Tânia A. Cardoso, illustrator and urbanist, has completed her doctoral research at the University of Amsterdam. Her research, a product of this distinct blend of fields, focuses on the potential of illustration as a form of urban communication. This work is the culmination of her ground-based experience as an illustrator-researcher, exploring the poetics of everyday life and reportage art, and using illustration to co-produce and challenge the urban environment. The results of her research led her to open StudioTako, a studio for creating visual storytelling, urban chronicles, collective mapping and comics, and independent study. She is also the co-creator of the WARP (Walking as Research Practice) research group with Prof Alice Twemlow.
Tânia's illustrations have been featured in several international exhibitions, including “Boerenzij” by Wapke Feenstra at TENT Rotterdam 2020 and “A Castle in England” in London 2017. Her work has been recognised with prestigious awards, such as the “Worldwide Picture Book Illustration Competition” in 2015 in the Netherlands, the “Gorsedh Kernow Creativity Award” in 2017 in Cornwall, UK, and a finalist position at the “Women Cartoonists International Award” in 2019 in Normandy, France. In 2024, she was Stadstekenares for the city of Rotterdam. The results of this work were exhibited in “Drawn Rotterdam: May I Exist?” at Kunsthal Rotterdam from 18 October 2024 to 16 February 2025.













Stadstekenaar 010 - Sterker Door Strijd
It all began with a walk and a feeling. Sterker Door Strijd can be seen today under Rotterdam's coat of arms and it’s intrinsically connected to the city’s image. It exemplifies the resilience and strength of the city's inhabitants in rebuilding their city. Sterker Door Strijd has become a central aspect of the city's development, particularly in its architecture and urban planning. It represents a shift in the city's memory from pain to pride and hope for the future.