17 july 2023, Wouter van den Eijkel
The studio of... Wim Jacobs
The Unguarded Moment is the title of an exhibition by painter Wim Jacobs at Galerie Bart in Amsterdam. The moment you break free from conscious actions and shapes, colours and textures relate to each other in a unique way. Everything comes together. For Jacobs (NL, 1983), it is the process that matters most: “You bring those things that worked well in a previous work to the next project and in this way, continue to evolve.” A conversation with Wim Jacobs about his studio, working method and new work involving pigment sticks and spray cans.
One of the works in your show is called New Studio. Is it fair to assume that you just started working in a new studio?
Yes, I moved to Zeeland Flanders a few years ago. At first, I kept my studio in Antwerp but after some searching, found a studio closer to home. The plan is to build a studio in the garden within x number of years.
Wim Jacobs, New Studio, 2023, Galerie Bart
What is more important to you, a spacious studio or natural light?
Both are important, but natural light and a connection to the outdoors are a must for me.
What’s the most beautiful or inspiring studio you’ve ever visited and why?
I've been to Lanzarote a few times and every time I've been there, I've visited César Manrique's house and studio. I find it impressive how he, as a painter, sculptor and architect, approached everything in balance with nature. His studio was halfway in the ground in his garden and more than 100 square meters in size.
Your current show is called The Unguarded Moment. What do you think happens in an unguarded moment?
For me, the unguarded moment is when you break free from being consciously engaged in your work. It is the moment when the outlines of your work are traced, when shapes, colours and textures all relate to each other in some way and everything comes together.
Wim Jacobs, Untitled 4, 2023, Galerie Bart
There are artists who only care about the result and artists who emphasise the process. Which are you?
I think the process is especially important. A finished work is part of the next work. Things that worked out well in a previous work – a line, a shape, a colour – you bring with you to the next work and continue to evolve. Naturally, the end result is important, but that develops during the process.
You pair abstraction with your very own figurative visual language. How would you describe it?
Over the years, I have made certain shapes my own and they keep returning. It gives my work a kind of recognisability, although they always come back in a different colour, composition or size. New shapes are created during the process that you then bring with you to the next work.
Wim Jacobs, Oil paint, oil pastels, spray paint, 2022, Galerie Bart
I read that for this show, you did a lot of experimentation and worked with pigment sticks and spray cans for the first time. How did you come up with that idea?
I was looking for different ways to draw on canvas. It is a much more direct way of working. It adds an extra layer/dimension to my work. I think you have to keep evolving as an artist.
If I were to give you carte blanche, what kind of project would you immediately start working on?
I would like to make work on a monumental scale that requires working with a scaffold and ladder.
Wim Jacobs, Untitled 1, 2023, Galerie Bart
How would you explain your work to someone with little interest in art?
I think that my work should first and foremost stimulate the senses. People are usually drawn to the colours, the spaciousness and playfulness in my work. I usually start with a simple sketch and then define the planes, lines, shapes and colours. This provides insight into my search and the work is never finished.
What are you currently working on?
For my most recent work, I used unprocessed canvas, which gives the background a very natural kind of light brown colour. It adds an extra dimension to my work because the colours stand out even more now. These are on display at Galerie Bart. I am now creating new work on both unprocessed canvas and canvas with a coloured background.
Wim Jacobs, The Unguarded Moment, Galerie Bart
