If you were to give painter Bas Wiegmink carte blanche, he would most likely exhibit in Brazil, preferably in a building by Oscar Niemeyer. This is not as strange as it sounds considering the fact that the typically Brazilian combination of untamed nature and modernist architecture is a major part of Wiegmink's work, albeit in colour schemes you won't find anywhere on Earth.
With their the combination of pronounced colour schemes, architecture and serene compositions, the canvases in Space Oddity, Wiegmink's solo exhibition at Galerie Helder, seem to represent another dimension, one in which humans are entirely absent, placing the viewer at the centre. "I occasionally notice that some viewers can react emotionally to my work. I think that's because time is frozen in a painting. The image originated from a certain energy with which I was able to paint it and it's fantastic that everyone brings their own 'baggage' and can interpret art in their own way."
Space Oddity by Bas Wiegmink can be seen at Galerie Helder in The Hague until 1 June.
Where is your studio and what does it look like?
My studio is in Tilburg in Carré, a former hospital from 1927 that has housed more than 100 studios since 1981. It's a beautiful historic building in which my studio is in a section of a wing. If you step through the door, most people see complete chaos but to me, it's an organised workspace where you only occasionally have to tiptoe around or duck under something to get to the other side.
What does a studio space need to have for you; natural daylight, sufficient storage, or friends and colleagues nearby?
What I find very important is the atmosphere. Actually, my studio is not ideal at all; it's facing south, so in the summer, there is too much light, and it gets very warm. There is also no direct access to water, and you have to go up and down stairs with paintings, which is obviously not very convenient. But somehow, there is a consistently optimal atmosphere for painting. I don't know how that happens, but that place works very well for me.
What does a typical day in your studio look like? Do you have a fixed schedule, do you listen to music, do you have guests or do you prefer to keep the door closed?
I try to spend my time as efficiently as possible, so I start as early as possible. Usually, before I start working, I have a plan. Generally, I end up being tempted to continue with something else. Last year, I worked on several paintings at once. At one point, I was working on nine simultaneously. When I come to my studio freshly charged and suddenly see something that needs to be adjusted in one of the paintings, I can’t resist doing that right away. Before I know it, I've worked on that painting all day and have to postpone my plan. Which is quite difficult because my plans have a certain expiration date. If I wait too long, the feeling associated with them disappears.
When I'm working intensively on a painting, music is very important. It largely determines the atmosphere and my energy level. This varies greatly, from heavy rock to jazz, depending on the layer I'm working on. For parts that require a lot of thinking, I prefer to listen to music I already know. Because my studio is an extension of what's going on in my mind, I find that space very private. So, I don’t usually invite others there. Of course, sometimes it's unavoidable, but no one sees me at work in my studio. The space also changes constantly, depending entirely on what works best for the series I'm currently working on.
Congratulations on Space Oddity! I assume that title refers to David Bowie's hit of the same name. Why did you choose that title?
I have to give credit for that to Frey Feriyanto, owner of Galerie Helder. During his last studio visit leading up to my solo exhibition, we discussed my work at length. While I'm still in a jumble of thoughts about all the paintings I've worked on, he manages to streamline them very nicely into a few sentences and a title. Time, space and light run as a sort of common thread through the work, which is why this title fits perfectly.
In the press release, the representations in Space Oddity are called a ‘weightless cosmos from another dimension’. I wondered if you already know what you're going to paint beforehand or if you surprise yourself while working on a canvas?
A painting often starts with an initial image that pops into my head at a certain moment. This is followed by a quick sketch in one of my sketchbooks. Often, I determine the size of the painting, while also taking notes about colours and techniques. Based on that, I can determine a work schedule. I use a lot of different techniques and to achieve something that I consider essential in a particular work, it's extremely important to maintain the right order.
Of course, it also happens that while I’m working, things don't turn out exactly as planned, and I often end up making big changes the next morning. But that often results in very surprising things.
Considering the colour contrasts and strange yet calm compositions, your work also has something sacred about it. Do you hear that often or is that my own interpretation?
It's certainly not my intention, but perhaps it develops on its own. The absence of humans in the image puts the viewer at the centre. I occasionally notice that some viewers can react emotionally to my work. I think that's because time is frozen in a painting. The image originates from a certain energy with which I was able to paint it and it's fantastic that everyone brings their own 'baggage' and can interpret art in their own way.
You have a completely unique style with colour schemes that you don't often see elsewhere. Who are your sources of inspiration?
In terms of painters, the list is varied. My childhood hero was Van Gogh, especially during his French period, and my heart still skips a beat when I see work by Sluijters. At the academy, I was fortunate to be taught by several well-known Dutch artists, including Reinoud van Vught, Hans de Wit and Piet Dieleman. I also find many foreign contemporary artists inspiring, such as Marina Rheingantz, Joshua Yeldham, Adam Lee, Antonio Obá, Kim Dorland, Peter Doig and others. And a huge inspiration is the paint itself, alongside wild nature and Brutalist architecture.
If I were to give you carte blanche, what project would you start working on immediately?
I have become familiar with the combination of untamed nature and beautiful modern architecture in Brazil because of my wife's Brazilian roots and our regular visits to the country. A dream project would be an exhibition in a major Brazilian city like São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro. It would be a dream come true to be able to show my work in that context, preferably in a building designed by Oscar Niemeyer.
What are you currently working on?
Painting is an ongoing process, with exhibitions always covering a certain time period. There are already new canvases in progress in my studio, but it is still too early to say where they will lead. Anything is possible and that's a wonderful thought!