DRIFT is unlike any other collective of artists. With 65 multidisciplinary members, DRIFT works within a “dialogue of opposing worlds” to reestablish our intrinsic connection to earth. Instead of perceiving man-made technology as a distancing force from the natural environment, DRIFT understands that it can be employed to actually bring people closer to nature.
Working across experiential sculptures, installations and performances, DRIFT’s artworks manifest the phenomena and hidden properties of nature through a magnificent and intoxicatingly beautiful use of technology. “Technology is the inevitable evolution of our problem solving minds,” Ralph Nauta tells us. “Now, technology should be even more related to the processes of nature that endlessly fascinate.” Illuminating parallels between man-made and natural structures through deconstructive, interactive, and innovative processes, DRIFT presents fundamental questions surrounding life in hopes of imagining a more positive future.
Back in 2022, SLEEK sat down with Ralph Nauta – co-founder of DRIFT – about how the wonders of the world have found its way into their work. Since then, a lot’s changed. “It’s been a crazy few years,” Ralph tells me, “Since 2022, we’ve been quietly and consistently working away on the biggest project we could’ve ever dreamed for our studio.”
The project Ralph refers to is the DRIFT Museum, opening in January 2025. Housed within an 18th century listed building – which the team have been renovating and restoring –, the museum will see new large-scale installations. It’s an idea that’s been bubbling away for almost a decade, much before immersive museums became something of the norm. “It’s been the most crazy, inspiring and collaborative project,” he shares, “we have learnt more than I ever thought possible. Seeing our work come to life is important, but what truly matters is having an impact on the people who engage with it. Without that interaction, we might as well be doing something else entirely.”
The foundations of DRIFT lie in the desire to stimulate thought processes, encouraging people to question what’s in front of them but also what’s around them in the world. “It’s about inspiring individuals to believe that anything is achievable,” Ralph explains. “It’s about revisiting our childhood curiosity and building on it, playing with the world around you, and creating your own reality rather than conforming to an existing one.”
And this ethos extends to the museum too. “We’ve never allowed ourselves to be restricted by institutions or curators trying to pigeonhole us because that’s their job. You should always create your own ideas,” – and we agree. “The concept of the DRIFT Museum stems from this idea — pushing institutions to showcase our vision, even if some are receptive, while others impose restrictions like specific lighting or music. We want to display our art to the world as we see it; these creations are our brainchildren, our thoughts.”
DRIFT EGO. Photo By Marco Borggreve.
DRIFT’s relationship to nature in this creative capacity is something I find incredibly fascinating. “We have lost our sense of belonging through technology making our lives unhealthily comfortable. With self-developed technologies, we try to capture the essence of these natural frequencies through movement and light triggers creating AI-based (machine learning to be more precise) algorithms,” Ralph explains. “When we succeed, these frequencies remind us of what we miss in our daily lives roaming through our bleak concrete jungles. This motivates us to work harder as we are just building what we long for most.”
It’s blending these seemingly opposite worlds of nature and technology that makes DRIFT so brilliant. In their works, we’re able to understand that perhaps these worlds aren’t so different. “After many debates and explorations, Lonneke and I realised that these worlds are so in alignment with each other,” Ralph shares. “We are fascinated by the relationship between the two, and always looking how we can further establish this harmony.”
“We love to walk through our natural world and discover frequencies that resonate with our longing to connect to those surroundings. We are seeking nature’s language to tell us how to become part of everything the natural world has to offer. We have lost our sense of belonging through technology making our lives unhealthily comfortable. And when you start listening, you will hear Nature shout as loud as it can to reconnect us to it,” he explains.
An example is Coded Nature, a digital work run by codes that are akin to those you might find in the natural world. “In the end it’s our shared visions and knowledge coming together in an ongoing dialogue to find these interesting patterns and movements from both sides of this spectrum. This approach contrasts with the polarisation we see in society today, where we believe in finding common ground and learning from diverse perspectives.”
From 11 April until 12 May, DRIFT will be exhibiting at Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich, on the occasion of Amex Art ON – as part of an inspiring event series, created by American Express to enable art lovers to experience the spectacular combination of art and technology and to raise accessibility to inspiring art and culture. The Shylight installation, specially developed by DRIFT for the Pinakothek der Moderne, consists of nine modules in two different sizes, which are affixed to the ceiling of the rotunda and whose choreography is controlled by industrial motors. Shylight is inspired by the way certain flowers close at night in an evolutionary attempt to protect themselves from external factors. DRIFT’s fascinating interpretation made from silk mirrors the same movements of the flowers, resulting in a breathing sculpture that looks almost alive.
While this piece is made from silk, other works are made from entirely different materials. In fact, the artists always use different materials for different artworks – which mean sometimes making their own. “Whilst it’s never solely about the material perspective, we do have a passion for exploring the materials that shape the world. They have a significant, profound impact on society. For instance, when concrete emerged as a material back in the day, we suddenly had the ability to construct towering skyscrapers in collaboration with steel, which allowed for the creation of diverse architectural forms. For us, it’s all about the freedom that certain materials offer us to craft the sculptures or forms that pique our interest.”
“With self-developed technologies, we try to capture the essence of these natural frequencies through movement and light triggers creating AI-based (machine learning to be more precise) algorithms. When we succeed, these frequencies remind us of what we miss in our daily lives roaming through our bleak concrete jungles. This motivates us to work harder as we are just building what we long for most.”
Showcasing inside Munich’s Pinakothek der Moderne, the Amex Art ON initiative is bridging together innovative art and design collaborations. For DRIFT, it’s an exciting and creatively stimulating space to be hosted in. “Pinakothek der Moderne is one of the world’s leading museums and we are very excited to be exhibiting there, sharing our work and message with new audiences in Munich,” he explains. “As artists, we are eternally inspired by architecture and are always seeking spaces which will create dialogue with our artworks. The architectural dome of the light-filled rotunda at Pinakothek der Moderne is therefore the perfect location for our ethereal sculpture Shylight. The stern lines of the rotunda will actually be in harmony with the soft silk and movements of Shylight.”
Such inspirations as beautifully simple as this can provoke incredible emotional responses. “Ideally, when someone encounters one of our artworks, they will have a transformed mindset, and this is what drives us as artists. It’s akin to the feeling of visiting the ocean, the beach, or the mountains – an attempt to alter one’s state of mind. It’s during these moments that individuals can contemplate what truly matters in life. These precious moments are why many seek to escape city life and reconnect with nature to rediscover their values and align with themselves. It’s something we often forget, even after brief escapes into nature.”
So when is an artwork, one that deals with the ever evolving state of nature, complete?
“Being connected to your environment is crucial because it shields you from the influence of marketing and those who see you as a mere source of profit. Protecting oneself from such influences is only possible when one is in the right conscious state. Our hope is to contribute to this shift, particularly for those who cannot travel extensively or experience natural settings. We aspire to provide everyone with the opportunity to encounter magic in the same way that I have had the privilege to experience it. Only when we are content that this will be the effect of an artwork on audiences, do we think it’s complete and breathe a sigh of content.”
See DRIFT’s Shylight at Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich, enabled by American Express, from 11 April until 12 May. American Express is providing a limited number of free tickets for the Amex Art ON private preview of the exhibition on 10 April 2024 here.
In addition, American Express is offering free admission to the Pinakothek der Moderne for the first 500 visitors on all five Saturdays during the exhibition period to create an art experience that is free of costs accessible to all. Get yours here.