We are excited to invite you for the opening of 𝒯𝓊𝓇𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒯𝑜𝓌𝒶𝓇𝒹𝓈, an exhibition exploring our relationship with what we can’t control.
The exhibition reflects on the human impulse to build structures and rules, acknowledging the limits of control and the inevitability of uncertainty. Through moments of surrender, disruption, and disorientation, the works approach chaos as a generative condition from which new forms and meanings can emerge.
Live performance by @jon.c.rolph starts at 18:30.
Artists:
@hamaremar@lissagasparotto@dinekevanhuizen@mean.collection@manonmalan@l_i_s_a_m_e_i_j_e_r@yutte__@jon.c.rolph
Big thanks to @cbkrotterdam for making this exhibition possible.
This exhibition is also part of @rotterdamartweek
27 March 2026, 17:00-21:00
De Doelen, Studio 2 @dedoelenstudios
My first foray into making a sort of artist/photo book, making a binding for a photo series I took in Hoek van Holland last year. I want to make more work that can be held in the hands like this, objects that can be treasured
I hadn't done any bookbinding before, but making this has piqued my interest. I'm curious to learn more techniques and try more experimental formats. The process feels quite technical at the moment and I'm looking forward to having the familiarity with the materials that allows for a looser process.
12 giclee/inkjet prints on Hahnemuhle agave fine art paper
binding made by following & adapting a tutorial by @agassido
SATURDAY 24.01.26
Jon Rolph and Nick Monro present
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
An exhibition of their work produced on residency at Delftsestraat 29B
Come and see Jon’s large scale silver gelatin prints, Nick’s DIY sauna stove & welding cyanotypes, and more...
Soup served @ 6:30
Presentations @ 7:30
followed by Dj’s til late
Delftsestraat 29B
3013 AE
Rotterdam
See you there x
Jard and her studio
@javever
To enter into Jard’s house you enter at street level, go down and then back up again. Her studio was her living room, it’s simply furnished with a couple of tables, a rug and some shelves full of books and knickknacks. Her working table sits next to the window, offering a view of next door’s garden and the occasional rabbit. Tools and sculptures in various stages are strewn across the table and the floor, a little messy but not careless, accompanied by a layer of stone dust.
Jard’s sculptures are like talismans. Strange flowing forms with a magical quality. From some, impossible figures emerge. To me, the way she draws these characters out of the stones feels like a form of conjuring.
I’m not quite sure how to approach this. I’ve never set out to take portraits like this before, but the idea’s been simmering for a while. I like the idea of photographing artists in their studios, but beyond that I hadn’t really considered how I'd go about it. I suppose on reflection it is that I am interested in taking portraits of artists 𝘢𝘯𝘥 their studio. To see the studio as a subject, not a setting, and capture some of the shared character & idiosyncrasies of artist and studio.
The shoot is tentative at first, I think Jard is bemused by the whole thing. At first I take photos of her working on a sculpture. I wonder if she’s really carving something she’ll use. I then start to give some small directions. What if you hold this one, how about you look this way. I try standing on the windowsill. I shoot some footage on my half-fixed super 8 camera (yet to be developed). I try holding her sculptures in front of the lens (unusable results). Once I set up the spotlight I start to see a clearer direction. I get more at ease with giving direction, and what feels the most ridiculous (how about you lie on the floor and rest your head on the sculpture) yields the most compelling results.
When I scan in the photos I'm surprised by how well they come out. Some have a refinement I wasn't expecting. Small details, like the framed horse on the mantelpiece, catch my eye
At first these were failures, but I’m coming round to them now. I am trying to produce large scale silver gelatin photographic prints and if all had gone to plan there would be images there. Instead they are indexes of the way I poured and spread the emulsion. Plenty went wrong with this first attempt, some things I understand and some I don’t. Still, I'm learning to embrace these results, and opening up to the idea of using this process for more abstract work
so-called failures aside, the physicality of the prints, and the textural artefacts of the process are exciting to see, and handling them confirms this is a scale I want to work at. With a bit of refinement, practice and testing, hopefully an image will come through
On Saturday 20th September, over @grootrotterdamsatelierweekend , we are hosting a soup/art/music evening in the studio.
Come join us for works in progress by Ceola, Maurik and current artist in residence Jon, and some vinyl music by Ellis and Nick.
🫒 Soup, drinks and music from 18:00
🖼️ presentation from 18:30
📍 Delftsestraat 29b, 3013 AE Rotterdam
THIS FRIDAY
It's almost time for me to move out, but before I hand over the keys, join us for a final farewell 💜
We'll tuck in to some delicious dinner courtesy of @laurenscollee , raise a glass to good times and dance into the early hours. we might sneak in a performance or two and if you're lucky I'll give a slideshow reminiscing over the last 3 years I've been tinkering away in this studio
I also have some treasures (trash) that I need to get rid of, so come along and "TAKE IT AWAY!"
see you there,
Jon & co x
All good things come to a close and soon it'll be time for me to say goodbye to my dear workspace. The landlord is selling the place and come June I'll be handing over the keys
So, 187 nights in its current (and still fresh!) guise will come to a close, but it's by no means the end. We'll throw some kind of party before handing over the keys and we're keen to continue putting on events in whatever new forms feel right
for me - I'm not sure what comes next. I've known for a while that I'll have to move, but amongst a busy period of work I've not had the headspace to figure out what and where I'd like to move on to. I had (optimistically..!) thought that three weeks before moving I'd have it all figured out a bit more, but it's still up in the air, and I thought with something of an audience here, I would air my uncertainties and see what might come of it
everything's an open question - do I want a similar studio or something different? what work do I want to focus on? where do I want to be based? this is all for me to figure out in time, and for the moment the plan is to put my stuff into storage and not rush into anything. however, any studio or residency recommendations, collaboration proposals or general pointers would be most welcome! right now I'm most drawn to spending some time focussing on music, so I'm particularly looking for spaces that would be well suited for that
it will be strange to lose this space. It's been my workshop, animation & music studio, darkroom, film set, gallery and performance venue - a constantly rearranging (and often chaotic) playground. A real highlight has been the events we started hosting here last year - it feels like we tapped into something special, and while it'll be a shame not to be able to continue them here I'm sure we can find new venues (if you want to host us, reach out!)
if all goes to plan, I'll have the studio emptied in the last week of May and then we'll throw a proper party on the 30th (Friday). if you'd like to give a hand with that, or have an idea for a last minute event in the space, please do reach out! and if you've made it this far, thanks for reading my rambling and I hope to see you soon
Jon x
