The Rodina

The Rodina is a post-critical design studio with an experimental practice drenched in strategies of performance art, play, and subversion. Both in commissioned work and in autonomous practice, we activate and re-imagine a dazzling range of layered meanings across, below, and beyond the surface of design.

“The Rodina treat design as an agent for activity, for evoking restless responses and continual conversation.” – Eye on Design, AIGA

The studio explores spatial and interactive possibilities of virtual environments as a space for new thoughts and aesthetics that come forward from between culture and technology.

"We invent ways in which experience, knowledge and relations are produced and preserved."

The Rodina works mostly with cultural clients and specialises in visual identities, unique exhibition design, unforgettable user experience, and participatory installations. Our approach is dialogical, each design is developed processually in a close conversation with the client.

The Rodina has been researching performativity within graphic design since 2014. We coined the term "performative design"––in the field of visual communication––which is further described in Action to Surface publication.

"In their brilliant publication Action to Surface, the duo sets a new order for the political urgency of surface-led visual culture..." – There and back again: an art history of memes in the post-truth era; Alice Bucknell for Artsy

Clients

CARA, USA
Harvard GSD, USA
Columbia Uni GSAPP, USA
FRONT International, USA
Van Abbemuseum, NL
EPFL Pavilions, CH
JOAN Los Angeles, USA
ZKM Karlsruhe, DE
FACT Liverpool, UK
Rewire Festival, NL
Sonic Acts, NL
Stroom Den Haag, NL

Design Pedagogy

Tereza Ruller is a Professor of Communication Design & Digital Practices at the University of Arts and Design Karlsruhe.
Together with Vit Ruller, they teach Critical Narratives and 3D Environments at MA Information Design at Design Academy Eindhoven.
Tereza Ruller is Design Research tutor at ArtEZ Arnhem.
The Rodina exhibits, leads design workshops, and gives lectures internationally.

Internships

We are not looking for any interns at the moment.

Alexandra Superson, LU, 2022
Handi Kim, KR, 2020
Milana Kasianova, RU, 2019
Nicolai Schmelling, DK, 2019
Marianne Noordzij, NL, 2017
Jonathan Castro, PE, 2016
Anežka Minaříková, CZ, 2016
Adam Švejda, CZ, 2015
Cyanne van den Houten, NL, 2014
Constant Fernandez, FR, 2014
Jules Vaulont, FR, 2013

Address

The Rodina
Borneolaan 291
1019 HZ Amsterdam
The Netherlands

studio@therodina.com

Follow

Instagram

Contact

We are always happy to meet new people, support your project visually or just give a consultancy.

