Spotted: ArtEZ alumnus Noa Zuidervaart is one of the Muzen van Morgen 2026

Noa graduated from the bachelor's programme Illustration Design at ArtEZ Academy of Art & Design Zwolle in 2021. When he started his studies, he thought he would become an illustrator. But the freedom to explore different disciplines took him in a different direction. “You were really allowed to do anything, to explore all kinds of disciplines, and the teachers really encouraged you to do so,” he tells AVROTROS. His graduation project ultimately became an installation in which drawings formed the basis of a world that visitors could literally move through.

In his current work, Noa explores, among other things, how people create meaning around things that have no clear explanation. For a recent project, he delved into geomancy, an ancient method of predicting the future. Not because he wants to predict the future himself, but because he is curious about the rituals and images people use to gain a sense of control over uncertainty.

For the May edition of MUZE Magazine, Noa also designed the cover. In the work a thought, spiraling into, he visualises how thoughts develop: not in a straight line, but in loops, with no clear beginning or end.

'I’m already living the life I dream of,' Noa says about his artistic practice. His hopes for the future? To keep developing, create new work and meet inspiring artists and curators.

Read the full interview with Noa on AVROTROS.