Installations & Exhibitions

ART SAILS NDSM 

sails amsterdam 2025 - NDSM loads, august 2025

For SAIL Amsterdam 2025, my installation Land Ho! – Waves of Change was presented inside the historic NDSM Loods, as part of the exhibition Art Sails NDSM: Art at the Shipyard, organized by NDSM FUSE together with other partners.

The title recalls the famous sailors’ cry, “Land Ho!”, which I knew as a child through the stories of Christopher Columbus that my mother used to tell me as bedtime tales. These stories fueled my childhood imagination, but as I grew older they also became a source of reflection: the meaning of discovery, its effects on the world, and the need today to turn our gaze toward a new “land” of care, balance, and sustainability.

At the center of the installation sits a chair that transforms into an imaginary vessel, suspended between waves and sail. The homage to my grandfather — whose surname is Colombo and who would have turned 125 on the day of the exhibition’s opening — lives especially in the detail of a small book placed next to the chair: its pages become paper waves, upon which three paper caravels sail toward an olive branch, a symbol of peace and hope.

The waves surrounding the work reflect two contrasting polarities:

• on one side, a dark, dense wave made of waste and fragments of still life, a tangible sign of the consequences of a world driven by consumption and exploitation;

• on the other, a light and tr

• ansparent wave carrying shades of blue and green, real flowers, and natural elements: an image of possibility, regeneration, and harmony with the environment.

The sail, created with ecoprinting on fabric, bears the traces of nature, as if infused with living memory.

Land Ho! – Waves of Change is not just an artwork to observe, but to share: visitors are invited to leave a message in a bottle for the Earth, symbolically transforming the installation into a place of dialogue, hope, and collective responsibility.

Located in the heart of the NDSM Loods, the work intertwines personal memory, family stories, and childhood imagination with Amsterdam’s maritime history and the urgent ecological issues of today, proposing new routes toward a sustainable future.+

Out in the Open 

Pride Art Route 2025 - Treehouse NDSM, July 2025

As part of the group exhibition Out in the Open, I presented four mixed-media works that reflect on queer identity, presence, and emotional architecture.

The three collages — In the Sketch I Exist, The Road Between, and Building Humans — explore personal and collective narratives through layers of recycled materials, handmade paper, and symbolic fragments. Each piece navigates themes of transition, vulnerability, and the invisible labor of self-construction, offering glimpses into stories often left untold.

At the center of the installation, I See You — an interactive mirror piece — invited viewers to engage with their own reflection, framed by fragments of plastic and reclaimed materials. During the opening, the central layer of paper and plastic was ceremonially removed as part of a live performance, symbolizing an act of unveiling and transformation. This gesture underscored the work’s core message: the courage to be seen, and the constant reshaping of one’s identity.

As curator of Out in the Open, I organized the exhibition’s opening event and coordinated a series of performances and artist interactions designed to engage the audience deeply with the themes of the show.

The vernissage began with a collaborative creation of a banner featuring the exhibition’s title, inviting attendees to actively participate in a hands-on creative experiment. This was followed by an intimate musical workshop led by percussionist Yung-Tuan, setting a vibrant and improvisational tone.

Spontaneous performances by pianist Seper Keyhani and dancer Albano Vanessian accompanied Vico Persson’s artwork, enriching the multisensory experience and encouraging dialogue between art forms. Later, artist and performer Guido Hoek offered a poignant musical piece that invited reflection on the theme of toxic masculinity.

During the exhibition walk, artists presented their works and shared personal stories and meanings behind their creations, fostering connection and understanding.

The evening continued with additional performances by Guido Hoek, a captivating drag king show by Mannish Pixel, and concluded with drinks, food, socializing, and music by DJ Silver—creating a dynamic space for celebration, community, and conversation.

bulletin board hexibition 

queerhouse 2024 - Treehouse NDSM, June 2024

As part of the group exhibition Out in the Open, I presented four mixed-media works that reflect on queer identity, presence, and emotional architecture.

The three collages — In the Sketch I Exist, The Road Between, and Building Humans — explore personal and collective narratives through layers of recycled materials, handmade paper, and symbolic fragments. Each piece navigates themes of transition, vulnerability, and the invisible labor of self-construction, offering glimpses into stories often left untold.

At the center of the installation, I See You — an interactive mirror piece — invited viewers to engage with their own reflection, framed by fragments of plastic and reclaimed materials. During the opening, the central layer of paper and plastic was ceremonially removed as part of a live performance, symbolizing an act of unveiling and transformation. This gesture underscored the work’s core message: the courage to be seen, and the constant reshaping of one’s identity.