FAVORITE STORYTELLER
Oma! My grandmother told the greatest stories. She was the one who breathed new life into dead things (and people) with her tales. As a child — and even later when I was older — I hung on her every word. Gosh how I miss her!
DREAM JOB AS A CHILD
Archaeologist!
When I was eight, I wanted to become an archaeologist. I grew up in a neighbourhood under construction, bordering uncharted territory — a place waiting to be discovered. I would dig and search the ground, looking for remnants, traces of a time that once was. Each found artifact had its own story to tell about the past. But my imagination was also sparked! I saw connections, and new stories began to emerge.
LAST QUESTION ASKED
‘Why?’
Stories are born from asking questions. My parents were driven crazy by my endless ‘why?’ questions. And, to be honest, that question has always stuck with me. I have this intrinsic need to understand how things work, how people ‘work’. Or rather, how they think, what they identify with, and what they both as individuals and as a group communicate.
SEES THE WORLD AS
Play space. Where the neighbourhood used to be my playground — and later my studio — I now see the world around me as a new space for play. I never became an archaeologist, but I am still searching for ‘what remains’. For stories. For the immaterial things we inherit from our ancestors.
FASCINATION
‘What makes you who you are?’ I find joy in the process of understanding, even if that process is never-ending.
PRETENDS TO
Understand art but is really just in it for the free snacks at gallery openings.
FAVORITE PLACES
Cities, attics, depots, and archives. I have a love affair with the hidden and the overlooked (although some people just call this noisy), places where stories accumulate and wait to be unearthed.
PITFALL
Perfectionism and dark chocolate. And caramel. And... Don't get me started!
AFRAID OF
Heights and escalators. My fear of heights is well-known, but it’s not just the dizzying heights that get to me — it's also the escalators! I can still recall a shopping trip when I was around eight. We were at a busy mall, and I had to take the escalator to reach the next floor. The moment I stepped onto the moving steps, I felt an overwhelming sense of panic. The combination of height and motion was too much. My knees buckled, and I had to grab the handrail for dear life. At an older age I realized that some fears aren’t meant to be conquered in one go — they need time, and it’s okay to take things at your own pace and to stay grounded when needed.
FAVORITE SEASON
Fall. A time of reflection and change, but also of snuggling up with a cosy blanket. Here is where my lazy side shows up. Autumn lets me shift naturally between the on/off modes. In this season I can indulge in the simple pleasures of life, like a good fire, book or movie and take a break from the demands of curiosity and discovery. The beauty of fall is that it doesn’t demand one mode over the other; instead, it provides a harmonious blend of both.
EXPERT AT
Winning staring contests with cats.
