Daphne Depassé (1973), born in the Netherlands and based in Amsterdam, dedicated to projects on identity, inclusion, and equality. Exploring the ability to shift perceptions through meaningful art.
Grewing up in a family of artists, she chose a different path. With a background in science and extensive experience in innovation, knowledge management, and design, she has authored five Dutch books and created two innovative thinking methods, Plan B and Factor K*.
In 2020, Daphne’s career took a creative turn towards art.
Using her voice as her primary creative instrument – due to the physical challenges posed by multiple sclerosis, she created podcast series, audio columns, and recorded spoken word pieces, along with delivering visual keynotes through digital audio-visual storytelling, all on commission*.
She also wrote her fifth Dutch book, BAM!, by using her voice.
Simultaneously, alongside ongoing design and research projects, she continued creating visual artwork.
One handed, mostly digital painting. (Read this blog ‘Why I Create Digital‘.)
On commission. For business, government and the health sector. Or for her eyes only.
In 2024, Daphne made the decision to publicly showcase her artwork.
Within months, her pieces were exhibited in locations including New York, London, Rome, and Amsterdam. (Here is an overview of the galleries concerned, for what it’s worth.) This gave her the confidence to continue doing what she loves most: making art.
Some of her works can be purchased here at Saatchi Art.
THEMES
Characteristic of her work is the interplay between carefully crafted in-depth articles (created through voice) and visual expression. Throughout the creative process, her written words are transformed into visible creations, or the meaning of visually created representations is articulated through words. They exist in context: art with meaning.
Central to Daphne’s work are themes of identity, inclusion, and shifting perspectives, driven by her living with multiple sclerosis. The meaning is paramount in her work, creating art with a message.
Through her art, Daphne aims to encourage shifts in perspective, self-reflection, and insight.
Moving from an underlying deep-rooted motivation, on which she gave a Ted talk in 2013 entitled: “Unscrew the system, in a blissful way“
[Image: self-portrait ‘Included2’]
STYLE
Daphne’s work encompasses various styles. Her aim is to embody the enrichment and liberation of expressing yourself without limitations and constraints, advocating for artistic freedom, experiment, diverse expression and reflection. Each message’s meaning revealed in a unique and fitting artistic expression. Every message carries its own style. Read her statement: No Boxes.
TECHNIQUE | MEDIUM
In her work, Daphne uses her writings and utilizes a variety of techniques and methods, including digital painting, drawing, audio, video, and photography. She is working on shaping the interplay between carefully crafted in-depth articles (created through voice) and visual expression in innovative ways.
Daphne also explored the intersection of AI and art, delving into the symbiotic relationship between human creativity and technology. She navigated ethical and moral boundaries while focusing on perception and the interplay between illusion and reality. Here’s her vision on the ongoing discussion on art and AI. In her works, it is always clear whether AI has been used. She even employs a distinct signature, “Daphne & Artificial Friends,” for such pieces.
While her work has primarily been digital and 2D so far, she is going to explore 3D to blur the lines between the two-dimensional and three-dimensional. With the aid of technology, it might be possible within her physical abilities to create sculptures, following in the footsteps of her late father, Jef Depassé, a Dutch sculptor.
*More on this work can be found the Dutch website: depasse.nl.