Xandra van der Eijk is an artist and researcher whose work investigates how living and lively matter moves within planetary systems. Deeply informed by material flows that defy containment or control, long-term research projects have focussed on the ever shifting and networked ecologies of fluid environments.

Central to their methodology is the concept of Materiality of Place—a term devised to describe how site-specific actors embody ecological, cultural, and political worlds and how these can be uncovered by engaging in artistic fieldwork, material experimentation and technological mediation.

With their roots in the Dutch river delta, Xandra traces local watery dynamics to reveal the complexity and instability of these heavily industrialised and overexploited shared environments. Manifesting as image, sound and bioart installations, material mappings, texts or co-creation labs, the artistic productions flowing out of their research centralise questions around representation and accountability of the untraceable, unnoticed and uncontainable consequences of capitalism at a material level. At its core, Xandra’s artistic practice is a mode of literacy production—one that embraces uncertainty, complexity, and transversal relations.

As the founder of Ecology Futures at the Master Institute of Visual Cultures (Avans University of Applied Sciences), Xandra has played a pivotal role in shaping ecological art education in the Netherlands. The program integrates decolonial thinking, artistic-scientific methodologies and biotechnological approaches, fostering new ways of generating knowledge through practice-led inquiry. Their research was further embedded in the Biobased Art & Design Research Group (CARADT), centralising the professional Material Incubator Lab in art education and establishing a student-centered Project Space, where it was examined how emergent biomaterials and bio-artistic processes contribute to broader ecological narratives.

Their work has been award-winning and exhibited internationally, including at the Biennale of Sydney, ZKM Centre for Art and Media Karlsruhe, and MUDAC Lausanne. Xandra maintains longstanding collaborations with institutions such as MU Hybrid Art House, the Bio Art & Design Award, the Embassy of the North Sea, and FIBER. When not at work, Xandra practices earth stewardship and multispecies co-habitation over a 240m plot of land.

Exhibitions

2025
Embassy of the North Sea, University of Utrecht, NL
2024
Mu Hybrid Arthouse, NL
Schemerlicht Festival, NL
Zone2Source,NL
2023
Kikk Festival, BE
Mudac, CH
2021
CID Grand Hornu, BE
Werkwarenhuis, NL
Dutch Pavilion, AE
Museum of Applied Arts, AT
Nieuw Dakota, NL
2020
MU Artspace
Transnatural, NL
Embassy of the North Sea, NL
Channeling Change by Ventura Projects
Milan Design Week / Virtual Design Festival
2019
Holon Design Museum, IL
CID Grand Hornu, BE
MU Artspace, NL
Vitra Design Museum, DE
Milan Design Week, IT
Collectible Brussels, BE
2018
KIKK Festival, BE
Dutch Invertuals, NL
Dutch Invertuals, NL
Crafts Council, NL
Dutch Design Week, NL
Cube Design Museum, NL
Ferrotopia, NL
Science Gallery, IR
Dutch Invertuals, IT
Artefact at STUK, BE
2017
MU Artspace, NL
Dutch Invertuals X Kazerne, NL
Dutch Invertuals, NL
Gallery Kunstliefde, NL
Dutch Invertuals X Londen Design Week, EN
Het Nieuwe Instituut
University Museum Utrecht, NL
Harvest
Musée des Arts Décoratifs, FR
Dutch Invertuals, IT
2016
MU Artspace, NL
2015
Colors Of The Oosterschelde
Dutch Design Week, NL
2012
Meta.Morf Biennale, NO
Gaudeamus Muziekfestival
Vredenburg Leeuwenberg, NL
DordtYart, NL

Awards

2023
Gemeente Utrecht – Commission 'Seijpesteijn Tunnel'
Winner
2020
Finalist
International Award – UK Department of Economics
Ph.D. Scholarship
2011
STRP Talent Award 2011
Honorable mention
2008
Paul Schuitema Award
Winner

Talks

2024
Rewilding Doggerbank
Embassy of the North Sea, Stichting Doggerbank, ARK Rewilding, NL
Radboud Reflects
Between No Longer And Not Yet: Symposium
Zone2Source, NL
Utrecht University, NL
Utrecht University, NL
Between No Longer And Not Yet: Opening talk
Zone2Source, NL
2020
Sensing Place – Hybrid Conference
FIBER Festival, NL
FIBER
DEZEEN Virtual Design Festival
STRP Scenario #5
MU Artspace
Distortion Series Technology & Nature
HEAD Geneve, CH
2019
Living In The Hypernatural Epoch
OCT Art & Design Gallery, CL
IMPACT! Nature Expert Talk
Cube Design Museum, NL
Forest Talk
Triennale Milano, IT
Bio Design Night
Blue City Lab, NL
Design Matters: Design Uit Het Lab
Pakhuis de Zwijger, NL
Material District
Broeinest Eindhoven, NL
2018
KIKK Conference
KIKK festival, BE
Freak Of Nature
Dutch Invertuals X FranklinTill
2017
EKSIG Conference
Het Nieuwe Instituut, NL
D'Days Design Battle
Gaîté Lyrique, FR
BioTalk: Hunters & Gatherers
Mediamatic, NL
2012
A Matter Of Feeling
Meta.Morf Biennale, NO
2011
On Geometry And Speculation
Marrakech Biennale, MA