My works focuses on the perception of place and space. With the help of various media, such as sculpture, installation, photography and video, I investigate how we relate to the world around us. In addition to perception, I am also interested in human interaction with this world and how this is translated into geographical and technical image languages such as maps, satellite images, building plans and manuals. They provide a schematic and seemingly objective representation of reality, but also abstract and manipulate our image and interaction with the world. In my work I research and use these visual languages to give a new perspective on both the physical and the virtual world. The different interpretations of what place and space can be, from Isaac Newton’s absolute space to phenomenology, form the basis of my research. In the development of concepts and use of materials I mix abstraction and the visual distance of the eye with other sensory perceptions such as touch and smell.
In addition to the individual perception and experience of place and space, I am interested in how we relate to other people, both at micro and macro level. This interest has taken shape in a number of projects in collaboration with Maarten Schuurman. This collaboration arose from a shared fascination with human interaction with the virtual and urban environment. How do we discover new places, how do we occupy space, how do we map space? Key elements are individual versus shared space and the transition from private to public space. Our work explores the micropolitics of space, political and economic systems, and their manifestations. In our collaboration we are not individual actors, but work as a cooperative team with their own alter ego. We consciously break with the traditional concept of individual artistic practice, authorship. The collaboration is not simply a sum of individual contributions, but rather an exercise in communication. Knowledge sharing is paramount. The work generally begins with a concept or conversation. In developing this idea, we operate at the intersection of art, installation, and applied art. The works appear to have a function, yet are simultaneously autonomous. This apparent functionality sometimes results in the execution/eliciting of an action or performative action.
CV
Education
2009 – 2014 Fine Arts – Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam (BA)
1999 – 2002 Information Management – Hogeschool van Amsterdam (BA)
1992 – 1997 Comparative Art Studies : Word and Image – Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam (MA)
Exhibitions
2025 Dutch Design Week (DDW), Eindhoven (NL)
2025 Fadenlauf, De Fabriek, Eindhoven (NL)
2024 Supermarket Independent Art Fair, Stockholm (SE)
2024 Flurry, Achter de Ramen, Amsterdam (NL)
2023 Aquantize, ps.kot, Amsterdam (NL)
2023 In the belly of the tapeworm, Het Archief, Rotterdam (NL)
2023 Apples & Oranges artists' book fair, C-Mine (Jester), Genk (BE)
2023 Kate's Nightshop, Kate, Amsterdam (NL)
2022 De Best Verzorgde Boeken / The Best Dutch Book Designs 2021, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (NL)
2022 ME/WE - ps.kot, Amsterdam (NL)
2022 Antwerp Art Weekend - Bookshop, TIM Magazine/Boooooks, Antwerp (BE)
2022 Cromoforo, De Apotheek, Amsterdam (NL)
2021 Export / Import, Alternative Space The White, Tokyo (JP)
