>< Work in Progress > 40 crossmediale creatieven gunnen ons een kijkje achter de schermen...

This audio-visual production company initially formed in 2005, when a rag-tag team of friends from various film school and media-loving backgrounds started making music videos for up-and-coming Dutch music acts. Since then, the now ten-strong team has moved on to different things, including organising various media events, producing a wide range of television programmes for various Dutch broadcasters, and managing bands on their own record label, 100% Halal Records.

> How does your work distinguish itself from that of others in your field? > ‘Each director and producer that works at 100% Halal has his or her

own individual style. For us, the end result is more

important than personal gain or ego, and because of that our people and their different approaches work well together.’ > How important is your immediate environ-ment when you’re working on something? > ‘I think it’s very important. We have a great office in the centre of Amsterdam with a lot of people coming and going every day.’> Where do you find your inspiration? > ‘We are inspired by everything around us, as I’m sure everybody is to a certain degree. What we do with that inspiration differs per person. That’s how a good film distinguishes itself, because it contains the maker’s own signature style.’> How would you describe 100% Halal? > ‘I think the photo says it all!’> www.100procenthalal.nl

> Make the difference > 100% Halal

> text & production: Leah van Tooren > images: Thijs Wolzak, www.thijswolzak.nl

> From left: Jori Collignon, Iris Vos, Edward Cook, Gijs Kerbosch,

Daniel Bosch, Sjam Sjamsoedin, Rogier van der Zwaag, Roel Oude Nijhuis,

Zoeteke Lugthart, Steffen Haars, Flip van der Kuil, Emiel Steenhuizen,

Bobby Boermans, Roel Detemijer and Edgar van Aalst.

Designer and Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Jurgen Bey (42) is skilled in many areas of interior design and architecture. His concepts and designs are diverse, ranging from his cocoon furnishings in Utrecht’s Centraal Museum to wrapped back-grounds for Jean Paul Gaultier’s catwalk and a bright pink bench that graces the streets of Tokyo.

> How important is your immediate environ-ment when you’re working on something? > ‘Very important, as it can determine how I design something. It helps me decide whether an idea will

work or not and whether a particular design is the best

it can be for a specific location. In terms of some of the places I’ve designed things for, I’d say the Interpolis foyer in Tilburg (which has my Oorstoe-len or ‘Ear Chairs’) and the Utrecht City Hall (where I designed a small wedding room) both inspired me.’ > How does your work distinguish itself from that of others in your field? > ‘I’d rather leave that up to others to decide.’ > Where do you find your inspiration? > ‘In everyday life, in how the world works and how it can inspire you. I’m always interested in new ways to create something completely different.’> www.jurgenbey.nl

> Chair man > Jurgen Bey

An Amsterdam-based studio for visual communi-cation, Thonik was founded by partners Thomas Widdershoven & Nikki Gonnissen in 2000 and has since had twelve more talented graphic designers added to its mix. Thonik’s eye-catching conceptual designs have popped up all over the country: in Amsterdam alone for its new public library, Canal Festival and Museum Night, and in Rotterdam for the Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum. Fittingly, it was there that Thonik was awarded the 2007 Rotterdam Design Award for its campaign concept for the Dutch socialist party (SP).

> How does your work distinguish itself from that of others in your field? > ‘It’s typically

Thonik: graphic, simple, smart and optimistic.’> How important is your immediate environ-ment when you’re working on something? >‘We work in a studio that was designed for us by MVRDV, an architectural design agency based in Rotterdam. This studio is very important for us as a stimulating work environment. Conceptual designer Richard Hutten designed its interior.’ > What would you describe as Thonik’s breakthrough? >‘The campaign and party logo we designed for the SP was a big success. Not only did the political party win many votes during the last general election, Thonik’s designs also won all the important prizes in 2007.’> www.thonik.nl

> House of style > Thonic

> From left: Naomi Shibata, Remco Oude Alink, Florian Mewes,

Jutka, Suomi, Thomas Widdershoven, Noa, Ruben, Nikki Gonnissen,

Sanne Rovers, Pascal Brun, Shira Koopman and Jeroen Bruijn.

Dutch sample artist and audiovisual designer Eboman (real name: Jeroen Hofs), 34, has been creating sample compositions since 1985, continuously pushing the limits of digital media. As a DVJ (disc and video jockey), his stage performances include the use of a special sensory suit with which he manipulates audio and video, creating a whole new virtual environment and spectacular live shows. The winner of various awards for his groundbreaking work in modern music, Eboman will be present at PICNIC’07 to create an audiovisual compilation of the festival, and he will also be closing the event with his SenSorSuit performance.

> How does your work distinguish itself from that of others in your field? > ‘I focus on the

development of sampling as a new and efficient form of communication. I’m not the only person who is doing this, but I like to think that my contribution to this form of research is unique.’> How important is your immediate environ-ment when you’re working on something?> ‘For me, it’s not so important. Of course, I do need electricity to be able to perform my shows, but sampling, to me, equals freedom, and that is a freedom I like to take advantage of.’ > How would you describe your work? > ‘My work can best be described as Sample madnesS.’

