IN CONVERSATION WITH STUDIO DRIFT
interview by AÏCHA PILMEYER
LONNEKE GORDIJN and RALPH NAUTA, the artist duo behind DRIFT, are not afraid of friction. They embrace it. Their creative process is built on challenging each other and questioning everything, until there’s nothing left to ask.
They believe the world needs more of this dynamic today: the courage to keep the conversation going, to seek common ground and to recognise that both extremes often hold knowledge. Because somewhere in the middle, where the past and future meet, harmony lives.
Drift doesn’t just make art. They build experiences that open hearts, shift mindsets, and quietly ask us to rethink how we relate to each other, our environment and what moves us. With its deep connection to Amsterdam, the upcoming opening of Drift Museum promises to transform not only the city but also change the way we experience art and ourselves.
AÏCHA PILMEYER
What inspired you to start Drift, and how has your way of working together evolved?
LONNEKE GORDIJN
Drift started organically, driven by a shared curiosity. We grew into it, and along the way, we discovered who we are together and as individuals. At some point, we thought, “We need a name.” We wanted something simple and international. Drift felt right. It didn’t carry a deep meaning at first, but over time it revealed itself. What makes Drift work is the balance between our perspectives.
RALPH NAUTA
We pushed each other further from the beginning; that’s what you need in life.
LG
I work from intuition, starting with a feeling, while Ralph pictures everything clearly in his mind. He was obsessed with science fiction and showed me how it builds narratives about the future, imagining what could be. I helped him see nature differently, not just as scenery but as structure.
We’re constantly bouncing ideas off one another, which isn’t always easy. We’ve had to learn when to challenge each other and when to pause. That process has become our testing mechanism. When everything aligns and neither of us has any more questions, that’s when we know it’s right.
Lonneke wears:
jewelry CARTIER
dress LOEWE
shoes MOSCHINO
Ralph wears:
jewelry CARTIER
socks VALENTINO
shoes MAISON MARGIELA
shirt, cardigan, shorts and belt MOSCHINO
AP
Where do your ideas usually begin? And how do you unlock your creativity in the process?
LG
Creativity comes from everything around us: conversations, problems and daily life. Some ideas click instantly, while others take months or years to take shape. We’re always working on many things at once and have countless ideas simmering in the background. You have to let time test them. What seems brilliant one week can feel ridiculous the next. That’s why patience is essential. If an idea still feels right after all that time, we know it’s a timeless, universal thought.
RN
It’s also about returning to yourself and your childhood. Before society tells you what to be, you follow your instincts. When I was a kid, I was obsessed with how things worked: cars, engines and science fiction. It’s all still there. It’s how I think. If you ignore that, you lose something essential. That curiosity, that instinct, is your core.
LG
Our work comes from that longing. From the need to feel connected again, which often traces back to our earliest memories. Today, people are told their identity is something they must build or become. But actually —
RN
— you already are. Think about what gave you goosebumps? What do you relate to? That’s the path. You need to dream and find your people in life. Get out of your head, away from the digital noise. Walk in the mountains, go skating. Slam the concrete, break your leg. Be part of the world. Feel alive! Go to your maximum and see what’s there.
That’s where our work comes from. It’s not inspired by trends but the need to express something profound within us. From there, our immersive art emerged. We built it from scratch. It's who we are, it's our identity. Take what moved you as a kid and let it guide the way you create today.
AP
Your journey with Amsterdam deepened in many ways with your exhibition at the STEDELIJK MUSEUM. How did that moment shape your connection to the city and influence the direction Drift has taken since?
LG
The Stedelijk exhibition was a turning point for us. It opened so many doors and gave us a stronger foundation. When a time slot unexpectedly became available, we immediately claimed the opportunity and brought the show together in just two months. They offered us one or two rooms. I said, “We can fill fifteen.” And so, we did.
Because it was in our hometown, Amsterdam, we could move quickly and work flexibly. We practically lived in the museum for those months. The experience changed our perspective on ourselves and deepened our understanding of how we want to connect with people. It was the first time our entire body of work came together in one space, in dialogue with itself.
