Monumentalista - Jizō World
About us
As a graduate product designer from the Design Academy Eindhoven and a lecturer at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam, I made the decision in 2014 to establish a design agency for funerary design: Monumentalista.
Due to my affinity with difficult subjects such as loss, death, grief, and illness, I design products that help bear suffering. Heavy subjects, but with a lighthearted approach.
- Designs that touch the soul -
Jizō World
The project I am presenting here at the VTU is my Jizō World collection. Under the name Jizō World, I am introducing the Japanese Jizō memorial tradition to Europe through a collection of comforting products. Jizō is the Japanese protector of deceased babies, miscarriages, and abortions. In our culture, there is no mourning tradition focused on silent grief. I designed a collection of Jizō products tailored to the needs of Western European parents. Jizō World is growing and is more than a collection: it is a form of aftercare for grieving parents. I also design Jizō memorial sites for public spaces.
My company: Monumentalista.
As a product designer, I create and develop my products in my own studio, often in cooperation with specialized artisans and local producers. Because the senses play an important role in my work, I pay close attention to material selection and quality. My products must feel good and last a long time. I work with a wide range of materials, such as concrete, bronze, stone, and textiles.
I design monuments, memorial products, and artworks for public institutions such as cemeteries, businesses, and hospitals.
Over the past ten years, I have developed various products that have since become almost classics. These memorial and encouragement products are widely used as gifts of comfort and for rituals by private individuals, institutions, and companies, on both small and large scales.
My company is registered as a Recognized Training Company for MBO students.
In 2021, I won the Dutch Funeral Award.