> Where do you find your inspiration? > ‘I find my inspiration in everything I experience. That could be everything from bass lines to bad leadership, to inefficient communication.’ > www.eboman.info

> Sample madness > Eboman

Ralph Mulder (30), Len Lucieer (33), David Corel (32) and Guy Bours (34) make up Alamo Race Track, an innovative Dutch band that shot to fame earlier this year when the title track from their second album, Black Cat John Brown, became an instant hit on YouTube with almost 500,000 views – and counting. The band has a musical style so diverse that critics have a hard time putting their finger on it, something that can be attributed to their vast range of influences and their rampant originality.

> How important is your immediate environ-ment when you’re working on something? > ‘It’s very important to have a place where you feel comfortable. A while ago, when we first started out as a band, we were recording in a studio that was so big it was intimidating. Nowadays we do a great deal of the work on an album at home. A small home-studio setup enables us to work on songs in the comfort of our living room.’

> Where do you find your inspiration? > ‘Everywhere really, not from one specific place or thing but from daily life. Places, books, films and documentaries – anything that moves you can make a great theme for a song. Black Cat John Brown is about a neighbourhood cat that used to sit on my [Ralph’s] windowsill for hours while I was making music.’> You are also very popular in France and your fan base in the US is growing fast – how has that come about? > ‘We played a festival in the States in 2004 where a French record company representative happened to catch our perform-ance. He approached us afterwards and it eventually led to us releasing the album in France and touring there for about a month to promote it. The shows, including a few festivals, went down really well and it took off from there. We’ve also done a few gigs in the States, where we seem to be pretty popular on university radio and various other playlists, and the reviews have been favourable so far too.’ > www.alamoracetrack.com

> Pit stop > Alamo Race Track

> From left:Len Lucieer, David Corel,

Ralph Mulder, Guy Bours.

With a film school education and extensive experience working as an art director under her belt, Jelka van Houten (29) made the conscious career decision in 2005 to step out from behind the scenes and into the spotlight. Having always nurtured her passion for singing, Van Houten is in her element on stage, be it in a musical, in a play or with her band of ten years. Just as comfortable in front of the camera, she has made various appearances on Dutch TV shows and on the big screen. In 2006, Van Houten won the John Kraaijkamp Musical Award for her leading role in the musical Turks Fruit. Next on her schedule is a three-month stint in Hair – The Love Rock Musical, starting in October.

> How do you distinguish your work as a performer from that of others in your

profession? > ‘I wasn’t schooled in acting or

singing, which has both its advantages and its disadvantages. On the one hand I’m less restricted in my choices of how to play a certain role. On the other hand, it means I’m not familiar with certain technical aspects, which sometimes means I have to catch up.’> How important is your immediate environ-ment when you’re working on something? > ‘I think it’s very important, and for theatre and film the experience is very different. I like performing on stage because of the feedback you get from the audience, but I also enjoy the subtlety and almost quietness of film in comparison to a play or a musical.’ > Where do you find your inspiration? > ‘I find it in other people, in their diversity and in their individual characters. I like to have people around me who are creative, because when they come up with an idea, my creative mind starts to kick in too.’

> Hair to stay > Jelka van Houten

A 26-year-old art student in his third year at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam, RFH Delfos (whose initials stand for ‘Rogier Frederik Hendrik’) started deejaying at STUDIO 80 some 18 months ago after sharing ideas about music with the hip club kids of M.U.L.T.I.S.E.X.I. He currently produces music for the Origami Girls, a new act he founded with two of his fellow students.

> How does your work distinguish itself from that of others in your field? > ‘I see deejaying as

a spur-of-the-moment thing, whereas others see it as

their profession. I think I have more fun doing it because I don’t have to do it, and that is probably reflected in my music.’> How important is your immediate environ-ment when you’re working on something? > ‘The music I play is pretty specific and doesn’t work the same everywhere. I prefer to play places where the people are a little further ahead of everyone else and not simply following what their TVs dictate. If I don’t have anything in common with the people who come to the parties I’m playing at, I will have a hard time enjoying myself.’> www.myspace.com/rfhdelfos

> Just for the moment > RFH Delfos

Tjitske Jansen (36) can often be found reciting her poetry to audiences of all ages at various literary festivals, schools and symposia. Her debut poetry collection Het Moest Maar Eens Gaan Sneeuwen (‘It’s About Time It Started Snowing’) has been reprinted 14 times since its publication in 2003, and her second collection, Koerikoeloem (a play on the word ‘curriculum’), is expected in November.

