Artists ALLUMINOUS 2025
We are excited to introduce the first artists of ALLUMINOUS 2025, who have been working on their artworks since spring.
The full program will be announced on this website on Saturday, September 27.
LEONARD VAN MUNSTER & GARY “DUIMALOT” GRAVENBEEK (on behalf of Suburbia)
Visual artist Leonard van Munster (Zwolle, 1972) has been working on installations and sculptures, primarily in public spaces, since completing his studies at the Rietveld Academy. His urban interventions have been exhibited in numerous cities, particularly Amsterdam. His work has been shown at Anningahof (Zwolle, 2008-2019), Frans Hals Museum (Haarlem, 2017), the Paltz Biennale (Soest, 2018), Dordtyard (Dordrecht, 2013), and "The Temporary Museum" in the former Bijlmerbajes prison (Amsterdam, 2017). Additionally, from 1996 to 2001, Leonard was part of the artist and designer collective Dept and taught at the Rietveld Academy and the Academy of Architecture.
In the farthest corner of Amsterdam West, Leonard built "Biotope 2.0," a greenhouse that functions as a studio and simultaneously a glass bell jar that cherishes a small piece of nature reserve, in the middle of an industrial area primarily home to oil storage and heavy industry, but also home to Scottish Highland cattle. Biotope 2.0 is an artist-in-residence location for young artists.
Performer Gary Gravenbeek (Utrecht, 1995), also known as "Duimalot," works as an artist, choreographer, and dancer on numerous projects that often address social themes, such as mutual love and belief in one's own talent. Gary has been a Permanent Destruction band member since 2019 and choreographed "Trojan Wars" for the National Theatre (2022). His debut EP was released in 2023. In 2024, he appeared as an actor in the short film "In the Belly of the Beast." In 2025, he was involved as an actor and choreographer in the production "WAUW" (WAUW). He is also co-founder and artistic director of the Mensja Foundation. In 2022, he won the Popronde Audience Award. His production "Trojan Wars" at the National Theatre won a "Zilveren Krekel" (Silver Cricket) for best theatre performance of the year in 2022.
The collaboration between Leonard van Munster and Gary Gravenbeek came about in collaboration with ALLUMINOUS program partner Suburbia.
SAJOSCHA TALIRZ & JETTE VOGEL (on behalf of Vis à Vis)
Artist Sajoscha Talirz (Amsterdam, 1979) has been creating sculptures since his studies at the Royal Academy of Art, often emphasizing tactile quality and organic forms, primarily in public spaces. His sculpture "Rise" can be found in Eendrachtspark in Amsterdam.
Scenographer Jette Vogel (Veldhoven, 1995) studied at the Willem de Kooning Academy and has since worked on film and theater sets, sculptures, and paintings. She experiments with playful, theatrical, and surrealist forms to shape her perspective on life, curious about a visual language that stimulates the inner world more than the outer world. This resulted, among other things, in the set for the concert series "Calefax Rariteiten Cabinet" (2024), the set for the performance "I'd Rather Die" by Theater Rotterdam (2023), and the exhibition Open Studios Borgerstraat for Art Rotterdam (2021, in collaboration with Johan Kleinjan).
The collaboration between Sajoscha Talirz and Jette Vogel was created in collaboration with ALLUMINOUS program partner Vis à Vis.
JAAP VAN DEN ELZEN & BLACK PENCIL
Light artist Jaap van den Elzen (Boxtel, 1977) uses light as a medium to transform space and time and to see things differently. He creates site-specific installations that are always immersive and become multi-sensory experiences. In collaboration with composer Anthony Fiumara, Jaap created "Waxing, Waning," a sound-lightscape at Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ in Amsterdam, where light becomes an instrument in a symphony. For GLOW Eindhoven, he created "Evolution of Light" with electroacoustic composer Augusto Meijer. This interactive installation transformed a barren concrete expanse beneath a parking lot into a magical world of light, shadow, and everything in between. For the Municipality of Diever, Jaap transformed the outdoor space into a light theater with various permanent light installations, featuring Shakespeare in the title role: "To see... or not to see."
