Home > Artists

Juul van der Laan

international , interactive , movie ,Experimental , Documentary , crossover , Audiovisual , Artistic research

I make movies. For my work I usually start from science and/or philosophy. I attach great importance to sound and critical research as part of the formation of my films. About the training as a whole I can say that I am not led by genres and like to experiment with narrative forms.

IMU (ongoing, interactive installation)
I M U (ongoing, interactive installation) - IMU is an essay film installation in which I manipulate the viewer's image via deepfake, live. It is a personal confrontation with technology and a meditative intervention on what the 'self' and your self-image are. I question self-reflection in this technological age of self-obsession. With South-African Ubuntu philosopher Mogobe Ramose. / Selected for DOKLeipzig Exchange XR showcase (2023), was in residency at V2_ (2024), DocsBarcelona New Tech Pitch award winner (2024), selected for IDFA Doclab Forum (2024). v2.1 was exhibited (and audience tested) at Wageningen University Library; v2.2 at Ars Electronica 2024. Exhibition of v2.2. at the Eye Film Museum from April 12 -25, 2025. (This work started under working title "Reflect Project".) ---- IMU is an essay film installation in which I manipulate the viewer's image through deepfake, live. It's a personal confrontation with the technology and a meditative intervention on what the self and your self image really are. I question self-reflection in this technological age of self-obsession. Featuring the South-African Ubuntu philosopher Mogobe Ramose. / Selected for DOKLeipzig Exchange v2023 was examined + audience tested at Wageningen University Library; v2 at Ars Electronica 2024. Exhibition v2024 in the Eye Filmmuseum from April 2024 -2.1, 2.2.
Sophie (2022, 14′)
Sophie (2022, 14′) - Short creative documentary about philosopher Sophie Bọ́sẹ̀dé Olúwọlé (1935 - 2018) and her work in which she brought to light a Yoruba philosopher from African antiquity. Before that he was dismissed as a pagan deity from a fetish religion. In the later years of her life Sophie made it her mission to show the world how traditional Yorùbá wisdom is relevant for everyone. After centuries of oppression she proves: African philosophy exists. This film is an introduction to Sophie Bọ́sẹ̀dé Olúwọlé's work. It is mainly based on the recordings I made with her when I first met her in Amsterdam in 2017, but also on some recordings I made with her during a road trip through Yorùbáland later that same year. Sadly, she passed away a year later. "Sophie" premiered in Nigeria at the Thursday Film Series screenings (University of Ibadan) and was shown at the Lagos Book and Art Festival 2022. It was also nominated for a Lions Film Award 2022. In collaboration with philosopher Renate Schepen, we also created the hybrid live performance/lecture "Sophie on Stage" that shows more recordings with Sophie Olúwọlé from Nigeria. We summon her in film form, engage her in conversation. In fact, I mix the film into the performance live, from the stage. We premiered at De Nacht van de Filosofie, Amsterdam (2023) and have also performed at the Rode Hoed, Amsterdam (2023) and the Torpedo theater, Amsterdam (2024). ---- Short creative documentary on philosopher Sophie Bọ́sẹ̀dé Olúwọlé (1935 - 2018) and her work uncovering an ancient Yoruba philosopher, unfairly believed to be a pagan god. During the later years of her life Sophie was determined to show the world how traditional Yorùbá wisdom is of importance to anyone. All the while proving, despite centuries of suppression: African philosophy exists. This film is an introduction to Sophie Bọ́sẹ̀dé Olúwọlé's work, mostly based on recordings when I first met her in Amsterdam, 2017 - as well as some footage recorded during a road trip through Yorùbáland with her later that same year. Unfortunately she came to pass one year after this. The film premiered in Nigeria at the Thursday Film Series screenings (University of Ibadan) and was selected for the Lagos Book and Art Festival 2022. Furthermore it was nominated for the Lions Film Award 2022. In collaboration with philosopher Renate Schepen we also created a hybrid live performance/lecture "Sophie on Stage" featuring additional recordings with Sophie Oluwole. It premiered at De Nacht van de Filosofie, Amsterdam (2023) and was subsequently performed at de Rode Hoed, Amsterdam (2023) and Torpedo theater, Amsterdam (2024).
Afuwape (2023,11′) - Who are you? asks Sophie Olúwọlé. A filmic experiment based on my work with philosopher Sophie Bọ́sẹ̀dé Olúwọlé (see also film "Sophie") and inspired by a myth from the Ifá system of the classical Yorùbá philosophy from Nigeria. Supported by the NL Film Fund as a cinematic experiment in the development of a larger project. ---- Who are you? Sophie Oluwole asks. A filmic experiment based on my work with philosopher Sophie Bọ́sẹ̀dé Olúwọlé and inspired by a myth from the Ifá system of the classical Yorùbá philosophy from Nigeria. Supported by the NL Film Fund as a cinematic experiment in the development of a larger project.
