One year after The Current Current Award: from GOGBOT to new residencies
In 2025, Isaac van den Aker graduated from Design Art Technology at ArtEZ Academy of Art & Design Arnhem. During the opening of ArtEZ finals, he and Sofie de Vroom were announced as the winners of The Current Current Award. One year later, he looks back on how his artistic practice has evolved.
Time to recharge
The Current Current Award includes a €2,600 grant. Isaac used it to take a short holiday, exactly what he needed. 'For the first time in a long while, I could just lie on the beach without worrying about anything.'
From ArtEZ finals to new collaborations
After ArtEZ finals, Isaac presented his graduation project again at GOGBOT at Tetem in Enschede. The exhibition led to a residency at Tetem.
Over the past year, he has also worked on a range of performances and collaborative projects. Together with fellow Design Art Technology student Niels Gräber, he developed Mudcell Compositions, in which electrical signals from mud are transformed into sound. He also created live audiovisual performances using PowerPoint, where glitches and feedback loops generate both visuals and audio.
Together with Varvara Pekhota, who is also graduating from Design Art Technology this year, he developed Fountain (2027): a Red Bull fountain that simultaneously functions as a cooling system for a computer processor.
Experimenting without a fixed destination
A long-term residency at Stichting Plaatsmaken in Arnhem gave Isaac the freedom to keep experimenting. He worked with screen printing, found materials and new forms of image-making. It took some adjustment. 'Working alone in a studio without a clear goal suddenly felt much harder than it did at the academy.'
The residency led to a new line of research. Where it will take him is still unclear. For Isaac, that open-ended process has become just as important as completing a finished artwork.
'Collaborate with others, talk about your work and make sure you have your own studio.'
Say yes to everything
Looking back on his first year after graduation, Isaac says the biggest lesson was the importance of staying visible and making the most of every opportunity. 'Say yes to everything. Collaborate with others, talk about your work and make sure you have your own studio.' Not a fan of writing polished emails? 'Then don't.'
His advice for students about to graduate is short and simple: 'Stay strong, have fun & Succ6!'
About The Current Current Award
With The Current Current Award, ArtEZ Academy of Art & Design Arnhem supports work that challenges, provokes and opens up new perspectives. Each programme nominates one graduating student, after which a jury selects the winners.
Curious to find out who will follow in the footsteps of Isaac and Sofie? This year's winners will be announced on 1 July during the opening of the ArtEZ finals exhibition at ArtEZ Academy of Art & Design Arnhem.