Tereza Ruller (she/her)
+31(0) 646 814 126
tereza@therodina.com

Vit Ruller (he/his)
+31(0) 615 925 822
vit@therodina.com

2024
SEE Conference – Gaining Insight through Visualization, Performance Graphics
conference talk
Wiesbaden, DE
Boston University MA Graphic Design, Liminal Design Exercises
Amsterdam, NL
Matter of Art Biennial, National Gallery Prague, Seeding Letters, Growing Worlds
performative publication launch
Prague, CZ
Design Academy Eindhoven, MA Information Design, Critical Narratives and 3D Environments
tutoring
Eindhoven, NL
GDA ArtEZ Arnhem, Design Research: Climate Affordances
tutoring
Arnhem, NL
HfG Karlsruhe, Communication Design, Garden as a Method
seminar
Karlsruhe, DE
ArtEZ Master of Architecture, Corpo-real series: On Playfulness in Design
workshop
Zwolle, NL
Forward Festival , The Rodina – Transformative Imagination
lecturetalk
Amsterdam, NL
Lucerne University of Applied Arts, On Performative Design
lecture
online, CH
Chelsea College of Arts, Graduate Diploma Graphic Design, Carrier Bag Climate
tutoringlecturehappening
London, UK
2023
International Design Culture Conference, Wicked Worlding 위키드 월딩
lecture
Seoul, South Korea
HfG Karlsruhe, All About Love
seminar
Karlsruhe, DE
GDA ArtEZ Arnhem, Design Research: On Love and Care
tutoring
Arnhem, NL
GDA ArtEZ Arnhem, Design Research: Water Affordances
tutoring
Arnhem, NL
Formations of Power – Performing Democracy, Days of Democracy Frankfurt, Giving the Voice
workshopperformative intervention
Frankfurt, DE
Transart Institute for Practice PhD, On Communication Design as Performative World-making
workshoplecture
online, USA
Forward Festival, On Embodiment and Processuality
lecturetalk
Vienna, AT
Domaine de Boisbuchet, Garden of Encounters
workshoptalk
Lessac, FR
MA Visual Communication at ZHdK, 5 steps 1 dot
workshoplecture
Zurich, CH
Dis/Assembly of Performative Things Symposium, VIKA e.V. art space, A Polyvocal Hearing: Collective Exercise On Performative Design
workshophappeningtalk
Halle, DE
Chelsea College of Arts, Graduate Diploma Graphic Design, more-than-human
tutoringlecture
London, UK
Grafill Grafisk Design: Graphic Placemaking , On Pluriversal Communication Design
lecture
Oslo, NO
Royal College of Art, Visual Communication, Open Studio: On Spatial Affairs
lecture
London, online, UK
2022
Boston University MA Design, COMA Dutch designLAB
workshop
Amsterdam, Netherlands
ArtEZ SummerLab, Speculative Fiction
workshoplecture
Amsterdam, NL
GDA ArtEZ , Design Research: All About Love
tutoring
Arnhem, NL
2021
California College of the Arts MFA Design, Design Lecture Series, Togetherness
lecture
San Francisco, USA
ArtEZ WinterLab, Performing Image
workshoplecture
Amsterdam, online, NL
GOOGLE, Google Design , Collective Worlding
workshop
Palo Alto, USA
Huiput Creative Festival, Freedom and Playfulness – On Situated Communication Design
lecture
Helsinki, FI
University of Seoul – Graphic Design, Time, Space, and Bodies
lectureworkshop
Seoul, KR
University of Michigan Taubman College, Collective Worlding
performative lecture
Michigan, online, USA
ZHdK, Green Button Code
workshoplecture
Zurich, CH
2020
Winchester School of Art, Drivers of Change
talkworkshop
Winchester, UK
University of the Arts London, London College of Communication, Something or Other: Engaged Futures series
lecture
London, UK
Fotograf Gallery , Elements of Style
performanceparticipation
Prague, CZ
5th Istanbul Design Biennial, Empathy Revisited: Designs for more than one
exhibition
Istanbul , Turkey
Strelka Institute, Drifting Closeness
workshop
Moscow, Russia
2019
Dutch Design Week, DDA, Dutch Design Awards
award nomineeexhibition
Eindhoven, NL
Sonic Acts, Stedelijk Museum, Accidental Geopoetics
exhibitionperformance
Amsterdam, NL
NEST, Slow Signal: Carbon Performs Silicon
exhibitionperformanceparticipation
Den Haag, NL
CCA Gallery, Banana Skin Credit Card
exhibition
San Francisco, USA
A–Z Presents, When the Work is Done
exhibitionparticipationdiscussion
Berlin, DE
IED, Designer as Environment
talk
Madrid, ES
Cooper Union, Typographics
talk
New York, USA
La Martinière Diderot, Accidental Geopoetics
workshoplecture
Lyon, FR
Design Summer 11, Face as a Territory 设计一一夏（杭州）
workshoptalk
Hangzhou, CN
School of Speculation, Design Museum London, School of Speculation
talkworkshop
London, UK
KABK – Fine Arts, NEST, The Future Body
lecturetutoring
Den Haag, NL
KABK, ACPA Conference, The Public Dimensions of Artistic Research
lectureperformanceparticipation
Den Haag, NL
POST Design Festival, On Performative Design
talk
Stockholm, DE
Typomania Design Festival, Communication Design & Performance
talkexhibition
Moscow, RU
Us By Night, Performing Bodies: Towards Solidarity
