Arnout Meijer's work explores the physicality and philosophy of perception in vision and contemporary culture. What we see is a reconstructed image based on previous experiences rather than a direct observation of the world around us. The present is seen through a lens of the past. Visual and socio-cultural illusions expose no rare exceptions, but reveal precisely the mechanisms that shape our reality. In his work he examines and questions the systems that construct and change our ways of seeing.
Meijer lives and works in Amsterdam. He studied Industrial Design Engineering at the Technical University Delft, at the Design Academy Eindhoven and Cultural Analysis at the University of Amsterdam. He is represented by gallery VIVID in Rotterdam. His self initiated and commissioned work covers several disciplines ranging from design, art, writing and architecture.
Solo exhibitions
‘Dubbelglas’ - Galerie VIVID / Rotterdam, September - October 2023
‘336 m³ blue/orange’ - Galerie VIVID / Rotterdam, February - March 2017
Group exhibitions (selection)
Nieuwe Instituut - DDW / Eindhoven, October 2023
'Vorm aan de Vecht' / Utrecht, March 2022
Collectible / Brussels, May 2021
Into the Great Wide Open / Vlieland, July 2019
‘State of Transparency’ - Looiersgracht 60 / Amsterdam, May 2019
‘28 grams of happiness’ - DDW / Eindhoven, October 2018
'Rendez Vous’ Frans Hals Museum / Haarlem, March - September 2018
‘Overload’ - Vizcaya Museum / Miami, December 2017 - April 2018
‘Morphogenesis’ - Galeria Francisco Fino / Lisbon, May - July 2017
VITRINE Basel / Basel, June 2017
Art/Design Basel/Miami - VIVID / Victor Hunt / Basel + Miami, 2014 - 2017
Dutch Invertuals / Eindhoven + Milan, 2014 - 2017
‘#+ 28.00¹’ - Galerie Fons Welters / Amsterdam, April - June 2017
Art Rotterdam - Galerie VIVID / Rotterdam, February 2017
ZuiderzeeMuseum / Enkhuizen, December 2016 - May 2017
Brussels Design September / Brussels, September 2016
GLOW Next / Eindhoven, November 2015
In No Particular Order - Stimuleringsfonds / Eindhoven, October 2015
TodaysArt / Moscow Biënnale / Moscow, October 2015
Musée des Arts Décoratifs / Paris, September 2015
Villa Noailles / Hyeres, July 2015
Het Nieuwe Instituut / Rotterdam, April 2015
Spazio Rosanna Orlandi / Milan, April 2015
Noordbrabants Museum / ‘s Hertogenbosch, January - April 2015
‘Domestic Affairs’ - Passagen / Cologne, January 2015
Gallery S. Bensimon / Paris, January 2015
‘Goodness’ - Galerie VIVID / Rotterdam, July - August 2014
PAD Paris - ToolsGalerie / Paris, March 2014
Design Academy Eindhoven / Eindhoven, October 2013
Permanent Collections / Commissions
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Terminal - with: KAAN, Lamela, ABT, Ineco / 2025 (forthcoming)
Minor Moon, Amsterdam - with: Urban Echoes / 2023
18 Septemberplein, Eindhoven - with: UNStudio, ABT, SI-X / 2020
ABN AMRO Art Collection / 2017
Spheres, Brussels / 2015
Awards / Grants
Granted - Stimuleringsfonds ‘Design Grant Programme’ / 2022
Granted - Stimuleringsfonds ‘Design Grant Programme’ / 2020
Awarded - Tender Competition ‘Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Terminal’ / 2018
Granted - Stimuleringsfonds ‘Design Grant Programme’ / 2016
Awarded - ‘30 under 30’, Forbes / 2016
Nominated - ‘Every Light Series’, Design Parade 10, Villa Noailles / 2015
Awarded - ‘#25 in Top 25’, Eigen Huis & Interieur / 2015
Granted - Closed Call, GLOW Next / 2015
Granted - Stimuleringsfonds ‘Talent Development’ / 2014
Granted - Open Call, Amsterdam Light Festival / 2014
Nominated - ‘Thanks for the Sun’, D3 Award imm Cologne / 2014
Writing
Essay ‘Rest’ / 2023
Essay ‘De beitel hakt aan twee kanten’ / 2022
Essay ‘Designer met gewetensnood zoekt volvo V40-gordel’, Trouw / 2021
Essay ‘The Memory of a Damaged Landscape’ / 2019
Essay ‘De Vrije Encyclopedie ‘ / 2019
Schrijversvakschool / 2016
Teaching / Lectures
Rietveld Academie / 2022 / 2023
Design Platform Rotterdam podcast / 2022
Stimuleringsfonds Advisory Committee / 2020 - present
Academy of Architecture Amsterdam / Master Program / 2016
Dutch Design Daily / Pakhuis de Zwijger, Amsterdam / 2016
New Window / Radio Podcast, Amsterdam / 2016
Publications (selection)
NRC Handelsblad, Volkskrant, Trouw, Die Zeit, Het Parool, T Magazine, WIRED, AD Germany, NY Times Magazine, Dezeen, Frame Magazine, De Architect, De Groene Amsterdammer.
Story by Rudi Fuchs in ‘De Groene Amsterdammer’ about Second Spade, in collaboration with Saskia Noor van Imhoff.
Saskia Noor van Imhoff & Arnout Meijer, Second Spade 03, 2017. Photo: Gert Jan van Rooij
