TRA Collective

Nicolaas van de Lande 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘢 𝘎𝘰𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘥𝘦, 2025 from 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘚𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘺, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘚𝘰𝘧𝘵 APT Gallery, London On view Thu–Sun, 12–17h, until 1 Feb Photo: @mitsimoulson

𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘚𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘺, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘚𝘰𝘧𝘵, Nicolaas Van de Lande’s solo exhibition, is currently on view at APT Gallery. Open Thursday to Sunday, 12:00–17:00, until 1 February. Installation views. Photo credit: @mitsimoulson @nicolaasvictor @aptstudiosgallery

Nicolaas van de Lande 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘉𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭, 2026 from 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘚𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘺, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘚𝘰𝘧𝘵 APT Gallery, London On view Thu–Sun, 12–17h, until 1 Feb Photo: @mitsimoulson

As part of 'Not Scary, but Soft', a solo show by Nicolaas van de Lande @nicolaasvictor at A.P.T. Gallery, join us on Saturday 24th January at 3pm for 'Echoes of making sense', a short films screening curated by Lucía Scarselletta @soyluciasca . Featured artists: .Caleb Pinnel @calebpinnell .Ekaterina Zhingel @ezhingel .Laura Kazaroff @laurakazaroff .Martha Horn @marthahorn .Josh Philpott @_joshphilpott_ .Charlotte Young @officialcharlotteyoung and Eleanor Green @eleanorgracegreen @tracollective

As part of the exhibition ’Not Scary, but Soft‘ by Nicolaas Van de Lande (@nicolaasvictor ) , curated by TRA Collective (@tracollective ) at A.P.T. Gallery, Relish (@relish_curation ) is excited to present ‘Tangram Tasting’: a unique event led by Zijing Rie Ye (@rieproduce ) & Kaixiang Zhang (@z_kai_x ). Join us for an engaging and tasty afternoon of art, food and collective making. Event details Artists Zijing Rie Ye & Kaixiang Zhang reimagine Nicolaas van de Lande’s geometric compositions as a Tangram-inspired edible puzzle: seven finger-food pieces* on a wooden tray become your canvas. Arrange them into shapes (birds, mountains, or abstract compositions), taste freely No rules, just collective making where colours become ingredients, shapes become textures, and textures turn into connections. Fresh → layered → rich → lingering flavours are accompanied by ingredient cards (clues, not instructions) to spark conversation. Come hungry for play: build, unbuild, consume a temporary artwork that lives only as memory and taste. Saturday 31 January, 1 – 4pm @aptstudiosgallery Session 1: 1 – 2pm (10 people) Session 2: 3 – 4pm (10 people) Booking via Eventbrite - link in bio! *Vegan/gluten-free options. Tickets help us sustain the artists’ ongoing research and allow us to keep experimenting with food, play and design. This workshop is part of the exhibition ’Not Scary, but Soft‘ curated by TRA collective at A.P.T Gallery. The public programme is curated by Relish in collaboration with Rosalita Baldassin (@rosibaldassin ) . Photo credit @1ceas Card design @z_kai_x Nicolaas van de Lande: ‘Not Scary, but Soft’ Private View: Thursday 15th January 18:00 - 20:00 15th January - 1st February 2026 A.P.T. Gallery 6 Creekside, Harold Wharf Deptford London, SE8 4SA

Happy New Year! We’re pleased to begin 2026 with our first project of the year, 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘚𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘺, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘚𝘰𝘧𝘵, a solo exhibition by Nicolaas van de Lande @nicolaasvictor at A.P.T Gallery @aptstudiosgallery . Opening: Thursday 15 January, 18:00–20:00 A.P.T Gallery, London Exhibition dates: 15 January – 1 February 2026 In 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘚𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘺, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘚𝘰𝘧𝘵, Nicolaas van de Lande creates a world of softened edges, bright colours, flocked surfaces, and simplified symbols — a world shaped in the image of the first languages we trusted. It recalls a time when explanations were offered gently, often through touch before speech, and when an adult’s assurance — “Don’t worry, it’s not scary, it’s soft” — could turn uncertainty into something manageable, framing experience through care rather than logic. His forms resemble the pedagogical aesthetics of early childhood, those visual and tactile cues designed to reassure before they instruct. They point toward a mode of understanding in which meaning is not yet abstracted but still bound to touch, colour, and the promise of safety. Yet embedded in this softness is also a profound artificiality: a synthetic architecture that reveals how deeply we long for coherence even as we recognise the mechanisms that produce it. A series of three public programmes will extend these ideas into shared and sensory spaces. Details will be announced soon — stay tuned. Gallery opening hours: The exhibition will be open from 12:00–17:00 on the following dates: January 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 29, 30, 31, and February 1.

