buitenplaats Brienenoord, Rotterdam
📅 19 June 2026
🕓 16:00–17:30