EVA VAN DER ZAND
As a glass blower Eva's connection with air became different. Eva is a sneezing person and allergic to male tree pollen. This made her wonder: What are the (t)issues around the air we breathe? And what is actually planted in the urban landscape? Some scientists say that urban landscapers planted a lot of male trees and allergenic trees. This increased allergies. With this work I show a journey of breath, allergies, (t)issues, science, gender, pollen and the language of botany. Can nature also exist beyond the gendered language that is given to them? She is presenting a milk bar where people are invited to come and taste milk from glass vessels to open up the experience of the different reproduction systems of plants:
Text about why she got selected for her graduation project for the Rietveld Reviewed by The Rietveld External Jury Selection:
"Eva made a presentation that stands out because of its extensive research, extending her roots in many directions: science, gender, the language of botany, all beautifully interwoven with her personal story. She is owning her topic, and her obsession with it is enchanting."
In the installation there are 6 different plant milks based on 6 different ways plant can reproduce: plant milk from date (female), of hemp (male), banana (polygamous), rice (hermaphrodite), hazelnut (monoecious), agave (asexual). She blew glass vessels so the experience would become like a ceremony of serving the milks. The glass vessels refer to the milk industry, which were very present while growing up in the Netherlands. The wooden bar she made with Yaniv Schwartz off maple tree, in nature this tree can be male/female/hermaphrodite. How to interact with a futuristic landscape? How to create an air we all want to breathe in? How do we become inhabitants of the air? She welcomes you to awaken your senses and exchange about the (t)issues around the air we breathe.
I got asked to make an episode for Rietveld TV about my graduation topic
(T)issues
A story about sneezing in (T)issues because of plant allergies. What is flying in the air we breathe? This question was raised in Tutti Frutti Dorp, a neighborhood in Amsterdam Noord. This neighborhood was the inspiration to question urban landscaping and plant language. A new answer is found in a dream about a Botanical Milk Bar. A drink made for you by a group of milkmaids to taste how fluid the botanical world can be, if we let her.
This video is made by Luuk Hezen and Rik Lauwen for the Rietveld Review(ed) series.
Eva develops soundscapes for the video's she makes. Here you can see a small fragment of some instruments. She builds/blows various sound instruments from glass. Next to that she uses digital programs and tools that develop sounds as well. Hereby she researches the possibilities in creating unexpected and new sounds. What kind of shapes and materials can create refreshing and unexpected sound textures?