✨ That’s a wrap! ✨ undercurrent: ESEA Performance & Sound Art Festival has come to a beautiful close — and we couldn’t have done it without you. 💜 To our incredible artists who shared their voices and visions, our collaborators and partners who made this journey possible, and to our audience who showed up with so much energy and support — thank you. 🙏 This festival was about creating space for ESEA sound, performance, and community. Together, we made it happen. 🌊✨ Haedong Lee @haedonglee and Yidan Kim (olfactory artist @yidan_kim ) Florence To @florence.to / @t.y.r.y.x Li Li Ren @lili_ren_ and Xiao-Wan @jazzy_yi Shou-An Chiang @shouansonice Samantha Chang Ling Shan @samanthuuu Duong Thuy Nguyen @duonguyen.thuy Yang Liu @wudiliuyang001 Lum Tin Wing @lumtinwing (collaborating performers: Oriana Catton @oriana_catton_ Seung Sing Sou @seung.sing Millie Chen @millieeecccc Zhanlan Wang @_orangespy_ Betty C Fan @bettycfan He Yunchang @heyun.chang Photos by @bryancheunguson #undercurrentfestival #esea #soundart #performanceart #community

At dusk, the buzzing of a factory wanes with lights. The factory’s spirit floats into the room sleeps amongst evocation relics of spoons and mosquito nets. A man’s snoring slowly transforms into the humming of machines. Hu Huanzhe (b. 2000, Shandong, China) is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice traverses sound installations, video works, and mixed-media sculptures. Hu consistently explores the potential communication between humans and non-humans, attempting to use technology as a medium to connect with the imagination of a post-anthropocentric world. Her works often stem from a simple desire to give form to the intangible or the ineffable. A drop of seed fatefully fell into the crack of a building. Rain nourished its burgeon that extended the crevice’s rupture. As a result, the facility was abandoned due to its failure to pass the quality assurance arranged by regulators, displacing future occupants. When the essence of modern facilities is imbued with artificiality and functionality, its dysfunction prompts its ontological opposites - the return of natural spirituality. 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘔𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 uses unfinished buildings and installations consisting of deserted artifacts as a poetic attempt to explore the fade and ascent of spirituality in the modern era. Where does the factory‘s spirit rest at night? Could a seed change the trajectory of humans? Or perhaps the sound of an old but bees-drawing hive can resonate with the hum of a broken radio? Hu Huanzhe, 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘔𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 - 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘮, mosquito net, spoon, cotton thread, dimensions variable, 2020 Installation views, 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐑𝐞𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞, 1st -10th August 2025, Anhui Province, China Photos: Zhang Huaning @kanei040417 Courtesy of the artist @huanzhe_

Xinyi Qin (b. 2001, Shenzhen, China) @xinyii.qin explores the entangled relationship between the individual, identity, and social mobility. Blending abstraction with figuration, her works evoke a sense of organic proliferation, layering translucent veils of paint to create dreamlike yet palpable worlds that draw viewers into her inner emotional landscape. This series responds to the pervasive sense of uncertainty experienced by individuals amid shifting identities and the restructuring of social systems. Inspired by the resilience of plants that adapt and thrive in changing environments, Qin translates this metaphor into a psychological state of continual adjustment, struggle, and rooting within society. Working in deep tonalities and transparent layers, she poses a quiet yet urgent question: How does one sustain a sense of presence amid turbulence? Seen from a non-anthropocentric perspective, the works propose a way of being that resists definition, mirroring the efforts and contradictions of a younger generation seeking spiritual grounding in a rapidly transforming world. 𝘞𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘛𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘐, oil on canvas, 122 × 152 cm, 2024 𝘞𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘛𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘐𝘐, oil on canvas, 91 × 122 cm, 2024 𝘈𝘯 𝘌𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘓𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘺, oil on canvas, 40 × 40 cm, 2024 Installation views, 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐑𝐞𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞, 1st -10th August 2025, Anhui Province, China Photos: Zhang Huaning @kanei040417 Courtesy of the artist @xinyii.qin and Corridor Foundation @corridor_foundation