Jelili Atiku: Portrait of a Performance (2021, 4') - Performance artist Jelili Atiku was in residency in Amsterdam while the corona crisis was still going on. He decided to do an impromptu street performance in the middle of a busy traffic junction in the city. Atiku's work focuses on the traditions of the Yorùbá. I followed Atiku's preparation, performance and switching off afterwards and made a short documentary of it in which past, present and future exist simultaneously. This work was commissioned by ZAM magazine and for the event "How we made it: African Artists center stage" in collaboration with the Afrovibes festival at de Balie, Amsterdam. I also directed the event itself, in which literary reading, this documentary, live interviews and spoken word were organically interwoven. I had placed Atiku myself in the audience, to suddenly participate in the discussions on stage from there. It worked surprisingly (especially after seeing him on the big screen) and infectiously for other members of the audience. It contributed to the blurring of the boundary between the stands and the stage. ---- A short documentary giving insight into the work of Nigerian performance artist Jelili Atiku. Indigenous practices are central to Atiku's work, as a counterpoint to colonialism and western modernities disconnect from nature. Atiku was artist in residence at the Thami Mnyele Foundation, Amsterdam. Made for ZAM magazine x Afrovibes festival 2021
Nanopolymersomes (2018, 6′) - People have always been building things. We are often deeply impressed by the largest constructions we have been able to build. But what about the tiniest of scales? Researcher Joep van der Weijden builds polymersomes on a nano scale. Selected for publication at Labocine in 2018. ---- People have always been building things. We often marvel at the huge, at the tallest constructions we've achieved to build. But what about the tiniest of scales? Researcher Joep van der Weijden builds polymersomes on a nano scale. Selected for publication at Labocine in 2018.
Relativity (2016, analogue installation) - This is the digitised version of an analogue documentary installation. 16mm DIY film loop with subtitles projected over it (automated and looped). In installation text and images are constantly combined differently. The quoted texts in the subtitles are words from Albert Einstein, Ọ̀rúnmìlà* and Voltaire. *Who is Ọ̀rúnmìlà? See my short documentary called "Sophie" Filmed in Rotterdam-Zuid Developed, edited and printed at the film workshop. Part of the Do It With Us exhibition at the Mirta Demare Gallery in 2016. ---- This is the digitised version of an analogue documentary installation. 16mm DIY film loop with subtitles projected over it (slides automated and looped). In installation text and images are constantly combined differently. Quoted words in the subtitles are Albert Einstein's, Ọ̀rúnmìlà's*, Voltaire's. *Who's Ọ̀rúnmìlà? Check out my short doc called "Sophie" Shot at Rotterdam Zuid. Developed, printed and edited at filmwerkplaats Rotterdam. Part of the Do It With Us exhibition at Mirta Demare Gallery in 2016.
Multiverse Ghana (2015, 60′) - "Wisdom is not a property of any nation - everybody has it" This film is a portrait of various scientists and sciences in Ghana. "What are scientists in Africa up to?" - I wondered back in 2013, as I'd never heard about work of African scientists. So I went to Ghana to find out. This is an atmospheric portrait of Ghana. It explores the role of culture and creativity in science. The film premiered with an in-depth event in collaboration with ZAM magazine at the Balie, Amsterdam and in Accra at the Ghanaian Academy of Arts and Sciences, in 2015. Selected for InScience film festival 2015. ---- "Wisdom is not a property of any nation - everybody has it" This film is a portrait of various scientists and sciences in Ghana. "What are scientists in Africa up to?" - I was wondering back in 2013, as I'd never heard about work of African scientists. So I went to Ghana to find out. This is an atmospheric portrait of Ghana. Exploring the role of culture and creativity in science. The film premiered during a special event in collaboration with ZAM magazine in de Balie, Amsterdam and in Accra at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2015. Selected for the InScience film festival 2015.
Wave Motion (2012, 15') - The Earth has tides. Waves are everywhere. A sailor talks about his experience between the waves. A scientist talks about the waves all around us. This was my graduation film (University of the Arts London, with Distinction). ---- The Earth has tides. Waves are everywhere. A sailor talks about his experience between the waves. A scientist talks about the waves all around us. This is my graduation film (University of the Arts London, with Distinction).

