Joke Smit Award
for Gender Equality
2021
A Constellation of Stories
„As a child you are strongly influenced by the stories you are being told.
I remember repetitively hearing this tale where the woman is presented as a byproduct. The story of Adam and Eve.
It is a story with a narrative that I see as holding gender equality back. But Still now my 7 and 10 year old brothers are being told this tale.
I am privileged to have been able to be introduced to different cultures and belief systems, understanding there is more than one narrative.
We are in a time of flux. We are in a time where we have the power to transform the future narrative. My piece engages with this change.
The rods symbolise the old and static story. Every touch leaves a trace on the material, copper, signifying the impact of this motion. The overlay of individual elements embodies a constellation of new stories coming together to form an interconnected movement.
I hand this award to you dear receiver. We thank you for the new narrative you are fighting for, and the lives you have touched with this.
We thank you for being a key element within this constellation of stories, the constellation of our story.“
This project was created under the commission of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, asking the graduating Furniture Class of 2021 to make design proposals for the Joke Smit and the Jos Brink Award 2021.
The designs were presented to the Ministry and my proposal was chosen to be developed further for the Joke Smit Award, which will be given to the award recipient of 2021.
My story is materialised in copper. I will be working with the tension of the material. Metal is perceived to be rigid and tough, however with every touch copper starts oxidising, thus creating a material of transformation.
This is also the reason for the award being a wearable piece. It becomes a part of you and the change that you represent. I am experimenting with how to piece together individual elements to become one with the freedom of movement and interchangeability.
To me, this award symbolises a constellation of stories coming together as one, one movement, the gender equality movement.
Video – © Zhao Zhou
Photos – © Chiel Lubbers & Zhao Zhou
