Ever curious, EVER INQUISITIVE
During the Renaissance people gathered objects that they couldn’t identify and organized them in a room, which they called a Cabinet of Curiosity. It allowed them to marvel, from a single point, the unidentifiable wonders in the world, which were both very old and yet somehow felt new and exciting. Often, Cabinets had an alligator. The rooms were too small to fit the alligator in a convenient spot, so it always ended up on the ceiling.
Dramatists rightfully view the world as a stage, and all of us merely players. I can’t help but see the technological world as a Cabinet of Curiosities. Every day I step out in wonder, pointing at the marvelous innovations around us. My goodness, there’s an alligator on the ceiling!
nothing new under the sun
Every project can be boiled down to a single question. Those questions are rarely on the surface of an assignment. It takes work to find them. And more often than not, while crafting the project into an elegant experience, we are in essence searching for an answer to these questions, though we might not always be aware of this.
What I find beautiful is the idea that all of these questions have been asked before. And because the human condition has not changed, the best answers must be repeated. This means standing on the shoulders of the great thinkers who came before, elevating their work while at the same time reaching out to those in synchronous fields, working with and learning from them.
My work incorporates the latest technology, breaching the invisible lines between disciplines and aiming towards experiences that feel entirely new, while staying informed of the past and learning from it. There is nourishment in the history of experiments and achievements, why they worked or what caused their missteps. And this can fuel our steps for tomorrow.
timeline
For more than fifteen years I have worked in the creative services as a practitioner, entrepreneur, strategist and leader, continually rediscovering how the innovative use of technology in the design process can increase the creative potential of a team.
2016 - Present: Independent research and consulting in the evolution of design, technology and art seen through the lens of mixed reality (AR/VR/MR). Premiered the first mixed reality experience at Sundance, led an artist research residency in collaboration with Eyebeam NYC and created an immersive theatrical experience for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
2003 - 2016: Elevating the art of storytelling with Second Story. I went through three distinct career phases, most recently as Executive Technical Director. Established the integrated design and technology practice, creating a culture of curiosity, exploration and collaboration between design and tech which resulted in widely recognized, lasting and award winning projects.
2001 - 2003: Co-founder of Rubberduck. We built products that make designers and developers smile. Screenweaver transforms your Flash animation to a screensaver or desktop application. ShareAMP turns your music collection into a jukebox.
1998 - 2001: IT consultant with Devote working at ABN AMRO (London) and Heineken. I built and maintained knowledge management and collaboration systems.
I was born in The Netherlands, raised in Papua New Guinea, and went on to live and work in Utrecht, Amsterdam, London and Portland. This makes me bilingual (Dutch/English), gives me a global mindset, and also means I am a bit odd.
Get in touch
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/twester
Twitter: @westert