Dutch culture is often represented through clichés—windmills, canals, and tulips—while the personal stories of those who live within this landscape remain largely untold. The challenge was to reimagine Dutch identity in a way that feels contemporary, personal, and immersive, using AI to shape a new kind of storytelling.

The insight was that culture is not static but shaped by the experiences of individuals. By focusing on a group of friends growing up in the Netherlands, Jochies explores the deeper, lived reality behind the country’s iconic imagery. Through AI-driven techniques, a crossmedial universe was created, weaving together narratives that reflect the nuances of youth, belonging, and cultural identity.

Jochies is an experiment in AI-assisted storytelling, where different AI models are used to generate text, visuals, and translations, making the project accessible to a global audience. Visitors can acquire artworks featuring individual boys and scan them with their devices to unlock interconnected stories. This interactive approach transforms cultural representation into a living, evolving experience, offering an alternative lens on Dutch identity—one that is deeply personal and universally relatable.

By integrating technology with storytelling, Jochies challenges conventional ways of engaging with culture, making it an immersive and evolving narrative rather than a static portrayal of heritage.