How do you describe your own art practice?
A visual artist who is using Internet spam as the main source material for most of my projects. I use it to create wall-sculptures, large scale installations and interventions both outside in the street and inside in exhibition settings. Sometimes site-specific, sometimes site-adjustable.
Together with Jeroen Bosch I also make www.trendbeheer.com, an art blog we founded and continue to run since 2005.
Hand sawn wood, paint and screws, 2014.
What was your first experience with art?
From what I remember some documentaries that were broadcast on Dutch national TV in the eighties, museum visits with my parents and my primary school. I grew up in Winschoten, a small town in the north of Holland, so these were usually long trips. Just to get to Amsterdam for example would take four hours (and four hours to get back home). Maybe I remember the long train rides better than I do the actual museum visits.
Winschoten did have quite a good park that showed outdoor sculptures during the summer and when I was in primary school I happened to be friends with the grandson of Albert Waalkens (influential Dutch gallerist from the 70’s & 80’s) so we would play around the garden there every now and then. This was another thirty minute bike ride to the village of Finsterwolde.
Of course I had no idea back then but over the years I have met, or heard about, quite a few really great artists that came through there. Which is pretty amazing when you think about how remote the village is. Especially back then.
Hand sawn and lacquered poplar plywood, 2013.
What is your greatest source of inspiration?
Everyday life.
Vinyl adhesive letters on commercial window, 2016.
What do you need in order to create your work?
First and foremost, a good idea.
Lacquered poplar plywood, 2013 – now.
What are you working on at the moment?
A couple of studio experiments. Up until now I was mostly making texts, taken from my spamfilters, that can be read. Currently I am taking my first steps into a more abstract direction.
Hand sawn, lacquered poplar plywood and electronics, 2014.
What work or artist has most recently surprised you?
Constant Dullaart’s Machine learned, man made paintings.
Another project that recently blew my mind is something that happened twenty years ago when Mel Chin was allowed to insert art pieces on the set of Melrose Place, a widely popular tv show at the time (see also here).
Computer milled composite letters on bridge, 2017.