Zishan Hua (b. 1997, Shenyang, China) @kkyahuaa is a London-based textile designer whose practice centers on weaving and material exploration. With a deep sensitivity to the inherent qualities of the materials she uses, Hua’s creative process is rooted in tactile engagement and intimate craftsmanship. She often works from the ground up—spinning her own yarns, for example—believing that a return to origin is essential for understanding material complexity. Early in her career, she initiated a series of research-based projects involving silk, cotton, bamboo, paper, and clay, experiences that enriched both her technical skills and sensory understanding. Her approach consistently reveals a dedication to process, patience, and the nuanced interplay between tradition and experimentation. Hua’s recent works reflect a conceptual engagement with rhythm, control, and the fluid dynamics of nature. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘍𝘪𝘴𝘩 (2021), made with plant-dyed raw silk, draws on the visual and tactile qualities of betta fish tails, translating their semi-fluid, semi-structured forms into textile. The piece critiques humanity’s obsessive need to possess, using silk as a symbolic substitute for living creatures confined within tanks. In 𝘙𝘩𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘖𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 (2023), Hua turns to translucent materials such as raw silk and recycled nylon monofilament, seeking to move beyond surface pattern and introduce dimensionality into weaving. Influenced by E.H. Gombrich’s “The Sense of Order,” the work investigates tensions between repetition and asymmetry, stability and disruption—ultimately striving for a visual language where materiality and rhythm coalesce into layered, contemplative compositions. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘍𝘪𝘴𝘩, plant-dyed raw silk, 50 × 30 cm, 2021 𝘙𝘩𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘖𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳, raw silk and recycled nylon yarn, 2023 Installation views, 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐑𝐞𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞, 1st -10th August 2025, Anhui Province, China Photos: Zhang Huaning @kanei040417 Courtesy of the artist @kkyahuaa

We’re thrilled to welcome Saodor Ensemble (@saodorensemble ), supported by the Ministry of Culture Indonesia funding (Dana Indonesiana) @kemenkebud @fadlizon , to this year’s undercurrent Festival! Their work expands the festival’s sonic and performative horizons with a powerful piece: 𝘓𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘯. 𝘓𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘯’s work is inspired by the Andung tradition, a death ritual of the Toba Batak tribe in North Sumatra, Indonesia, where grief is expressed through the chanting of a poem. 𝘓𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘯 transforms these ancestral lamentations into a striking new chamber format — blending voice, Bataknese sulim (bamboo flute), Taganing (North Sumatra Drums), prepared piano, and live electronic processing. Tradition and technology meet in a circular, immersive performance that invites us to reflect on grief, loss, spirituality, and collective memory. Founded in 2022, Saodor Ensemble is a contemporary Indonesian music collective dedicated to reimagining ancestral music heritage through experimental performance practices. The ensemble focuses on the musical traditions of Batak Toba—an Indigenous culture from North Sumatra whose soundscapes remain vastly underrepresented in the global art scene. By integrating oral lamentation, spiritual ritual, and traditional instrumentation with contemporary technologies and composition, they cultivate a bold, evolving neo-traditional practice. Upcoming at undercurrent ESEA Performance and Sound Art Festival 🗓️13 September 2025 📍Copeland Gallery, London @copelandparkse Saodor Ensemble, 𝘓𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘯, live performance, 2025 🎟️ Tickets via link in bio Courtesy of Saodor Ensemble @saodorensemble

Hana Mitsui 光井 花 (b. 1990, Connecticut, USA) @hana.mitsui is a textile designer whose practice bridges tradition and innovation. She completed her MA at the Royal College of Art, London, in 2014, where her fabric was selected by Alexander McQueen for the 2015 Spring/Summer collection. After returning to Japan, she spent seven years at ISSEY MIYAKE working on textile and bag designs before founding Hana Textile Design Studio in Tokyo in 2023. Alongside the studio, she established Hana Material Design Laboratory, Inc. to experiment with material potentials and transform ideas into tangible designs. Currently, Mitsui also teaches as a visiting lecturer at Tama Art University’s Textile Design Department, while creating works for garments, interiors, and architecture. Since 2022, Mitsui has been collaborating with SHIMOGAWA, a master artisan of Kurume Kasuri (ikat) weaving in Fukuoka, Japan. Drawn to the deep history of this craft, she embraces its natural blur and misalignment, treating them not as flaws but as a language of rhythm, softness, and movement. In the KURUME IKAT Collection, shifting threads dissolve into optical illusions, plant forms melt into shadows, and dots and checks waver like images just out of focus. Each textile becomes an exploration of how imperfection can hold beauty, and how an ancient technique can speak with a contemporary voice. 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘳 𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘳, 2024 38cm x 10m 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘔𝘰𝘪𝘳é, 2024 38cm x 10m 𝘉𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸, 2025 38cm x 10m 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘳 𝘋𝘰𝘵𝘴, 2025 38cm x 10m Installation views, 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐑𝐞𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞, 1st -10th August 2025, Anhui Province, China Photos: Zhang Huaning @kanei040417 Courtesy of the artist @hana.mitsui