Thinking out of the box

Sterre Arentsen finds it fascinating to see how people interact with nature, and how they distort nature. This was the base for her thesis. She studied Crossmedia Design at AKI ArtEZ Academy of Art & Design in Enschede. Her thesis consisted of a series of twelve photos she made over the past few years.

Sterre experienced Crossmedia Design as an open space for different kinds of perspectives. “All types of people and ideas are welcome and teachers like it when a student approaches an assignment in a different way than intended”, she says.

You can really think out of the box. The course covers not just one medium, but students explore different types of media. Not only do you learn how to make a poster or a sculpture, but you also decide which medium to use at any given moment.

No boxes, please

What Sterre liked about the course? You can do whatever you think is right and whatever suits you. AKI is known as a free academy. “You’re never stuck with just one thing and you’ll find your own way eventually. I don’t like it when people try to fit my work into a certain box. Firstly because I don’t know which box I would even fit in and secondly because that type of thinking just doesn’t suit me. My work is super versatile! Besides, it could be completely different a year from now.

Sterre Arentsen, Crossmedia Design