12 december 2023, Wouter van den Eijkel
The studio of... Kaspar Dejong
Kaspar Dejong has made a name for himself in recent years with abstract work that originates from public spaces. He often takes long walks through urban environments seemingly without a purpose, preferably in places with an edge. During field trips, he has visited cities such as Belgrade, Berlin and Charleroi. Dejong documents whatever catches his eye during these ‘experimental wanderings’ and incorporates them into his work. From graffiti to covered posters and from abandoned laughing gas cylinders to grass suddenly appearing in shopping streets during the lockdown, it can all unexpectedly pop up in Dejong's work.
In addition to working on canvas, Dejong has also been working with glass in recent years. According to Dejong, this medium offers completely different possibilities. He became acquainted with it while studying and picked it up again a few years ago. Last year, he purchased his own oven and, together with a colleague, has established a glass and ceramics studio in Iso, the Amsterdam studio complex where Dejong has his studio. In addition to a series of new paintings, a number of glass castings will be displayed during Art Antwerp at the DMW booth.
You have a studio in Iso, the studio complex on Amsterdam's Isolatorweg. How did you end up there and how would you describe it?
I ended up at Iso through a friend who invited me to visit his new studio. The front section was already in use, but the warehouse was completely empty. At that time, my studio was in Noord in an old school building, where I often worked with epoxy, oils, turpentine, spray paint, concrete and other heavy materials. When the yoga teacher above me could no longer give lessons because of my spray-painting activities, I decided to move on. The industrial warehouse is perfect for such work, with plenty of space, workshops and the possibility to work on a large scale.
You have 30 colleagues in the building. I assume you have an open door policy or do you like to keep the door closed when you're working?
There are pros and cons to the studio complex. After earning my Bachelor's degree, it was a good place to meet new people, discuss work and share expertise. I have changed studios within the incubator several times to find a space that meets my needs. Last year, together with my studio mate, I set up a ceramics and glass workshop at the back of the warehouse. That studio now serves as a shared workspace for the incubator. Recently, I relocated to the front of Iso, which is much more isolated from the other studios. It's a perfect painting studio with high walls, daylight, seclusion and for the first time in years, central heating!!! I love the social aspect of the incubator, but sometimes it can be distracting. When necessary, I lock the door.
You generally create large abstract canvases. What do you require of a workspace?
The most important thing is space, the ability to step back from the work, turn around and look at it with a fresh perspective. I usually work in series, jumping from canvas to canvas and often working simultaneously on multiple paintings. In the warehouse, I can hang four to five large paintings next to each other, place images in front of them and then bring them into my studio for the final details. In the studio itself, I spend time observing how a work is drying before deciding on the next step.
What is a typical studio day for you?
I ride my bike to my studio through Westerpark and am usually at my studio early because I love the morning when it's quiet in the warehouse and I can concentrate best. Once in the studio, I enjoy a cup of coffee and spend time thinking about what needs to be done that day. I usually spend the morning painting and drawing and in the afternoon, focus on more practical tasks. I usually do physical work, such as pouring concrete, making installations or working with glass and ceramics, in the afternoon or evening.
Much of your work revolves around public space and the traces (from graffiti to tile grass and laughing gas cylinders) that people consciously or unconsciously leave behind. Can you explain why this fascinates you?
It's the small everyday constellations that I find interesting, things that are often overlooked in the daily grind. I start by studying public space. I wander around and let myself be guided by everyday elements that catch my attention. I observe, document and then incorporate what I find into my work. You might describe these as experimental wanderings in which I connect my observations to various conditions in the urban environment. The situations I spontaneously encounter form the starting point for new work. The subjects I address stem from a fascination with the obvious, the everyday, the small and the beautiful.
When we spoke in the spring, we talked at length about your field trips, long walks mainly through urban areas and their edges. Along with Ruben Raven, you visited Belgrade, Brussels and Berlin. Are you still going on field trips and if so, where do you go and why specifically to that city?
One of the field trips that made a huge impression on me was to Charleroi. I had once read an article about the ugliest cities in Europe and Charleroi ranked number one, so I figured I had to go there. With its abandoned buildings, unfinished metro systems and post-industrial areas, Charleroi has something dystopian about it. We camped amidst the ruins of an old factory. I’d highly recommended it.
Charleroi Cooling Tower. Photo: Peter Straatburg
In recent years, you have started working with glass. Will we see any of that at Art Antwerp?
I have been experimenting with glass for a few years now, both blown glass and melting it in moulds. I initially started this during my graduate studies in the glass workshop at the Rietveld Academy. After that, I ended up at a workshop where, under the guidance of Steef Hendriks, I learned more about casting and fusing glass. Last year, I purchased an oven where I can experiment with glass on my own. During Art Antwerp, some glass castings will be shown alongside a series of new paintings.
What possibilities does glass offer you that canvas doesn’t?
To me, these are two incomparable media: painting is an intuitive process, while working with glass requires a preconceived plan. While doing my Master's degree, I experimented a lot in the glass workshop with making glass moulds using the lost wax technique. In the work Nuts of Memories, you can see a series of cast glass objects. These prints are still on a small scale to better understand the material. Slowly but surely, I am expanding into other forms. At the moment, I am working on a large series of glass sculptures that will be shown at DMW gallery at Art Rotterdam 2024.
You are now 28 and still at the beginning of your career. Is there a project you would like to carry out in the next five years?
I am currently working on creating my first public outdoor work for the DSM art collection, which will be installed in the spring of 2024. I am looking forward to completing this project, as it has long been my dream to create art in public spaces. The work consists of fragments of the former building combined with new sculptural elements.
What are you currently working on?
I am currently working on a new publication. I am also doing the final preparations for Art Antwerp and a solo exhibition at Christie's, which will open on 21 December. Art Rotterdam is also coming up in February 2024 with Prospects & Concepts and a solo booth with DMW Gallery. After that, I'm heading to Japan!
