Mathijs’s journey from Product Design to Royal College of Art

Met zijn bachelor Product Design op zak besloot Mathijs Hunfeld (23) zijn horizon te verbreden in het buitenland. Hij vroeg een studiebeurs van het VSBfonds aan voor de masteropleiding Contemporary Art Practice in Londen en kreeg deze toegewezen. Dit was het begin van een meeslepende reis. Letterlijk én figuurlijk: “Dankzij de steun van het VSBfonds kwam mijn artistieke groei in een stroomversnelling.” 

During his bachelor’s in Product Design at the ArtEZ Academy of Art & Design Arnhem, Mathijs focused mainly on the intricate details of materials, shapes and colours. As he refined his conceptual and communicative skills, he realised how his work could influence the way people think and act. The MA Contemporary Art Practice at the Royal College of Art offered the perfect opportunity to explore that insight further.
Mathijs: “The curriculum felt like a natural continuation of my background in product design. What struck me most was the diversity of my fellow students, who came from all over the world and from very different disciplines. This has helped me to look beyond visual art alone and to learn from multiple perspectives.”

Artistic growth

The Royal College of Art left a lasting mark on Mathijs’s artistic perspective, offering him critical and conceptual frameworks that align seamlessly with his approach to contemporary art: “Through conversations and by studying the work of alumni, I found new sources of inspiration. A new environment, a different culture – all of it has shaped both my artistic and personal development. Looking back, every step I’ve taken since my first days at ArtEZ seems to follow naturally from the previous one. It feels like an organic process of growth in which I’ve come to better understand both the arts and my craft as a product designer.”

From observer to active participant

Initially, Mathijs saw himself more as an observer on the sidelines, but now he feels actively engaged in the professional field. “My current work exists at the intersection of visual art and consumer goods. Paradoxically, I criticise the very system I depend on by blurring the boundary between the two. More specifically, my work explores the relationship between consumer and product. It has been described as revealing superficial desires that stem from a deeper sense of inner emptiness. I hope my work can offer people a new way of seeing and shift their perspectives.”

Living in London

Living in London as an artist has been an inspiring experience for Mathijs, one that perfectly matches the city’s vibrant and diverse character.
“The artistic community, the cultural richness and the constant flow of inspiration from the art scene have all been invaluable to my creative growth. Studying for a master’s in this global city has become a grand, immersive journey. I’m grateful to the VSBfonds, in collaboration with ArtEZ, for giving me this opportunity.”

Study abroad with a scholarship

Are you about to graduate, or have you recently completed your studies, and do you hold Dutch nationality or have a demonstrable connection with the Netherlands? Would you like to continue your studies, either within or outside the EU?

The VSBfonds Scholarship application process is accessible and worthwhile - one in three applicants is awarded a scholarship.