De School 2023
In an age of constant distraction, art and culture are more vital than ever. Engaging with cultural experiences — whether by observing or participating — creates space for reflection and new perspectives. On Thursday, October 19th, 2023, Minimal Collective presented Post-Hypnotism at De School, an interdisciplinary day-to-night programme exploring the power of intention at the crossroads of sound, art, and technology.
A historical backdrop
Housed in a former technical school, De School opened in 2016 and quickly became one of the Netherlands' most influential cultural venues, blending contemporary music culture with art and community. With a nightclub, gallery, artist residency, café, and even a gym, it seamlessly bridged day and night in a forward-thinking way. Its closure in February 2024 marked the end of an era in Amsterdam’s cultural landscape. Post-Hypnotism was one of its final events, drawing over 3,000 attendees and reaching 200,000 online. The event honoured De School’s legacy of experimentation and marked a milestone in Minimal Collective’s pursuit of multidisciplinary artistic research.
Shaped by intention
Inspired by German-Korean philosopher Byung-Chul Han’s The Disappearance of Rituals, the project emerged as a curated digital-to-physical journey of introspection and interaction. Responding to Han’s critique of hyper-communication and the erosion of communal bonds, it offered a deliberate pause, aiming to revive ritual through shared experiences of art and music.
Guided by context
In the lead-up to the event, journalistic research was distilled into two long-form editorials – The art of deep listening and Spaces of experimentation – offering audiences context and intent, and deepening their connection to the themes explored and the architectural-historical setting. What does it mean to listen with intention? How does the historical character of a space shape our perception of sound and art? Just a few of the questions explored in an open dialogue between artists, researchers, and the curatorial team.
Deep-listening experience
On the day itself, a panel series opened the program with a future-oriented vision, exploring the role of artificial intelligence in the creative industry and sparking discussions on technology’s impact on art, culture, and ethics. After this communal introduction, the former auditorium of De School, the Aula, transformed into an introspective listening space in collaboration with Kantarion Sound, featuring a custom-built sound system and minimalistic laser performance designed to elevate deep auditory immersion. These sessions provided an opportunity for meditative engagement with sound, guided by experimental live acts and ethereal soundscapes by Ario, Polygonia (Live), & Timnah.
A fusion of artistic disciplines
Throughout the venue, every space was interwoven with sensory layers—sound, art, and light installations—creating an atmosphere that guided visitors into a collective state of transcendence from day to night. Central to this environment was Post-Hypnotism’s integration with Tijdsduur, an audiovisual exhibition by multidisciplinary artist Boris Acket.
Exploring the perception of time through light, sound, and spatial interventions, Acket’s work provided a conceptual backdrop for the event. Existing pieces like EINDER / Wind and Duree filled the Aula and Hallway, while the Kunstlokaal and Cinema hosted new installations born from collaborative research. These included Sunbeam, created with collective member and sound composer Spekki Webu, and Acket’s solo piece, Dioptrique. In addition, new works by AV duo Shoal & Orah and Finnish artist Matti Vilho, Terugblik and Signal Transmutations, were presented as installations. Together, these pieces created an ecosystem where the boundaries between club, exhibition, and communal gathering dissolved.
As night fell, the experience transitioned into a club programme, featuring an international lineup of artists such as A Strange Wedding (Live), Anthony Linell, and Woody92 that aligned with the event's theme.
A week later, the finissage took place with a guided tour through the empty halls — offering visitors a moment to pause, reflect, and engage with the installations in stillness. To mark the end of TIJDSDUUR, Loek Frey and Harald Uunk gave their debut live performance in dialogue with Boris Acket’s EINDER / Wind installation.
Beyond nightlife
As one of the first and final large-scale multidisciplinary events at De School before its closure, Post-Hypnotism encapsulated the venue’s legacy, pushing the boundaries of both music culture and visual arts while fostering meaningful artistic exploration. It provided a space for reflection, connection, and the revival of shared experiences through intention.
As Byung-Chul Han writes, “The experience of the collective is the foundation of the symbolic act; it is what brings us together, not what separates us.” This idea was central to the event, where shared artistic exploration and collective engagement created a space for connection and reflection.
With gratitude to Amsterdam’s Fonds voor de Kunst for their support in making this project possible.