RN
This was when people started to see the connection between our thinking and the story we’re trying to tell.
LG
That’s when we realised: this is why we’re artists. We need to have an audience and express what we want to say, not in fragments but as a whole. We could share it with our friends and family in Amsterdam for the first time. After years of working all over the world, everything came together here, and that made it feel real.
AP
Why did you decide it was time to build your own museum?
LG
After the Stedelijk exhibition, we were invited to do solo shows abroad. But showing just a few pieces never delivered the full experience. Then Covid hit, and we found ourselves repeating the same cycle repeatedly: packing, shipping, installing. It was exhausting, expensive and unsustainable.
We asked ourselves, “What do we need right here?” The answer was clear: we need art in Amsterdam. There’s so much creative energy here; we want to support and be part of it. Our work is about connecting people to their environment, and that starts at home.
Traditional museums often lack the necessary infrastructure, technical setup, or even the right spaces to show these installations. So, it’s about creating a space where our work can truly live.
RN
The art world just isn’t built for what we do. It’s labelled contemporary, but it moves incredibly slowly. Our pieces have plugs: they need power, maintenance and daily operation. It’s not like owning a bronze sculpture you can keep in storage for centuries. You need spare parts. You need expertise. Every significant art movement uses the most advanced tools of its time. Think of Rembrandt inventing the blackest paint for his shadows or Vincent van Gogh creating a new visual language. That’s exactly what we’re doing, and often we build those tools ourselves.
AP
What do you hope the city of Amsterdam will bring to the museum’s vision, and how do you imagine it interacting with the space and the message behind your work?
LG
When presenting work in a white space, whether in Seattle or Amsterdam, it always looks the same. But this experience transforms when the works interact with the architecture and respond to a unique location in a meaningful way.
The Van Gendt Hallen, where the museum will be, is a protected historical site. It breathes the history of Amsterdam but also represents the future. It’s not just climate neutral; it’s climate positive. It’s a unique and massive space, which is perfect for us. We want people to be fully immersed in the experience because that’s where impact happens: when people are moved not just visually but also emotionally.
Ideally, we would’ve opened five years ago, but there were so many moving parts: pitching to the owner, permits, finances, neighbours. But now, the finish line is almost in sight.
AP
Your work often explores the relationship between nature and technology. Why is that dialogue important?
LG
For me, nature and technology aren’t separate. Every idea and innovation, including technology, is rooted in nature. People started viewing them as opposites: nature as the past and technology as the future. But that’s a mistake. Technology today often pushes us toward a future where we’re increasingly disconnected from nature. It’s out of balance, so we’re trying to restore that balance.
RN
It’s about keeping the conversation flowing. Society is becoming more divided. Everything is viewed as opposites, with people shouting over each other about who’s right. It’s a childish battle that’s tearing us apart. We need to recognise that there is knowledge in both extremes. The real power lies in the middle ground, where harmony lives and new life can begin. If we don’t reconnect with nature and our surroundings, we stop asking questions. And when people stop questioning, they become easy to manipulate, and that’s dangerous. That’s why we do what we do.
left:
bracelet and ring CARTIER
cape, shirt and pants VALENTINO
right:
dress CHRISTIAN DIOR
AP
Do you hope the Drift Museum will change the way people look at museums and art?
LG
I’m not interested in how people define museums. What matters is that they walk away from our museum understanding they’re capable of more. We believe in indirect communication. You may not remember what you read, but you remember what you lived. Our museum will be a sequence of moments, of feelings. People need to feel that sense of interconnection again; they need to be reminded that they are part of something bigger. That is the goal.
RN
There is no keeping things as they are. We have an obligation to offer more to this planet than we take out. If you just live your life, talk about the mundane and drink a beer every Friday in the sun, what did you contribute? In the end, we only get one shot at life. Make something out of it. Bring something special. That’s it.
TEAM CREDITS:
talents STUDIO DRIFT
photography DANIEL SARS
styling ALEXANDRE DORNELLAS
make-up GIANA ALFONS
hair WIARDI KOOPMEINERS at Frank Creatives using Oribe and Varis
fashion production KAIO BERGUER
styling assistant ELIANA CASA