09 july 2024, Wouter van den Eijkel
The studio of... Eelke van Willegen
Rotterdam-based sculptor Eelke van Willegen creates sculptures from steel. He cuts the steel, welds it and applies a coating. His sculptures express a powerful, often rolling motion, like a force of nature captured in steel. Van Willegen is also an avid surfer and considers this a good metaphor for his sculpture work. "Surfing is 95% paddling to get to the right spot." According to Van Willegen, it's hard work and it’s not very likely you will catch a wave, but those few moments when everything comes together are more than enough for him to keep trying.
Creating a sculpture is similar to surfing in another way: it's about responding to the reality of the moment. "One thing raises questions about something else, but I also let myself be guided in this process by the moment and chance." Van Willegen is now showing his first solo exhibition, Fluid Dynamics, at Franzis Engels. In addition to a dozen sculptures, there are also a number of small drawings that convey the same kind of powerful movement.
Fluid Dynamics can be seen by appointment at Galerie Franzis Engels throughout the summer.
Where is your studio and what does it look like? You create sculptures from steel pipes, so I imagine it looks more industrial than a painter's studio.
My current studio is in an old school building from 1892. I have a classroom and small outdoor space to work in. Yes, it looks much more industrial than a painter's studio, if only because of the machines and materials, such as welding equipment, a lathe, a large compressor, a plasma cutter and, of course, a lot of iron. But inside, it's more a studio than a workshop. That’s where I do the relatively clean work and outside, I do the rest. I've built a fixed gantry crane outside for lifting the sculptures. This allows me to cut large pieces with the plasma cutter. This is also where I can weld, grind and construct sculptures safely and effectively.
Eelke van Willegen, Quanta, 2023, Galerie Franzis Engels
I understand that you’re looking for a new studio space. What exactly would make the perfect studio for you?
Yes, I’m looking for a new studio. Making a sculpture is a completely different process than making a painting or a collage. I make a lot of noise, it smells, it's dirty, I need a lot of space, I work with heavy machinery and it needs to be accessible for transport. The sculptures are also getting larger. Also, of course, I need a lot of storage space for my work and materials and a clean room for coatings. I use high-voltage power and work with heavy materials, so I need to be able to lift things as well. And so on and so forth. So, what kind of space do I need? To put it simply, a good shed with outdoor space or a large yard where I can build something with containers would help me enormously. Consider this an indirect request, haha.
What does an average day in your studio look like?
I usually first take a quick look at everything I'm working on. But not for too long because I want to get to work as soon as possible. Usually, I prepare the materials first. Cutting steel, grinding, welding, sawing and cleaning, and then I start to construct. That may mean making moulds for transport. In other words, first the dirty and heavy work. I usually do this outside, then I work on some sculptures and prepare for coating and adding colour. This is followed by a 2D session as I call it. Working with the collages a bit. Looking, removing, adding, combining and looking again. I end the day by applying the coating and colours. This way, it can dry properly and I'm not constantly in the fumes.
Eelke van Willegen, Flaming, 2021, Galerie Franzis Engels
Congratulations on Fluid Dynamics, your first solo exhibition at Franzis Engels! I read that your main source of inspiration is surfing. From surfing to steel tube sculptures is quite a step. Can you tell us how you ended up there?
Thanks and yes, going from surfing to steel does indeed seem like a huge step. I often use surfing to visualise the process of how I eventually arrive at a work. Surfing is 95% paddling to get to the right spot. That’s hard work and then you have to position yourself for the ultimate wave. The wave ride is responding in the moment to the elements with the skills you’ve acquired. Sometimes, you have the ride of your life, but also very often, you wipe out. Yet those small moments where everything comes together are more than enough to keep trying each time. It's a beautiful metaphor for the work in the studio, the creation of a work and perhaps life itself. Steel is one of my means/vehicles of expression. I sometimes refer to this theme in the titles of my works or directly use terms from the surfing world, such as Roaring Fortys, A storm doesn’t hurt the ocean, Ground swell.
Do you already know in advance how you want a sculpture to look or does chance and the moment play a major role?
It's both, or perhaps you might call it responding. One thing raises questions about something else, but I also let myself be guided in this process by the moment and chance. It's an open-ended search in which the wave motion/energy (in the broadest sense of the word), resonance, frequency and elements play a huge role. The reference to surfing is actually a first step in that direction, the physical side. Because these themes also relate to society, science, economy, culture, spirituality, astrology, etc. I won’t go into that here, but there’s a lot more that fascinates me immensely in this sense.
Which sculpture from the show was technically the most challenging to make?
What is technically the most challenging, apart from the fact that colour and rust are two difficult things to combine, is the logistics/order of processes in the studio. Drying time, dust-free, bright colours do not go well with welding, grinding, cutting and dust during a workday. But it all has to happen. Weather conditions also play a huge role in planning. Too hot, too cold, too much humidity or wind all greatly influence the process and therefore the day's planning.
Eelke van Willegen, Beacon, 2018, Galerie Franzis Engels
In addition to sculptures, there are also a number of small drawings on display. Even though they are only 10 centimetres in size, they have the same kind of power and movement in them. What role does the work on paper play in your work? Does it develop independently of the sculptures or in conjunction with them?
Yes, the work on paper has its own problems and possibilities. The Little Giant series shows that size is not always the most important factor in a powerful gesture. Both in my sculptures and collages/drawings, I seek this point. And sometimes you really do need more size, but that's certainly not always the case. Japanese and Chinese calligraphy has always had a large influence on the development of my visual language.
The line, the shape and the negative space have to work together. Working on paper has taught me this and I can apply this to my sculptures. Both have their own world, but certainly also touch points. In that sense, making collages is sculpting on paper and sculptures are drawings in space.
Eelke van Willegen, Post fact society series II, 2018, Galerie Franzis Engels
What is the next step? Larger installations/sculptures, being included in a large collection, a museum exhibition, more work in public spaces?
The next step is actually all of the above. Coincidentally, I just installed a sculpture in the garden of one of the villas in the Museum Park Rotterdam next to the Chabot Museum opposite the NAI and overlooking the Depot. A good ride, haha, but there are still so many sculptures and collages I want to make. I just need it to be able to continue. Making sculptures is an expensive affair and these kinds of things make it possible.
What are you working on at the moment?
Right now, I’m working on hanging sculptures and preparing for one or more large sculptures. My good friend and colleague Herbert Nouwens has offered to allow me to work on these large sculptures in his incredible studio because I can't do it in mine. I’m now getting the materials ready and transport needs to be organised because you can’t move this with a trailer.
Eelke van Willegen, Fluid dynamics, Galerie Franzis Engels