Since its founding in 2010, Black Pencil has been a welcome guest in classical concert halls, stages and festivals both in the Netherlands and abroad. This game-changing ensemble initiates the creation of new works and inspires leading Dutch composers such as Roderik de Man, Martijn Padding, Klas Torstensson, Calliope Tsoupaki, Yannis Kyriakides, Aart Strootman, Klaas de Vries, and Kate Moore. Internationally, they perform works by composers such as Wim Henderickx and Moritz Eggert, as well as rising talents from diverse cultural backgrounds. Over 450 new compositions have been written for the ensemble, and they also award multiple composition prizes.
Jaap van den Elzen is working on ALLUMINOUS in collaboration with ALLUMINOUS program partner Black Pencil Ensemble.
FROUKE TEN VELDEN (on behalf of Jij bent M.)
Visual artist Frouke ten Velden (Amsterdam, 1986) works with light, video, and sculpture in the form of installations and AV performances after graduating from the Amsterdam University of the Arts and the University of Amsterdam. She also works on scenography and art direction for music, theater, and dance. In her work, she pushes the boundaries of disciplines, always emphasizing artworks with an experiential character. She previously created the light art installation "Spiegelingen" (Mirrors) for De Harmonie Leeuwarden (2024), the interactive light artwork "For Your Eyes Only" for Schemerlicht (2023), and developed scenography and art direction commissioned by the SenCity Festival, on display at TivoliVredenburg (2024). In addition to her artistic practice, she teaches Interactive Performance Design at the HKU.
Frouke ten Velden developed an artwork for ALLUMINOUS, commissioned by program partner Jij bent M.
RUBEN RAVEN
Visual artist Ruben Raven (Almere, 1995) creates paintings, sculptures, and installations. After graduating from the Rietveld Academy, his work, often inspired by impressions of public space, has been featured in numerous exhibitions, including those at Swab Barcelona, Art Brussels, Art Antwerp, DMW Gallery, and the 2020 Best of Graduates exhibition at Ron Mandos, where he won the Audience Award.
MANNIE KRAK (on behalf of BonteHond)
Artist Mannie Krak (Amsterdam, 1980) has been working as an artist in Almere since her studies at ArtEZ and the Sandberg Institute, creating installations in which nature, technology, the reuse of materials, and light are recurring elements in playful and curious works. She has exhibited her work at venues including the Nature Art Park in Lelystad (2019-2024), Zilver op het Water in Lelystad and Almere (2018-2024), Oerol (2002), 'Veste Verlicht' in Goes (2019), and the exhibition 'Magical Mystery Tour' at KAF, Almere (2017).
Mannie Krak is developing the artwork as an educational project for ALLUMINOUS on behalf of program partner BonteHond.
MAX DE WAARD
Artist Max de Waard (Lelystad, 1992) primarily creates digital art, in which digital characters, materiality, fiction, and digital folklore are recurring themes; always combined with the influence of technology on the world. He also works on commission for clients as diverse as fashion brand Balenciaga and Jij bent M. during their opening exhibition at Floriade.
ROBIN BEEKMAN
Artist Robin Beekman (Rheden, 1994) studied Image & Media Technology and has since created artworks in which light and technology play a key role. He plays with human perception, visual phenomena, and experiments with various media and technologies. His work has previously been exhibited at the Inota Art Festival (2025), Miami Art Basel (2024), Dutch Design Week (2024), and Rotterdam Art (2024). In addition to presenting a new light artwork, which Robin is developing for ALLUMINOUS, he will be responsible for the lighting design for the entire festival, together with Luxonos, starting in 2025.
Photography Sajoscha Talirz: Mercé Wouthuysen
Photography Ruben Raven: Elizar Veerman