DAE celebrates the first BA graduates of 2023
Taking place in an intimate setting at the Van Abbemuseum, the event celebrated the achievements of the BA students in a gathering that brought together tutors, studio leaders, and staff, alongside family members.
To start the ceremony, Joseph Grima, Creative Director of DAE, spoke of his appreciation towards the ever-growing alumni community, to which he gladly received this new group of graduates. Reflecting on the transformation of the DAE community as a whole since the start of the pandemic, Grima pointed out how the work of the recent graduates keeps manifesting itself with outstanding resilience in the face of adversity.
The BA department finds itself in a transformational period as could be heard in the words of Joseph Grima: “Today represents the last stretch of a transitional phase in the Bachelors department of DAE, moving from a department towards a studio model”. For this reason, the event also served as a very first welcome to graduates from studios. These three recently-established studios being Studio Do-Make, led by Nacho Carbonell, Studio Technogeographies, led by Martina Muzi, and Studio Thinking Hands, lead by Kiki van Eijk and Joost van Bleiswijk.
The ceremony also marked the last group of graduates from Leisure, a well-loved department whose studio leader, Irene Fortuyn, was also celebrated. Kiki van Eijk, co-leader of Studio Thinking Hands, expressed her gratitude for the time when, as a DAE student, she worked under the guidance of Irene Fortuyn. In addition to that, Jan Melis —also part of the Leisure department— affirmed that the legacy of Fortuyn’s educational labour will certainly live on within the Academy.
Department and studio leaders came on stage next in order to announce the graduates of this edition, taking the opportunity to thank the body of tutors and coordinators for their great efforts and commitment to education.
Marc Barreda, in representation of Studio Do-Make leader Nacho Carbonell, took the stage first to gladly welcome graduates Ilaria Cavaglia and Marta Moskova into the alumni community. The latter was also awarded cum laude honours.
Next was Studio Technogeographies leader Martina Muzi, who greeted five new graduates with words of recognition: Anky Coelen Molina, Christina Zampoulaki, Fenna Burghraef, Gaja Pegan Nahtigal and Zoe Prifti.
Kiki van Eijk came on stage to celebrate graduate Scarlett Smith-Petersen-Church, expressing her honour to have been asked to be Smith-Petersen-Church’s graduation tutor.
Vic Cautereels, Studio Leader of the Motion department, warmly welcomed on stage five new graduates: Henry Wein, Marleen van der Knaap, Natasha Amisha, Sebastian Gyorgy and Tycho Willemse.
Stijn Roodnat, Studio Leader of the Public Private department, followed on stage with very positive energy to greet Wies van den Maagdenberg as a new graduate.
Jan Melis made it to the podium in good spirits as a representative for Leisure department leader Irene Fortuyn, to welcome five new graduates: Anabelle Grundmann, Annelie Dalglish, Paul Schaffer, Romina Rems and Yufei Gao, who was also awarded cum laude honours.
Continuing with a tradition to collaborate with the broader DAE community, the illustrations for this year’s BA graduation events —taking place in January and June— have been commissioned to an alumna, Hattie Parker, whose work was featured in the event’s graphics as well as in the bespoke sweaters that are gifted to BA graduates.
The ceremony came to an end with BA graduates signing their diplomas, subsequently being able to raise a glass with their relatives, as well as representatives from all across DAE’s community in order to commemorate the closure of their student period, and the beginning of their alumni journey.
