Newsletter: What 8.000 Poems in 4 Days Taught Us
Hi there,
Here’s our latest update from the world of Slowtech.
From poetry in train stations to living lamps for your home — it’s been a busy month.
And don’t miss the end: we’ve included a few things that inspired us lately — from surreal AI videos, Art Nouveau storefronts to beautifully useless design.
Cheers,
Justus & Mingus
A Light That Greets You.
Last chance to Pre-order Bloomlight S this week to join us June 18.
🚆 Poetry where it belongs — in public space
Thanks to a beautiful initiative by Poetry International, the Poem Booth has finally found its place at Rotterdam Centraal (until June 15th) — featuring the words of Ellen Deckwitz, one of the most resonant poetic voices in the Netherlands today.
It’s part of the lead-up to the Poetry International Festival, but it’s also something more:
A moment of reflection, right in the rush of transit.
If you’re passing through Rotterdam Centraal, don’t hesitate —
hit the button, and receive your own AI-crafted, Deckwitz-inspired poem.
And if you get a poem that moves you, surprises you, or makes you laugh:
Share it with us. We’d love to read the best poems about you.
Tag us @vouwstudio / @poembooth.ai or DM your favorites.
🇮🇹 Over 8.000 Poems in 4 Days – Turin was a Triumph
At the Salone del Libro di Torino, the Poem Booth generated more than 8.000 poems.
We presented in the stunning Galleria Subalpina and at the Dutch Pavilion, where the Netherlands was guest of honour.
The response was overwhelming — from RAI, Linkiesta and Corriere della Sera to L’Espresso, Italian press picked up on the Poem Booth’s charm. Many called it one of the most surprising and loved works of the festival.
And in their words: “it will be one of the most popular attractions of the event.” and it was.
We’re building something that crosses borders — a poetic, slowtech movement that speaks to people, in every language.
📍 Poem Booth in Paris — Before Turin
Before its Italian debut, the Poem Booth was already on the move — celebrating King’s Day at the Dutch Embassy in Paris.
Pictured: Dutch Ambassador to France Jan Versteeg with the Poem Booth at the residence.
🎤 Upcoming: Justus Bruns at Emerce EDAY
On October 2, Justus Bruns will speak at Emerce EDAY, where designers and technologists come together to exchange ideas and inspire each other.
He’ll offer a talk titled “What Happens When Designers Do Have an Opinion” — exploring how VOUW approaches technology not to make it faster or more addictive, but calmer, more social, and more human.
Expect a practical, honest session on how to go from an idea to a physical work, and how a studio can contribute to a better society without being driven by algorithms or shareholders.
💡 Your Last Chance: Bloomlight S Pre-order Closes This Week
On June 18, we’ll unveil Bloomlight S – the first living lamp for your home. Not smart. Not static. Just present.
📍 Amsterdam
🍽 Includes dinner for two
🎼 With live music, poetry by Ellen Deckwitz, and hosted by Yuki Kho
Pre-order the first signed Bloomlight S and get to attend the exclusive dinner with your partner
🌐 6 Things That Inspired Us This Month
1. ✨ Bottega Veneta’s Mexico City Store
A breathtaking minimalist boutique — sculpted wood, soft whites, and flowing organic shapes. Feels like if the Poem Booth had a retail cousin.
🔗 See the space
2. 👀 Googly Eyes by Sindre Sorhus
No practical use. Pure joy. Add blinking cartoon eyes to your Mac menu bar — and smile every time they follow your cursor.
🔗 Install them here
3. 🐟 Role Reversal: Animals Acting Like Humans (AI Video)
Fishes trading human corpses. Chickens eating fingers. Cows herding people. A chilling AI vision that flips the script on speciesism.
🔗 Watch the clip
4. 📞 The Light Phone
A phone designed to be used less — with just the essentials on an e-ink display. One of the few pieces of tech that truly aligns with our idea of Slowtech.
🔗 Explore the Light Phone
5. 🌍 Scavengers Reign (HBO)
A visually stunning animated miniseries where nature is neither cruel nor kind — just beautifully indifferent. A world with its own strange logic.
🔗 Watch the trailer
6. 🏛 This Art Nouveau Storefront in Brussels
A gorgeously weathered storefront on Rue Royale — a reminder that the quietest details often carry the most character.
🔗 See the facade
Thanks for reading.
For more behind-the-scenes moments, travels, and poetic experiments,
follow us on Instagram: @vouwstudio or @poembooth.ai
And if you have any questions or just want to say hi — just reply to this email.
We love hearing from you.
Cheers,
Justus & Mingus