What we see is what we get – Rosalie Apituley

The world of energy is largely invisible. Artist and designer Rosalie Apituley (1998) questions why this is the case and explores how it could be different For example, last summer, Rosalie invited the people of the Netherlands to go ice skating on summer ice. At this temporary Summer Ice Rink, ice skating was only possible when there was an abundance of solar energy. The rink was cooled using electricity generated by solar panels on the roof of Amsterdam’s Olympic Stadium. In this way, she made visible the fact that, at certain moments, we actually generate more solar power than we can use.

How do these solar power surpluses work? What might a society look like that celebrates this abundance together? What does this mean for moments of scarcity?

In the post-fossil era, the sun and wind will be our most important renewable sources of energy. This means that at some moments we will have an abundance of electricity, while at others there will be very little. How can we learn to listen more closely to the rhythms of nature? This exhibition, What We See Is What We Get, at Nieuwe Vide, invites you to imagine this dynamic future.

About Rosalie Apituley

Artist and designer Rosalie Apituley focuses her work on societal issues, (energy) infrastructure, and the social and cultural dimensions of the energy transition. Operating at the intersection of critical and social design, she addresses and questions current events in ways that are often unexpected and humorous.

In 2022, Rosalie graduated cum laude from the Product Design program at ArtEZ University of the Arts in Arnhem with the project Uit de meterkast (Out of the Meter Cupboard). Through this project, she investigated how the energy infrastructure in our immediate surroundings shapes our understanding of energy. She developed various visualizations and working prototypes that not only question the existing energy system but also propose alternative ways of visualizing and approaching energy and energy systems: systems that, through their visual appearance and movement, engage more deeply with their environment and reveal that energy always comes at a cost to the world.

In 2024, Rosalie received a Talent Development Grant from the Creative Industries Fund NL, enabling her to research an energy system that aligns our energy culture more closely with seasonal rhythms. Supported by grid operator Alliander, this project titled It Giet Oan! was exhibited on several occasions, including at Dutch Design Week. Rosalie worked as an artist-in-residence at Alliander from 2023 to 2024.

Rosalie frequently appears as a keynote speaker and conducts workshops; she has also taught as a guest lecturer at ArtEZ University of the Arts and the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences.