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Animation and traveling exhibition

Reading time: 10 minutes

For a significant portion of my time, I work as a freelancer at Beeldprikkels in Zwolle. I’ve had the pleasure of working on an expansive project for Gemeente Zwolle, titled "Over Geloof en Liefde" (About Faith and Love). This project explores the multifaceted themes of faith, love, and personal stories, and includes a variety of media such as a website, magazine, animation, and a traveling exhibition. My focus was primarily on the animation and the physical exhibition, collaborating closely with my colleagues at Beeldprikkels to bring these elements to life.
 

My Role

  • Created and expanded the visual language for the animation, blending creative techniques with the project's core themes of intimacy and personal connection.

  • Worked on the traveling exhibition, designing transportable and dynamic elements such as stained glass-like art pieces, large photo panels, and merchandise stands, ensuring cohesion between the animation and the physical space.

  • Collaborated with local partners to bring the exhibition’s components to life, particularly in working with Binthout to produce key wooden structures.
     

Tools Used

  • Adobe After Effects

  • Adobe Illustrator

  • Laser Cutting Technology
     

The goal of this project was to present different perspectives on faith and love, capturing the audience's attention through a combination of digital animation and tangible, immersive experiences.

Introduction to Over Geloof en Liefde

"There's much to be said about faith and love. Yet, discussing them isn't always straightforward or easy everywhere. Over Geloof & Liefde aims to initiate conversations. To give beliefs and experiences a voice and a face. We seek to build bridges between churches, faith communities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and LGBTQ+ organizations. In essence, we aim to connect faith and love. We accomplish this by bringing together personal narratives and diverse beliefs. We contribute to encounters and dialogues, connect questions with answers, share knowledge and information, and provide referrals for assistance and support. This way, we can learn from and about each other, fostering mutual respect and curiosity. Because that's where understanding and recognition begin: engaging in dialogue Over Geloof & Liefde together."

Animation

For the animation, we carefully explored a variety of visual styles to align with the project’s themes of faith and love. We experimented with different techniques to find the right balance of creativity and consistency, eventually expanding the existing brand colors to add depth and nuance to the palette. The inclusion of blur elements was a key visual choice, creating a sense of softness and intimacy that reflected the personal stories told through the project.
 

These elements not only gave the animation a gentle and inviting feel but also guided the viewer’s attention to key aspects of the narrative. Our focus on creating a visually cohesive and emotionally engaging animation helped bring the heart of "Over Geloof en Liefde" to life, making the audience connect with the personal stories it shared.

Storyboard

Selection of stills

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Traveling exhibition

The traveling exhibition was designed with portability and flexibility in mind, ensuring that each element could be easily moved and reassembled at various locations. We developed a variety of components, including merchandise stands, a block tower, postcards, and large forex photo panels that featured the individuals interviewed for the project. These panels were accompanied by their stories on the reverse side, offering viewers a deeper connection to the people behind the narratives.

To further enhance the exhibition, we collaborated with Binthout in Zwolle, producing wooden elements that gave the display both structural integrity and aesthetic warmth. My role also involved ensuring that the visual design from the animation carried over into the physical space, creating a seamless experience for the audience.

"Stained" glass

A key feature of the exhibition was the stained glass-inspired art, designed to evoke the feel of a church while incorporating modern design techniques. To create a cost-effective solution, we used laser-cut plexiglass to form "stained glass" pieces. Each artwork featured two black frames with colored plexiglass panels in between, mimicking the appearance of traditional stained glass when light passed through them. This approach gave the exhibition a distinctive and spiritual atmosphere while keeping it contemporary and accessible.

Photos by Barbara Trienen

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Photography stands

The centerpiece of the exhibition was the collection of large-format photographs of the individuals who were interviewed for the project. These photos were printed in an imposing size to capture the attention of visitors, with each person’s story displayed on the back of the panel. This allowed viewers to engage with the visual and narrative aspects of the exhibition in a meaningful way, putting faces to the stories of faith and love.

Photos by Barbara Trienen

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Merch stands and information points

To ensure that visitors could take something tangible from the exhibition, we created a section where they could browse a variety of materials. My colleagues designed a magazine, and I contributed by designing 16 postcards that visitors could take home. These postcards offered further insight into the themes of the project, acting as both a keepsake and a reminder of the exhibition’s core messages. Additionally, the "Insights Collection" allowed visitors to engage directly by reading or contributing advice, encouraging deeper reflection on the themes of faith and love.

Photos by Barbara Trienen

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Aftermovie and making of

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