Megan explores the connection between art and audience
“In society, there’s this idea that you have to be the best version of yourself — that it can always be better. If you look at my LinkedIn profile, I seem like a model person. I’ve got everything in order, but behind that profile lies a different reality. One full of emotions and vulnerability,” says Megan Baarda (23). She is in her final year of the Teacher of Fine Art and Design programme at the Art & Design Academy of ArtEZ in Zwolle. Her graduation work is deeply personal: “In my video self-portraits, I show the emotions and feelings that are normally invisible.”
During her studies, Megan has grown a great deal — not only in techniques and skills, but also as a person. “I’ve really had to face myself, because I tend to take on far too much at once. I was chair of a festival, worked at ArtEZ, and wanted to do it all. I’ve learned to set clearer boundaries and focus on what I do,” she explains. About two and a half years ago, Megan experienced burnout and had many conversations with her mentor and several teachers about how to protect her boundaries. “It’s taken me five years to complete the programme. There’s so much room for personal development here — that’s what makes this course so special. Every path is different, it’s truly tailor-made. I could never have grown in this way if that space hadn’t been there. This is really a place to get to know yourself. When you trust yourself and keep thinking about what you want to say, you’ll get there. You have to stand for what you want.”
From calm to personal
Megan’s work has been strongly influenced by the period in which she experienced burnout. “At the start of the course, I mostly made videos and audio fragments that radiated calm, balance, and simplicity. Often of the Frisian landscape — that’s where I grew up. It was a kind of sublime experience of tranquillity for me, exactly what I needed. Until something snapped, and now my work has become much more personal,” she says.
Since her first year, Megan has been creating installations that combine different media, such as video work and sound recordings, as well as written text. “I love visiting museums to gain inspiration, so I have this mental cabinet of drawers filled with different artists and art forms. I draw from that in my work. Of course, you’re introduced to many media during the programme, but you still go through your own process. You explore that yourself — the teacher mainly offers possibilities,” she explains. Since you have to manage on your own after the academy, without a teacher, Megan believes it’s essential to follow your own instincts.
Finals work
Megan’s graduation project, shown during the finals, consists of two works: Gevoelsgezichten and Gevoelsgezichten II. The first part is a series of three video self-portraits depicting emotions Megan doesn’t easily show: loneliness, grief, and sadness. “Each video has a vague glow over it, so you can’t immediately see that it’s me. It’s the suggestion of a person. Who it is doesn’t matter — it’s about the emotions themselves. I want to make the viewer think,” Megan explains.
The second part of her work moves in the opposite direction: sharp images, much more direct. It’s an intense self-portrait that mirrors Megan’s feelings. “It’s a one-on-one dialogue between the viewer and me. Art can be a great way to create more openness to vulnerability. With all those societal expectations, I want to break open the idea that people need to be so caught up in them.”
Focus on creation
For Megan, the connection between the audience and art is crucial. This is evident in both her final project and her career path. “I always knew I wanted to go further in the visual arts — ever since secondary school. I deliberately chose this programme and even did the preparatory course. It was also a way to show my parents that I truly wanted this and could do it,” she says.
“The focus in this programme is really on creating, and I think that’s wonderful. To be able to teach art education, you need to understand the process of making. In the end, I haven’t only developed as a maker or a teacher, but above all as a connector. I now work as an education officer at Museum de Fundatie in Zwolle, where the worlds of art and education come together. Over time, I’ve discovered that this is my world. It all evolved very organically. I definitely want to continue working in the museum world, connecting audiences with art — that’s what I love. Along the way, you learn about yourself and about others.”