Inside the pioneering art of Studio Drift
Swooping silk ‘Shylights’ bloom as they descend and then retreat, seemingly alive, while immersive drone installations such as ‘Franchise Freedom’ mimic the majesty of starlings coming together in flight. The common denominator of Studio Drift’s work is
the fusion of science, technology and nature, intended to create a connection between people and the world around them. The results are often breathtaking.
The studio’s founders, Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta, met at the Design Academy in Eindhoven and were ‘creative soulmates’ despite their different interests, says Gordijn. ‘Ralph is a big fan of science fiction and anything related to George Lucas’s Star Wars franchise, whereas I am fascinated by nature and the way ecosystems function. But our intentions, our purpose and our energies were so aligned.’
Their first design together was ‘Dandelight’, a painstakingly created piece that involved attaching individual dandelion seeds, plucked during spring in the Netherlands, to an LED, which was then placed beneath a glass dome like a precious specimen. Now, with a team of 64 working in its art studio/science lab, Studio Drift has gone on to expand this design, creating ‘Fragile Future’ – sculptures consisting of three-dimensional bronze electrical circuits connected to light-emitting dandelions.
‘For me,’ says Gordijin, ‘every project starts with a fascination with something in nature. We use light a lot in our work because we find it a wonderful medium to help people re-experience the world. Light is different from other communicative forms because it is sensorial and it infiltrates us directly through our bodies rather than our brains.’
This focus on illumination has meant that Studio Drift’s work has transitioned easily from galleries to people’s homes. It’s in these more private spaces that Gordijin enjoys discovering how the sculptures are influenced by the interiors: ‘The different textures and materials create dialogue with our artworks,’ she explains.
‘We know we have done our work when people are able to slow down and really look at what is happening around them as a result of experiencing our art,’ she adds. For those yet to have that experience, Gordijin has exciting news: the Drift Museum, which will feature all of the duo’s existing work and new projects, is set to open in Amsterdam in spring 2025. driftmuseum.com
