02 november 2022, Oscar van Gelderen
The studio of... Jo De Smedt
What does the ideal studio look like? How much time does an artist spend in his studio? Is it a sacred place? This week in the 'The Artist’s studio' it’s Jo De Smedt, who is represented by Galerie EL, in Welle (Flanders).
Do you go to your studio every day?
Sunday is a day of rest. The remaining days are divided between working at home or in my studio. When I make large drawings and etchings I am in the studio every day; Grindcore Poetry and small drawings I make at home. Grindcore Poetry are very short texts, with which I observe life. For example Fat Zero + 1 (everyone's a winner). I bundle these texts in completely hand-typed artist's books. They are bound left-handed, and each one is unique. I also regularly publish a magazine with these texts. The magazine is called Irregular (simple staple(s)). It appears irregularly, the print run is irregular and the content is irregular. I make these books and magazines at home with an electronic typewriter. My house is an extension of the studio, or vice versa. Both are important to me; however, I am usually at the studio in the morning and early afternoon. I work from home in the late afternoon and evening. The alternation between the two places works well for me.
My first studio was a small dilapidated workers' house that I renovated together with my father. This must have been around 1995. I haven't yet. Both photos are from the same room. Before and after renovation. I try to create a corner in my studio
What time do you leave for your studio, and how: on foot, by bicycle, public transport or car?
I leave for my studio around nine o'clock in the morning. Always by car, because the distance from my house to my studio is too great. I park a little way from my studio to take the dog for a walk. We then walk through the park to my studio. In the meantime, you have some time to think about the work you want to make.
Do you hold on to certain rituals in your studio? Music or silence?
First I make coffee and look at my Trench Art collection. I am an avid collector of Trench Art from the First World War. These are art, utility and decorative objects made by soldiers, prisoners of war and civilians during or shortly after the war. The most famous pieces are the decorated sleeves that often stood on the windowsill of grandmother.
As a visual artist I find this an extremely fascinating world. The relationship between the designed object and the harsh reality is fascinating because of its contrast. The material used was often military, but the decorations are rarely if ever violent. This creates a dialogue that is unique: even in times of horror, people needed beauty. I get a lot of inspiration and energy from this.
Then I put on music and it can get loud. Mostly extreme genres like Punk, Black Metal, Grindcore, Death Metal and Hardcore Techno. I need the energy of this music for the concentration and labour intensity of my large drawings. I don't need silence. Noise is always and everywhere, preferably in the form of music. The noise of the cars in the street is not an added value. My neighbour is also a hard rock fan and I sometimes hear him singing along to Motörhead, when he smokes a cigarette outside. Long live the neighbour!
This is the only photo of a studio where I stayed for a year. The drawings are from the SCALP series. I showed these together with Fred Bervoets in a duo TWO GENERATIONS at gallery De Ziener. Fred is one of my artistic heroes. Very intelligent and heart in the right place. BOSCH-BREUGEL-ENSOR-BERVOETS
How important is light to you?
Heating is more important than light. I once had an empty monastery as a studio with fantastic natural light, but it was also freezing cold and it had a leaking roof. Only in the summer was it pleasant to work there, the rest of the year it felt like a freezer. There is nothing romantic about the image people have of an artist in a damp, cold attic room. I hate that fake romance. Ideal is a warm studio with beautiful natural light.
What does your work process look like? Do you work everywhere and all the time or does work only commence the moment you enter your studio?
The work is mainly in the head. That merry-go-round never stops. There is no on/off button when it comes to art. My studio is mainly used for physical work. The intensity of my working method is also reflected in the image. My drawings are not light grey, but black. Artists who draw often work with different shades of grey. I prefer them dark and full of contrast. You can only achieve this through hard work. The graphite is pumped into the paper. Layer upon layer. I get a lot of satisfaction from hard work. Continue until you get cramps in the fingers and arms, feels good. It is my belief that you have to work to get inspiration. One series makes another. The technical part of my job gives me time to think about new works. This way of working allows me to never stop. Making art is an endless rollercoaster.
With a work from the KEIHARD BLACK series on the right and a preliminary design of a scarf on the left. This was a collaboration with Md7 and a precursor to the collaboration with Johan September from gallery EL
How much time do you spend on average per day in your studio?
I work non-stop for five hours, after that I am sated and leave my studio. Usually, afterwards I go to the thrift shop to relax. When I get home I work on smaller drawings for another two hours. I am currently working on a series titled 'Ball'. In this I combine the hard visual language of my large drawings with subtly coloured abstract forms. These will be shown in January 2023 in gallery De Ziener, in Asse.
Is your studio a sacred place?
As an atheist, I don't believe in sacred places. However, the atmosphere of the studio is important. This is personal and different for each artist. It also takes a while to get a good atmosphere in a new studio. At the moment I have a very good studio with all utilities. That was different a few years ago, when I had to change studio four times in five years. While it was detrimental for creating the right atmosphere, the advantage was that I threw away many works of art to make room in space and in the head.
Working on a drawing without end. The concept is to add images and text without regard for form or composition. Every addition is perfect. I started this work around 2010. The title is KOP (the draft version). This work gives me a lot of freedom because making mistakes is impossible
Do you receive visits there; collectors, curators or fellow artists?
Most of the time I am alone with my dog Charlie. I don't get visitors very often. The only people who come by are my mother, Jan from gallery De Ziener and Johan from gallery EL. My studio is not located in a city, so I have less contact with other artists. In the city, artists can forge plans to collaborate, for example to create exhibitions. This is not possible in the municipality where I live and work. Since I am on my own, I developed a visual language that is strictly personal. I do find that people have a harder time with an atypical visual language. Everything that causes unrest and offers resistance makes spectators uncomfortable. People prefer 'brave', accessible art that feels familiar. A comment I often get is that people don't understand me, but that is a matter of perception and therefore not interesting. If you're not open to new art, you'll keep rehashing the same images – something I refuse to do.
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What is the most beautiful studio you have ever seen?
The old printing studio of the Sint-Lukas in Brussels was terrific. The old printing presses, the atmosphere, the wooden floor, the space and large glass panels with a view over Brussels. I’ve had some beautiful moments there. The relationship between teachers and students was very good there. The smell of varnish and ink was also nice. I still use the same products to evoke that atmosphere in my studio.
Vitrinekastjes met Trench Art op atelier 2022
What does the ideal studio look like?
A detached building in our garden designed by René Heyvaert. This architect/artist was wonderfully contrarian, both in his architecture and in his art. He could achieve maximum results with a minimum of resources. I always try to work with limited resources. A simple graphite pencil to make large drawings (150 x 100 cm). In my Grindcore Poetry I want the lyrics to be as minimal as possible. In my etchings I do not follow any rule of art. I don't polish or file my records, work with pure nitric acid, don't press straight into the blade, etc. A healthy dose of resistance is necessary in my way of thinking. Furthermore, my ideal studio should have large printing presses and a screen printing installation. Lots of walls and a view of the landscape. There must be a quality sound system with a fine selection of vinyl: jazz, punk, metal, country, funk, new wave, rap. Any genre is welcome. In the garden a strip of asphalt to press with a small crusher roller. The action of this printing technique is interesting, as it is less controllable than press printing.
Atelier 2022