2020 Achtung! Spielplatz!, De Vishal, Haarlem (NL)
2020 It's only natural, Unlocked/Reconnected, Paleis van Mieris @Jan van Galenstraat, Amsterdam (NL)
2020 Shift Operation : Tokyo Workflow, Cave Gallery, Tokyo (JP)
2019 Voordat het koud wordt, Paleis van Mieris, Amsterdam (NL)
2019 Paleis van Mieris Beamclub (BYOB), Amsterdam (NL)
2018 ARCADIA, Societeit Vereeniging, Kunstlijn Haarlem (NL)
2018 The Future of Travel, Corridor PS, Amsterdam (NL)
2018 Supermarket Independent Art Fair, Stockholm (SE)
2018 Aanvaardbare Conditie, Bellamy Kabinet, Amsterdam (NL)
2017 de-Tour, Paleis van Mieris, Amsterdam (NL)
2017 Present Time Station, Corridor PS, Amsterdam (NL)
2017 Scale to fit Media, Madurastraat 72, Amsterdam (NL)
2017 Dufus Tidious, Paleis van Mieris, Amsterdam (NL)
2017 Aromatic Art (Re-)constructed : In Search of lost Scents, VU, Amsterdam (NL)
2017 Danteland, Paleis van Mieris, Amsterdam (NL)
2016 Shift Operation : Membraned City, Paleis van Mieris, Amsterdam (NL)
2016 South Specific, Paleis van Mieris, Amsterdam (NL)
2016 Distance as time, distance as sound, distance as words, Peer Paper Platform, Amsterdam (NL)
2016 Three is a Crowd, Fontrodona Artspace, Amsterdam (NL)
2015 Level Up, Paleis van Mieris, Amsterdam (NL)
2015 Flexible Frameworks, Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam (NL)
2015 residency with Chris Fielder, AndModel, Leeds (UK)
2015 Mini Golf, Paleis van Mieris, Amsterdam (NL)
2015 Es liegt was in der Luft! - Duft in der Kunst, Villa Rot, Burgrieden-Rot (DE)
2015 Rosetta Stone, Paleis van Mieris, Amsterdam (NL)
2014 Odd Bird, Kuva/Tila, Helsinki (FI)
2014 Graduation Show Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam (NL)
2013 Si.Si.Spex, Kauwgomballenfabriek, Amsterdam (NL)
2013 1+1=3, Fontrodona Art Space, Amsterdam (NL)
2013 Beyond Babylon, Rietveld in de Oude Kerk, Amsterdam (NL)
Residencies
2025 De Fabriek, Eindhoven (NL)
2020 Shift Operation : Tokyo Workflow, Cave Gallery, Tokyo (JP)
2015 &Model, Leeds (UK)
2009 – 2014 Fine Arts – Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam (BA)
1999 – 2002 Information Management – Hogeschool van Amsterdam (BA)
1992 – 1997 Comparative Art Studies : Word and Image – Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam (MA)
Exhibitions
2025 Dutch Design Week (DDW), Eindhoven (NL)
2025 Fadenlauf, De Fabriek, Eindhoven (NL)
2024 Supermarket Independent Art Fair, Stockholm (SE)
2024 Flurry, Achter de Ramen, Amsterdam (NL)
2023 Aquantize, ps.kot, Amsterdam (NL)
2023 In the belly of the tapeworm, Het Archief, Rotterdam (NL)
2023 Apples & Oranges artists' book fair, C-Mine (Jester), Genk (BE)
2023 Kate's Nightshop, Kate, Amsterdam (NL)
2022 De Best Verzorgde Boeken / The Best Dutch Book Designs 2021, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (NL)
2022 ME/WE - ps.kot, Amsterdam (NL)
2022 Antwerp Art Weekend - Bookshop, TIM Magazine/Boooooks, Antwerp (BE)
2022 Cromoforo, De Apotheek, Amsterdam (NL)
2021 Export / Import, Alternative Space The White, Tokyo (JP)
2020 Achtung! Spielplatz!, De Vishal, Haarlem (NL)
2020 It's only natural, Unlocked/Reconnected, Paleis van Mieris @Jan van Galenstraat, Amsterdam (NL)
2020 Shift Operation : Tokyo Workflow, Cave Gallery, Tokyo (JP)
2019 Voordat het koud wordt, Paleis van Mieris, Amsterdam (NL)
2019 Paleis van Mieris Beamclub (BYOB), Amsterdam (NL)
2018 ARCADIA, Societeit Vereeniging, Kunstlijn Haarlem (NL)
