14 december 2022, Oscar van Gelderen
The studio of... Nick Ervinck
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 Artist’s studio it’s Nick Ervinck, whose solo exhibition 'Blob-mutations and more' is currently on display at Galerie Franzis Engels.
Do you go to your studio every day?
Yes, unless I am abroad or on the road. I usually don't work on Sundays.
Studio 2007
What time do you leave for your studio, and how: on foot, by bicycle, public transport or car?
I have and want the luxury of always being close to my studio, because I live above my studio. I impose enormous discipline and routine on myself. The rhythm has changed over the years – from student to living alone, to a family, to a team. Nowadays, I am usually in my studio at 8 a.m. sharp.
Studio 2014, photo by Loek Blonk
Do you keep to certain rituals in your studio? Music or silence?
The tasks of an artist are very diverse. When I'm working in the studio, a solid tune helps. When I am working behind my desk, in full concentration, I prefer it quiet. I can really enjoy the silence, although my mind is rarely quiet. Nowadays, the rhythm of the music is also determined by my team.
I don't have real rituals, but on the other hand I have thousands of them. I'm a control freak, and I like order. Everything is sorted, labeled, has its permanent place. This way you can work in a structured manner. There are magnetic walls all over the studio, magnetic boards with thousands of studies and inspirational photos on them. A growing library with now four thousand books. I recently read A Life on Our Planet by David Attenborough, The Inventor of Nature the Adventurous Life of Alexander von Humboldt, Revelations (the 2021 Biography of Francis Bacon), Hacking Darwin: Genetic Engineering and the Future of Humanity by Jamie Metzl and Homo Deus and Home Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari. There is also my personal cabinet with stones, rocks, African masks. Hundreds of sculptures under construction. You create a space and habitat that is inspiring; on the one hand you seek peace and on the other hand you are constantly in search of stimuli that feed your fantasy and creative drive.
Also, yellow office chairs, yellow covers, yellow sculpture stand, yellow work table. You see yellow accents everywhere.
Studio 2014
How important is light to you?
I can't work in a dark space, so day light is really important. I assume, however, it is less important than it is for certain painters who look for a specific (day) light. Of course, I take into account how a work of art will look later in a gallery or museum space under spot lighting. These days, I notice that light is increasingly playing an important role. Due to the perfection of my work, I notice that working in winter is much more difficult due to the dark light and that summer is much more suitable for this. It’s the same with temperatures. The summer is often too hot to polyester, or clay dries too quickly, while in the winter it’s just the opposite.
Studio 2019
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?
Haha. Much to the frustration – I suspect – of those close to me, it goes on all the time and everywhere. I don't have an on/off button, you see. I am lost in my thoughts day and night; and I prefer it like that. But I keep struggling to combine all tasks as an artist and the search for that balance alone is probably already a life's work. For me, the days could easily be a lot longer. But travelling abroad to exhibit your work is also very good moment of reflection. For example, I just returned from Bangkok where I launched a new project. Last year I had my biggest show yet at Hame Castle in Finland, where we had an amazing number of visitors (85,000).
Atelier 2019
How much time do you spend on average per day in your studio?
It differs from one period to the next, but I usually work six days a week, nine to twelve hours a day. At times this is full time in the studio, or full time at the design table, and at other times I am behind my desk all the time. Most of the time it's all mixed up.
For me, my art practice remains a way to get a grip on this crazy world. Creating your own world to understand our world. And maybe I'm still a tortured mind that feels guilty when I'm not busy with my creations, developing my body of work. I explore classical themes such as humans (with a focus on anatomy and the emergence of cyborgs), plants (especially their genetic manipulation), masks and animals, always from an (art)historical background that I permeate with contemporary popular and sci-fi culture.
As an artist I am particularly interested in the tension between nature and culture, between tradition and innovation. I try to push the boundaries of digital possibilities, while preserving and respecting the (art) historical heritage. When making a work I explore the possibilities between the organic and the digital, between the virtual and the physical.
Atelier 2019
Is your studio a sacred place?
Yes, it is to me. It is of course a personal, magical space where your creations and ideas take shape. For a few years now, I have been based in the church of St. Pieters Kapelle (in Middelkerke), where I can stay up to eight years. I’ve transformed a part of the church into K.E.R.K., where I have my own exhibition space. Naturally, the sacred atmosphere cannot be ignored in such spaces.
Studio 2019
Do you receive visitors there; collectors, curators or fellow artists?
Yes, and I like to visit the studios of fellow artists myself. I also like to receive colleagues to show me my place, to plan a dinner and to have a nice chat. Most curators and collectors have also been here in person. Visiting an artist's habitat with a personal explanation and guided tour often gives collectors and curators a completely different perspective. I like to show my world and tell about it with passion. Groups that stop by range from the friends of museums, to the Davidsfonds, Rotary clubs, silver and copper compasses clubs, etc.
Studio 2020
What is the most beautiful studio you have ever seen?
Studios that I can only dream of myself and that I have never seen in reality, only from books or internet reports, are the studios of Anish Kapoor, Barry X Ball, Frank Stella or Sterling Ruby. But studios of that scale are unthinkable in Belgium.
Several years ago, as part of my collaboration with the Henry Moore Foundation, I visited Henry Moore's studio and private home, which looks identical to when he was alive. This was truly a revelation to me. There was nothing luxurious. Not big. But you can still sense the atmosphere, the 'sanctity' and magical dimension that made his work and oeuvre possible.
Nick Ervinck - Bob van Mol
What does the ideal studio look like?
Bigger, haha. I am really happy with my studio now. Particularly with monumental works a larger studio with a larger gate would be more than practical. A larger space with a division between wood workshop, metal workshop, ceramic workshop, etc. would be ideal. In the meantime, I dream of a larger studio where I could group studio, office, storage, library, private collection all under one roof. But the real estate market and the complex legislation, and the fluctuating material prices, wages and interest rates do not make it any easier. Having said that, who knows what the future holds 😊
Atelier 2022