I M U v2.2

Date:
Location: Ars Electronica Festival 2024
In association with: V2_

"Technology today turns us into nothing-ness"

IMU is an interactive essay film installation in which I manipulate the viewer's image through deepfake.
It's a personal confrontation with the technology and a meditative intervention on what the self and your self image really are.

Featuring philosopher Mogobe Ramose

https://juulvanderlaan.nl/portfolio/imu/

I M U v2.1

Date:
Location: Universiteitsbibliotheek
In association with: Wageningen Universiteit, dept. Knowledge, Technology and Innovation

"Technology today turns us into nothing-ness"

IMU is an interactive essay film installation in which I manipulate the viewer's image through deepfake.
It's a personal confrontation with the technology and a meditative intervention on what the self and your self image really are.

Featuring philosopher Mogobe Ramose

https://juulvanderlaan.nl/portfolio/imu/

I M U v2.0

Date:
Location: V2_
In association with: V2_

Sophie on Stage

Date:
Location: Nacht van de Filosofie 2023, De Rode Hoed, Bibliocenter Weert
In association with: Renate Schepen

Together with philosopher Renate Schepen, I developed an interactive documentary lecture-performance in which philosopher Sophie Bọ́sẹ̀dé Olúwọlé (1935 - 2018) is present in film-form.
We both talk about our experiences meeting and here, and get deeper into the concept of binary complementarity - an important aspect of Olúwọlé's work on traditional Yorùbá philosophy.

https://juulvanderlaan.nl/portfolio/sophie-on-stage/

I M U v1.0

Date:
Location: WORM / studio thnkthnk
In association with: Stichting Droom en Daad

IMU pt. 1 is an XR film installation that questions self-image. Through live deepfake technology, the viewer and her image undergo a confrontational transformation. This project reflects on the consequences of deepfake technology in a very personal way. Who are we in relation to a manipulation of our image? Who are we in relation to each other? In residency @ V2_ for pt. 2

https://juulvanderlaan.nl/portfolio/imu/

Afùwàpẹ́

Date:
Location: online
In association with: Nederlands Film Fonds

Philosophy is largely considered a Western invention. Some also know of its Oriental origins. But what do we know about its African counterparts...

If you don't know your own culture's intellectual history, who are you? Sophie Olúwọlé asks Afùwàpẹ́. The late prof. Olúwọlé discovered an ancient Nigerian philosopher who had been mistranslated into history as a god. This scientific blunder has far reaching consequences and makes us question our custodians of intellectual culture.

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/afuwape

Sophie

Date:
Location: LantarenVenster, Lagos Book and Art Festival, Ibadan University
In association with: Gemeente Rotterdam, OCW x VEVAM

Professor Sophie Bọ́sẹ̀dé Olúwọlé (1935 - 2018) uncovered a 'pagan' god to be a philosopher and compared him to Socrates. During the later years of her life Sophie was determined to show the world how traditional Yorùbá wisdom is of importance to anyone. All the while proving, despite centuries of suppression: African philosophy exists.

This film is an introduction to Sophie Bọ́sẹ̀dé Olúwọlé's work, mostly based on recordings when I first met her in Amsterdam, 2017.

https://juulvanderlaan.nl/portfolio/sophie/
This artist has no awards yet.