From July 3 until July 12, Willem de Kooning Academie (WdKA) will exhibit the best work of the eight graduates of the Master Media Design and Communication: Networked Media as part of her graduation festival 'FIRST VIEW'. This year we’ve chosen for the Centrum Beeldende Kunst [CBK or Centre of Visual Art; MA], a unique location along the Nieuwe Binnenweg in the centre of Rotterdam.

The large open space of this 'art counter' will feature work from graduates Alexandre Leray (FR), Dennis de Bel (NL), Leonie Urff (NL), Marc Xiang Rong Chia (SG), Sauli Warmenhoven (FI/NL), Serena Williams (NL/USA), Stéphanie Vilayphiou and Timo Klok (NL) of the Master Media Design & Communication: Networked Media (School of Media & Design). Besides this, you can enjoy work from our first year master students, which they made for ‘Build, Break and Broadcast’, a project on do-it-yourself hacking and recycling of electronic hardware. Finally, you can visit workshops and talks by artists, designers and media activists.

Make sure you get yourself a copy of our catalogue “Huh? Oops… F*ck! Oh, no! Wait…Again”, which contains an essay of Arie Altena and all work on display.

Since it was founded in 2002, the Master Media Design has been based on the idea of designing (and redesigning) media rather than just designing with them, and on a critical practice of arts, media and communication within their social context. Our students are international designers, artists and media activists with diverse study backgrounds in art, music, audiovisual production, architecture and even philosophy and social sciences.

A couple of hours before the exhibition, at 15.30 to be precise, the Master graduates receive their diploma at WdKA, location Karel Doormanhof.

Drs. Richard E. Ouwerkerk, Dean | Executive Director WdKA, will open the exhibition on Friday July 3 2009 at 20.30 hrs. Guest speakers Florian Cramer, lector Communication in a Digital Age and course director richting Media Design and Communication (WdKA), and Sergei Versteeg, Managing Director Centre of Visual Art will then address visitors. The exhibition hall opens at 20.00 hrs.

Graduation Show Master Media Design & Communication: Networked Media. July 3 – July 12 2009. CBK, Nieuwe Binnenweg 75 3014 GE Rotterdam. Open: Tue – Sun, 12hrs–17hrs. Festive opening: Friday July 3 2009, 20.30hrs.