Our alumni in Dd Yearbook ’25–’26: Undercurrents

These are graduates of the bachelor’s programmes Fashion Design and Graphic Design (ArtEZ Academy of Art & Design Arnhem) and Fine Art (AKI ArtEZ Academy of Art & Design). The selection highlights the diversity of work produced at ArtEZ and how it relates to the wider field of design.

Laith Al Rahmani – Fine Art

AKI ArtEZ Academy of Art & Design

In Inhabiting Discomfort, Laith Al Rahmani explores how feelings of anxiety, displacement and vulnerability can be given space. Drawing on his background and identity, he creates a spatial installation in which ceramic forms continue to rotate on a potter’s wheel. Sound, vibration and gravity generate a palpable tension. The installation appears as a protective shelter, yet at the same time feels unstable. The work confronts visitors with a choice: do you remain within the discomfort, or do you step away? In doing so, Al Rahmani touches on broader questions of safety, trust and freedom. His work shows how Fine Art at AKI offers room for experimentation, autonomy and a sharp social perspective.

Dorka Szabó - Fashion Design

ArtEZ Academy of Art & Design Arnhem

With her graduation collection Chronometry [Time Unhalted], Dorka Szabó translates the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi into a layered fashion practice. She combines traditional tailoring with hand-dyed fabrics, embroidery and open-knit structures. Rust stains, basting threads and visible traces of craftsmanship make time and impermanence tangible. Each garment tells its own story. The collection was awarded the Heij Konijn Foundation Award 2025 and the Linen Award 2025, and shows how Fashion Design at ArtEZ brings together craftsmanship, concept and a strong personal signature.

Nina Kieviet - Graphic Design

ArtEZ Academy of Art & Design Arnhem

What is worth preserving, and how do you record it? In her installation SCHR24.D7.W22.25.3, Nina Kieviet investigates how knowledge can be stored for future generations. During a seven-day residency on Schiermonnikoog, she collected data on tides, weather, flora and fauna. She engraved this information into 24 old glass portholes, which function as physical carriers of knowledge. By bringing together graphic design, ecology and time, Kieviet invites reflection on legacy and responsibility. Her work shows how Graphic Design at ArtEZ goes beyond communication alone, operating at the intersection of research, image and meaning.

Youngjin Choe - Fashion Design

ArtEZ Academy of Art & Design Arnhem

In Duality of Light, Youngjin Choe explores how light can function as a source of comfort and healing. The starting point is a promise made by his father during his childhood, which Choe translates into a collection where personal memories and Korean cultural heritage come together. Graphic fabrics reference traditional patchwork, while generous leather silhouettes evoke protection and closeness. The collection is both intimate and universal, showing how fashion can carry stories that extend beyond the body alone. With this work, Choe demonstrates how Fashion Design at ArtEZ offers space for narrative, material research and cultural layering.