I am Rosa Vrij, a systematic explorer of universes.
picture by Simon Vanheukelom
As a performance maker and visual artist, I create a universes around the same research. Within such a universe, a series of artworks arise that build on each other: from interactive book presentation to live drawing. Often I reverse the roles of the audience and the artwork. The audience acts as a co-creator in my search for the boundaries between the body and architecture. I am inspired by video games and board games, and the way these media use instructions. I also have a passion for graphic novels, modular furniture and book design.
My work is rooted in intersectional feminism. It’s empathetic, poetic, personal, non-hierarchal and finds its meaning between the lines. I think the focus on economic value, efficiency and competition has gone way overboard in our society. That’s why I believe art plays a crucial role in connecting people to themselves and to each other. My work activates the senses so that the audience can meet themselves, each other and their environment in the here and now.
Education & notable experiences
In 2016 I obtained my bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Arts, and in 2022 I graduated from the Master in Theater (Institute of Performative Arts Maastricht). My work has been shown in both the art and theater sector, at venues such as Over het IJ Festival (Amsterdam), TENT (Rotterdam), Odapark (Venray), Toneelgroep Maastricht, Museum van Bommel van Dam and Bora Bora - Dance and Visual Theater (Aarhus, DK). I am supported by talent development platforms VIA ZUID (Limburg) and IMPACT (Rotterdam).
Other activities
Besides my artistic practice I mentor starting artists and students and I'm involved as a talent development expert at several experimental art organizations, among which TimeWindow (Rotterdam). This is also where I have my studio. I like to think about structures based on solidarity, equality and social safety, to build on a fairer and healthier cultural sector. I've followed several courses in Sociocracy and regularly chair meetings.
