Commissioned by Kunstinstituut Melly - 'Formerly known as Witte de With' - in Rotterdam and in collaboration with Galerie Ron Mandos, Bouke de Vries (1960) designed and produced during Covid his first edition work of which each edition number is unique. The edition was originally to be launched at Art Rotterdam but because of Covid it will be offered on GalleryViewer, the website of Galerie Ron Mandos and Kunstinstituut Melly. In this interview, Bouke explains why he ultimately chose the profession of ceramic artist, why he is still happy in London and why, also for this series entitled ‘30 Pieces’, the beauty of what is broken is central.
You have been living and working in London for many years. How come? And how do you like your life as an artist there?
At the end of the seventies, I was studying at the Design Academy in Eindhoven and had to do a three month period abroad. I chose London, fell in love with London - and a Londener - and stayed. And to this day, I still love London and the Londoner. I worked for six years in the fashion industry but wanted a career change and decided to retrain as a ceramic restorer. About twelve years ago I figured out that I needed to express myself and choose the medium of ceramics to do this. My live as an artist has been wonderful so far. London has offered me many wonderful life experiences and has been the perfect place to be.
The life of an artist is often a lonely existence, especially in the period of lockdown and curfew. How do you live your life as an artist and in private during these confusing times?
For the past thirty years I have worked by myself and I’m really quite happy with my own company. Having a fixed routine provides structure and stability and the lockdown has enabled me to apply that routine on an even larger scale. I’m fortunate to have a studio in my garden so I have been continuing my work within the confines of the lockdown.
You studied Design in Eindhoven and London, worked with fashion designers such as John Galliano and Stephen Jones, but ultimately made the choice to lead the life of an autonomous artist working in ceramics. How did that choice come about?
As I mentioned after working in fashion I retrained as a ceramics restorer and when I started making my sculptural pieces I used my knowledge and skills I developed as a restorer and applied them to my art, working from what I know.
Bouke de Vries, 30 Pieces, 2020, Porcelain cast in resin / Porselein in hars gegoten, 240 x 100 x 40 mm,
Edition of/Oplage 30 + 2 APs € 1500-, exclusive of 21% VAT.
Destruction, restoration and trauma play a major role in your work. You also speak of ‘the beauty of destruction’. What exactly do you mean by that?
As a restorer I was confronted with damage and the ideas of perfection on a daily bases but I realised that there is beauty in this damage and it’s not always necessary to hide this but instead, let the damage speak for itself. In my work, damage is the central focus, but put in a new context.
You are originally from Utrecht, the cradle of the famous 17th and 18th century. Dutch still lifes and in particular with flowers. To what extent does that tradition live on in your work?
History has always been one of my great passions. Being Dutch and from Utrecht, 17th-century art runs through your veins because you are surrounded with it all the time, if not the real paintings but also through reproductions, calendars, postcards etc. It is a matter of great pride and it remains a very important source of inspiration for me. My interpretations of still-life’s and flowers were among the first pieces I made and are a subject I will always return to.
For your solo exhibition ‘War & Pieces’ that took place in 2016 at the Kunstmuseum The Hague, you showed a battle - complete with atomic explosion - consisting of thousands of shards of porcelain mixed with pieces of plastic toys on an eight meter long table. In doing so, you destroyed the symbolism of a richly decorated table from the 18th century as an example of status and power. Where does this fascination for violence and beauty come from?
Big battles used to be planned and for example during the Napoleonic wars in the run up to the battle of Waterloo large sections of the aristocracy came to Bruxelles and on the eve of the battle the Duchess of Richmond gave a grand bal and banquet. I decided that I’d rather have the battle played out on a table. So I used the most destructive power - a nucluar explosion - as the centre piece, as I have always been fascinated by the dichotomy of something destructive of which the physical expression - when seen in images - is strangely beautiful.
The Rotterdam Kunstinstituut Melly has selected you to create an edition that would be shown for the first time at the Ron Mandos stand during Art Rotterdam. Unfortunately things turned out differently and the fair was postponed until June because of Covid, but fortunately the edition is still coming. Can you tell us something about it?
Last year I was part of a wonderful exhibition at Kunstinstituut Melly in Rotterdam and following on from this, I was very excited to be invited to create what is my first limited edition. I work with objects that are one-offs and wanted to makes sure that I would still keep that element of my work but make it work as a limited edition. The work consists of 30 original sculptures inspired by what are called my ‘memory vessels’ which were shown at Melly. I have taken a damaged 18th century vase and divided in to 30 fragments. Each of these fragments is set in acrylic resin, like a fly captured in amber. The outline of the piece is the shape of the original vase used. The people who buy one become the custodian of a unique fragment of the vase.
What is your biggest motivation in art?
If I could put that into words I wouldn't have to make art.
Once we can visit London again, which museum or gallery do you think we shouldn’t miss?
When I fist came to London 35 years ago a friend told me to visit the Sir John Soane museum, then a largely forgotten museum with very few visitors. It was the home of the architect Sir John Soane which he left to the nation when he died in 1837. It is a remarkable remnant of an amazing architect with lots of hidden treasures in central London. And of course everyone knows the V&A but most people never get to the top floor where there is the most amazing ceramic collection and definitely worth a visit.
What do you miss most of The Netherlands?
My sister.