Experience with Groeispurt: Maria Dabrowski - SYNC

SYNC: Slowing Down in a World That's Always On

Photographer Maria Dabrowski developed Groeispurt SYNC project with funding from Groeispurt : a multimedia installation and photo book about consumption, processing, and slowing down. The project consists of a video installation (2022) and a photo book, created in collaboration with the design agency Studio Another Day. SYNC recently won a bronze award at the Prix de la Photographie Paris, was nominated for the Dutch Creativity Awards (editorial category), and has been featured in publications such as Discarded Magazine, PF Magazine, and various book reviews.

Taking Time as an Artistic Starting Point

At the heart of SYNC lies the desire to slow down. In an age when our minds are constantly “on,” Maria asks whether we still make time to truly feel and process our experiences. She seeks to bring to light precisely those unconscious processes taking place within our minds. The project invites us to pause before moving forward again.

The photo series emerged from a personal need to take a step back from a demanding society. During a difficult period, photographing everyday details and nature offered Maria a sense of stability: a way to reflect and reconnect with her feelings. This search for peace and a slower pace forms the basis of the work.

The Book: Delay as an Experience

The SYNC photo book is designed as a physical experience that literally forces the viewer to slow down. The photographs are presented on fold-out pages that invite—or even compel—the reader to look more slowly. Unfolding each page creates a rhythm that emphasizes the importance of setting one’s own pace and enhances the intimacy of the images.

The act of “unpacking” the book also reflects contemporary consumer behavior. While we’re used to consuming things quickly, SYNC actually demands attention, time, and care.

The Installation: Image Consumption and the Unconscious

SYNC’s video installation explores the fleeting nature of our attention in a digital world and the increasing conversion of human behavior into data. How much information can our brains actually process? And how does this constant acceleration affect our psyche?

During an EEG experiment, a subject viewed images from a photo album while brain activity was measured using electrodes placed on the head. This raw data has been translated into images and sound, immersing visitors in the unconscious process of image consumption. The installation offers no answers, but stimulates the mind and raises questions about time, perception, and mental load.

Learning to Deal with Delays

The crowdfunding campaign for SYNC was conducted through Voordekunst and made it possible to further develop the book and the exhibition. However, the project also presented challenges. Because we were working with multiple partners, it was sometimes a bit of a puzzle to keep everything on track. Technical issues caused delays and forced us to look for better solutions.

This delay had consequences: a planned book presentation with an exhibition could not take place, and a new venue had to be found. It also became clear that the original budget was no longer sufficient due to rising production costs. At the same time, this process forced us to be flexible, to rethink our approach, and to adapt.

Artistic Development and Experimentation

The project gave Maria the opportunity to experiment and form new collaborations. Among other things, she worked with a lithographer and a video production team, created her first video installation, and experimented with printing photographic portraits on transparent canvases.

These experiences have deepened and broadened her artistic practice. SYNC has evolved into a project that marks new milestones not only in terms of content, but also technically and in terms of production.

About Groeispurt

Groeispurt is a Nijmegen grant program for young creators, artists, and performers. The program encourages new ideas and initiatives and gives young talent an extra boost, without unnecessary restrictions or obligations. It is a flexible and fast way to provide support, encouraging new developments and helping art and culture in Nijmegen continue to flourish.