talk
Antwerpen, BE
Semipermanent, Collective Portrait of The Crowd
performancetalkparticipation
Auckland, NZ
Hochschule für bildende Künste, Digitale Grafik, Depatriarchalizing Pixel Lands
workshoplecture
Hamburg, DE
Text Form Function Atelier, Faculty of Arts, Rádio Ostravský sen
workshoplecture
Ostrava, CZ
2018
Die Angewandte – University of Applied Arts, Depatriarchalizing Pixel Lands
workshoplecture
Vienna, AT
MICA, The Fair of Situations
workshoplecture
Baltimore, USA
Weltformat, Recording Bodies
workshoptalk
Lucerne, CH
Palace of Typographic Masonry, The Chamber of Transformation
exhibitiontalk
Amsterdam, NL
Unfair, Unfair18 – Full Screen
exhibition
Amsterdam, NL
Stroom Den Haag, De Dignen
exhibitionperformance
Den Haag, NL
Salone del Mobile, My Practice My Politics
exhibition
Milan, IT
De School, Celestial Services
exhibitionperformanceparticipation
Amsterdam, NL
CHART, Unionize
exhibitionperformanceparticipation
Copenhagen, DK
Inform Awards, Inform Award for Conceptual Design
award nominee
Leipzig, DE
Weltformat, The Chamber of Transformation
exhibitionparticipation
Lucerne, CH
University of Illinois, Through the Glass Darkly – UIC Public Seminar Series
lecture
Chicago, USA
MCAD, 7 Stages of Performing Designer
lecture
Minneapolis, USA
Swiss Interactive Media Days, Designer as Environment
talkworkshop
St. Gallen, CH
Coded Matters, From Stone to Stone
performative lectureperformancetalk
Amsterdam, NL
FACT Liverpool, States of Play: Roleplay Reality
exhibition
Liverpool, UK
Recyclart, Unionize and Playbour
talk
Brussel, BE
2017
OTIS, Escaping the Flatlands
workshoplecture
Los Angeles, USA
CalArts, Borderlands: Towards the New Territories
workshoplecture
Santa Clarita, USA
Fubu, ZhDK, Abstract Portrait of 20 Young People in Canton Zürich
workshoplecture
Zürich, CH
Prague College, The Settlers: Designing a Storytelling Tool
workshoplecture
Prague, CZ
Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, Mapping the Opportunities
workshoplecture
Jerusalem, IL
Royal Academy of Arts, Design Lands
workshop
Den Haag, NL
Le Signe, National Graphic Design Center, 26th International Graphic Design Biennial of Chaumont
exhibition
Chaumont, FR
Seoul Culture Station, 5th International Typography Biennale Typojanchi
exhibitionparticipation
Seoul, KR
Hyundai Design Card Gallery, Acting Bodies
exhibitionperformanceparticipation
Seoul, KR
Bezalel, Post-Reality, Symposium on The Future of Design
panel discussion
Jerusalem, IL
Stedelijk Museum, Sonic Acts, The Noise of Being
performanceperformative lecturetalk
Amsterdam, NL
2016
RCA @ Sandberg Instiuut, The Scene of Politics: Rethinking the Pilars of Democracy
workshop
Amsterdam, NL
AKV|St.Joost, Designer's Future Stack
workshoplecture
Breda, NL
Luca School of Art, The Chronicles
workshoplecture
Gent, BE
Tique Art, Abstract Portrait of the Crowd: At the End I became a Painter
exhibitionperformanceparticipation
Antwerpen, BE
GDFS, Graphic Design Festival Scotland
exhibition
Glasgow, UK
Stedelijk Museum, BYOB
exhibition
Amsterdam, NL
D&AD Awards, Branding & Identity Wood Pencil Winner from World Design Studio MTV, International team
award
London, UK
Hackers and Designers, A Non-linear Talk
talkparticipation
Amsterdam, NL
Willem de Kooning Academy, Gamification class Erasmus
lectureproject reviewsclass supervision
Rotterdam, NL
The Book Society, Action to Surface
talk
Seoul, KR
2015
Graphic Design Festival Scotland, Error Opportunity
workshoptalkpanel discussion
Glasgow, UK
Royal Academy of Arts, The good. The bad. The ugly
lecture
Den Haag, NL
ESAC – École supérieure d’art de Cambrai, Action to Surface
lecture
Cambrai, FR
Denver Digerati, Animation NOW!, Biennial of the Americas
exhibition
Denver, USA
UMPRUM – Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design, Poklady Ostrova Pokladů
lecture
Prague, CZ
2014
Projektil, Bauhaus Universitat , Training for Future Criminals
workshoplecture
Weimar, DE
24th Poster Biennial, Cutting the Territories
workshoptalk
Warszaw, PL
Banská Stanica Contemporary, Keep Smile
exhibitionresidencypublication
Banska Stiavnica, SK
Dutch Ministry of Finance, Dutch Education: Budget Cuts
exhibitionaward
Den Haag, NL
Neo New York, Cooper Union, Neo New York: Visual Thinking
talkportfolio reviews
New York, USA
2013
After School Club II, The God of Internet: Founder's Scrolls
workshoptalk
Offenbach, DE
NYA Skolan: After School, Democratic Design
workshoptalk
Stockholm, SE
Czech Ministry of Culture, The Most Beautiful Czech Book 2012
exhibitionaward
Prague, CZ
Le Signe, 24th International Graphic Design Biennial of Chaumont
exhibition
Chaumont, FR

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