2018 The Future of Travel, Corridor PS, Amsterdam (NL)
2018 Supermarket Independent Art Fair, Stockholm (SE)
2018 Aanvaardbare Conditie, Bellamy Kabinet, Amsterdam (NL)
2017 de-Tour, Paleis van Mieris, Amsterdam (NL)
2017 Present Time Station, Corridor PS, Amsterdam (NL)
2017 Scale to fit Media, Madurastraat 72, Amsterdam (NL)
2017 Dufus Tidious, Paleis van Mieris, Amsterdam (NL)
2017 Aromatic Art (Re-)constructed : In Search of lost Scents, VU, Amsterdam (NL)
2017 Danteland, Paleis van Mieris, Amsterdam (NL)
2016 Shift Operation : Membraned City, Paleis van Mieris, Amsterdam (NL)
2016 South Specific, Paleis van Mieris, Amsterdam (NL)
2016 Distance as time, distance as sound, distance as words, Peer Paper Platform, Amsterdam (NL)
2016 Three is a Crowd, Fontrodona Artspace, Amsterdam (NL)
2015 Level Up, Paleis van Mieris, Amsterdam (NL)
2015 Flexible Frameworks, Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam (NL)
2015 residency with Chris Fielder, AndModel, Leeds (UK)
2015 Mini Golf, Paleis van Mieris, Amsterdam (NL)
2015 Es liegt was in der Luft! - Duft in der Kunst, Villa Rot, Burgrieden-Rot (DE)
2015 Rosetta Stone, Paleis van Mieris, Amsterdam (NL)
2014 Odd Bird, Kuva/Tila, Helsinki (FI)
2014 Graduation Show Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam (NL)
2013 Si.Si.Spex, Kauwgomballenfabriek, Amsterdam (NL)
2013 1+1=3, Fontrodona Art Space, Amsterdam (NL)
2013 Beyond Babylon, Rietveld in de Oude Kerk, Amsterdam (NL)
Residencies
2025 De Fabriek, Eindhoven (NL)
2020 Shift Operation : Tokyo Workflow, Cave Gallery, Tokyo (JP)
2015 &Model, Leeds (UK)
Print
- AMS - TOK : Export > Import, 2021
Press
- Esther Brakenhoff en Maarten Schuurman @ De Fabriek, In: Trendbeheer, 8 september 2025
- The Best Dutch Book Design Student Catalogue 2022
- How to / Marieke Gelissen en Guus van der Velden. In: Mister Motley, online tentoonstelling, 5 oktober 2021
- Hiëronymus in een modern jasje. Haarlems Dagblad, 6 juli 2020
- Smelling Time? - On Scent as a Vanitas Symbol in Art. In: Futurist Scents [online], 10 June 2020
- Community art in the time of Covid-19 and beyond : Shift Operation Tokyo. In: CoBo Social [online], 28/29 April 2020
- Corridor Project Space 2018 year programme : Teotwawki / Future of, 2019
- Hoe ruikt de maan? In: Het Parool, 5 mei 2017
- Peer Paper Magazine, nr 4, 2017
Other
2021 - present initiator/organizer ps.kot
2015 - present member artists’ collective Paleis van Mieris
Contact
ebrakenhoff[at]planet[dot]nl
- AMS - TOK : Export > Import, 2021
Press
- Esther Brakenhoff en Maarten Schuurman @ De Fabriek, In: Trendbeheer, 8 september 2025
- The Best Dutch Book Design Student Catalogue 2022
- How to / Marieke Gelissen en Guus van der Velden. In: Mister Motley, online tentoonstelling, 5 oktober 2021
- Hiëronymus in een modern jasje. Haarlems Dagblad, 6 juli 2020
- Smelling Time? - On Scent as a Vanitas Symbol in Art. In: Futurist Scents [online], 10 June 2020
- Community art in the time of Covid-19 and beyond : Shift Operation Tokyo. In: CoBo Social [online], 28/29 April 2020
- Corridor Project Space 2018 year programme : Teotwawki / Future of, 2019
- Hoe ruikt de maan? In: Het Parool, 5 mei 2017
- Peer Paper Magazine, nr 4, 2017
Other
2021 - present initiator/organizer ps.kot
2015 - present member artists’ collective Paleis van Mieris
Contact
ebrakenhoff[at]planet[dot]nl