Designer & Illustrator from Amsterdam

Popel Coumou lives and works in Amsterdam and studied photography at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy. Her work consists out of analog photographs of collaged spaces that hint at human presence. Through her use of lighting she transforms the collages into 3 dimensional spaces that seem both natural and unhinged.

My works can be described as ‘post-graffiti art’. The approach, attitude and application of my designs are heavily influenced by graffiti and street art. I am fascinated by today’s zeitgeist but am also critical about it. Street art is an art movement in which many inspiring things are happening and where I feel at home. With a spray I can visually express what I cannot do with a pencil. However, I would like to go deeper than the sometimes superficial appearance of graffiti and street art and highlight those aspects that make the viewer think. I would like to express my thoughts visually, either in a clear statement or in an experiment with a still unknown outcome, which can lead to something new.

French independent graphic and type designer based in Amsterdam

Waste Textiles Artist. Femke van Gemert, 1969 After a career in commercial fashion Femke decided to change the way to create things. Now she designs wall hangings and rugs that are unique, handmade and fully sustainable. By focussing on a single colour she re-uses textiles in abstract works. The beauty of imperfection and deterioration over time are always visible in her creations. The composition she creates radiates a certain mood or longing laden with fragments of the former characteristics of the used textile pieces. In the creation process Femke thinks about certain societal or environmental issues, these are reflected in the titles. In commissioned work clients can donate their own discarded textiles. This improves the personal involvement the owner has with the piece of art. This way Femke wants to revaluate textile waste that is omnipresent in our fast consuming society. The wall hangings improve acoustics and are suitable for homes, offices and public buildings. The love for textiles combined with the urge to explore the possibilities of discarded fabrics form a long lasting source of inspiration and a way to express opinions in Femke van Gemert’s life.