e.i.i.i. is an Amsterdam-based collective that publishes a multi-media internet zine twice a year and consists of Merel de Beer (writer, painter) and Winke Wiegersma (researcher, coder). In their writing, e.i.i.i. looks for the quirky, the unexpected, the interdisciplinary.
What does a journey mean to you?
A journey can take many forms and shapes. It can take us to the other side of the world, to new lands and cultures. Or it can take us on a trip inside, deep down our own well. A good journey does both; by putting distance between ourselves and the stagnant day-to-day, we allow for some fresh winds to blow through the old echo chamber that is our brain, offering new perspectives, which are valuable even when the day-to-day continues right after the journey ends.
In the case of e.i.i.i., we present work by makers, thinkers and tinkerers from all over the world. Traveling through their work is a fun journey in itself.
Which country or location most inspires you?
New York, indefinitely. The art, the streets, the subway, the smells, the everything. New York sweeps one up in a current that is unmatched!
Where would you go back to and why?
The Internet, c. 1990. Alternatively, to the most southern tip of the Netherlands (for Winke) because of the hills (it’s the only place where we have real hills!) and Scotland (for Merel), because of the rugged beauty, the way the sunlight falls onto the glens, and the cozy pubs of Edinburgh.
Top insider tip for Amsterdam?
Not a tourist highlight at all but a lovely neighborhood for a quiet stroll is De Kadijken. It’s a small pocket of Amsterdam where historically many of the shipyards were located. As such it’s made up mostly of old warehouses and storage buildings that have been redeveloped as housing. It’s a quiet neighborhood, very green and flanked by water on all sides. A good swimming spot on hot summer days! There’s a few nice cafes and bars scattered along Entrepotdok, and at the far end of that same street is one of our top ten restaurants, Entrepot.
What journey would you most like to go on?
A journey to the multiverse?