> How does your work distinguish itself from that of others in your field? > ‘Most Dutch poets find publicity more important than reciting their work. For me, the two are inextricably linked. Poetry is an art form for the ear and has more to do with music and theatre than other forms of literature. My poems are never just philosophical and poetic. I write poetry that asks to be read aloud.’> How important is your immediate environ-ment when you’re working on something? > ‘My old house had a garden where, for me, every

day used to start and end. I wrote a number of poems

about it. For instance, about moonflowers and how they open at night. I had also resolved to describe the poppy in each stage of its existence, but then I moved because there was a man I loved more than I loved poppies. I’d love to have a house with a garden again.’> Where do you find your inspiration? > ‘One of the most important reasons I am in the writing profession is that it gives me the opportunity to feel genuine happiness. It gives me a feeling of transparency: everything I’ve seen and experi-enced and all my ages intertwine. I sense that, and at the same time I can see and use it as a source. In that state-of-being, almost everything is inspiring. Now that sounds more rose-coloured than it is, because sometimes I’ll be working hard for months and that has nothing to do with happiness.’> How would you describe your work? > ‘I like to leave it up to others to describe my work. A critic once wrote: “The striking simplicity and clear use of language win you over.” I was quite happy with that.’

> Poppy poet > Tjitske Jansen

Bas Kosters (30) is one of the Netherlands’ most talented young fashion designers. His break-through came when he won the prestigious Robijn Fashion Award in 2003 for his Two Teacups and a Frying Pan collection, which had been his final project before graduating from the Arnhem Fashion Institute earlier that year. He designs clothes, accessories, bags and dolls, but has also made a limited-edition series of baby strollers (Bugaboo By Bas), all in a style that is instantly recognisable as his own.

> How does your work distinguish itself from that of others in your field? > ‘It’s pure, personal and critical of social structures. My collection is

very much my story and stems from my interests.

I’m a doll maker, and the characters I make appear throughout my collection. Also, I use second-hand materials and certain finishing techniques that are very recognisable.’ > How important is your immediate environ-ment when you’re working on something? > ‘My last studio was in a basement in Amster-dam’s Red Light District. It was cold, dark and stuffy – not an ideal environment to work in. I’m very happy with my current studio in the World Fashion Centre. It may still be relatively small, but that suits my character. Being on location in cities such as Miami and New York certainly also inspires me, as did the 2007 Fashion Biennial in Arnhem, for which I designed an installation.’ > www.baskosters.com

> Dolls and babies > Bas Kosters

A recent graduate in photography from Amster-dam’s Gerrit Rietveld Academy, Cassander Eeftinck Schattenkerk (33) is currently being tipped as one of the most exciting new talents in his field. Using low-budget special effects, Schattenkerk creates unusual photographs that reflect on scientific photography and documented natural phenomena. > How does your work distinguish itself from that of others in your field? > ‘I connect landscape and still-life photography to create a

single world in which real and constructed elements

come together in equal measure.’> How important is your immediate environ-ment when you’re working on something? > ‘I’m always looking for special places that almost seem to invite me to add or change something. If I can’t find the images I’m looking for on location, I construct them in the studio.’> Where do you find your inspiration? > ‘I find it in literature and films that try to manipulate my imagination using simple means. I’m also inspired by nature documentaries, and even a good rummaging around in a hardware store can give me inspiration.’ > www.schattenkerk.nl

> Under construction > Cassander Eeftinck Schattenkerk

Each with his own media-related educational background, Victor Ponten (26) and Jim Taihuttu (26) originally formed advertising agency Hab-bekrats in 2004 and gained almost instant notoriety for their fresh, funny, memorable music videos and commercials made on a shoestring budget. The uncommissioned music video they did for Dutch hip-hop act Duvelduvel in 2005 was a big hit, both online and on the music channels, and it soon led to various brand names and music acts recruiting their skills and creative vision for no-nonsense commercial purposes. Frieder Wallis (28) and Yousef Gnaoui (23) later joined the team, and Habbekrats

was officially established as a company in 2006.

> How does your work distinguish itself from that of others in your field? > ‘It’s made by us and nobody else. It might just be that simple. You could compare the way we work to playing with Lego: it starts getting interesting when you throw the instructions away and follow your instinct.’

> How important is your immediate environ-ment when you’re working on something? > ‘When it comes to having that one idea, it doesn’t matter where we are. When it comes to executing it, location is key because it’s part of the idea. We find inspiration in everyday life, music, pop culture, film, art and advertising.’> www.habbekrats-reclame.nl

> On a shoestring > Habbekrats

> From left: Yousef Gnaoui, Froeder Wallis,

Jim Taihuttu (framed) and Victor Ponten.

As a food designer, Marije Vogelzang (28) completely immerses herself in the concept of food, focusing not only on its colour, taste, texture and smell, but also on how it is presented and consumed. A graduate of Design Academy Eindhoven, she made a splash when she served up her White Funeral Meal – consisting entirely of white food – during a press lunch in 1999. Vogelzang is also responsible for getting kids to eat their vegetables thanks to her Nibble-jewels concept, and her delectable designs are consumed daily at the Proef (= ‘taste it!’) eateries in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

How does your work distinguish itself from that of others in your field? > There aren’t many designers who focus solely on the concept of food. I try to study food from many different angles and to place it in a different context. There’s no other subject closer to human beings than something that you can put in your mouth and allow to be consumed by your body.> How important is your immediate environ-ment when you’re working on something?> Very important. It can inspire me to take a completely different approach. I am inspired by culinary history, food production, politics, food ethics, cultural differences, rituals and the senses.> www.proefamsterdam.nl

> Food for thinkers > Marije Vogelzang