CODA Apeldoorn invited me for a two-day artist residency at the CODA ExperienceLab Community, where I developed and produced a zine rooted in local folklore. During the residency, I challenged myself to work with unfamiliar techniques and started from a regional saga that had stayed with me since childhood: the story of the Aardmannetje.
According to the legend, an Aardmannetje—or perhaps several, that part remains unclear—would frighten passers-by from within its hill. Years later, when the Echoput was dug, its burrow was supposedly discovered. The story has remained part of the folklore of the Veluwe region ever since.
Rather than creating a historical investigation or definitive character study, I used the zine as a personal exploration of what such an Aardmannetje might look like to me. In doing so, I hoped to create a connection with the museum’s regional folklore while leaving space for interpretation. Legends survive because they continue to be retold, carrying the imagination and perspective of different people with them. That is what keeps them alive.
The material character of the zine was just as important as its subject matter. To create something that felt both ancient and contemporary, I chose to work with woodcut-inspired printmaking using the laser cutter available at the CODA ExperienceLab Community. The final images were printed with a heat press rather than a traditional printing press. This process allowed the organic texture of the wood to remain visible while preserving the precision of the laser-cut lines. The result feels almost like looking through the fog of the Veluwe in search of the elusive Aardmannetje.
The zine was finished with a hand-stitched binding that, to my eye, carries a distinctly medieval character, reinforcing its connection to oral tradition, folklore, and handmade storytelling.
Click here for a short video about the process (Dutch only)