The quintessential Caribbean island, Aruba, is all sun and sea and expansive, powdery, white sand beaches. Time slows down here to a languid pace as you linger over tropical cocktails or leisurely float in the water, while the crashing waves of turquoise water create a soothing soundtrack. Only the parrotfish are in a hurry. The colourful facades of the Aruban houses enhance the playful atmosphere. Experience what it is like to speed through and destroy the dunes on a quad and feel the delicious salt on your skin and the wind in your hair.

In my practice I use humor and absurdism to tackle major themes in a light-hearted way, give meaning to the daily routine, and to offer people a different perspective in an innocent way. Raised on Aruba, I have experienced firsthand the positive and negative impacts of tourism from an early age. Since graduating, I have been playing with the idea of an existing “paradise on earth”, a place of happiness. I dive into themes such as tourism and its capitalist properties, the high performance culture, identity and the hypocrisy of people, such as with regard to animal welfare. While confronting these issues, I also show how enchanting this alienating and absurd world is. I express this in interactive installations, paintings, film, performances and sculptures.