My artistic practice consists of drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography and
screenprint. Occasionally I also perform as a DJ and I host a monthly show called Rice
Peas Roots and Culture at online radiostation Echobox Radio.
This practice manifests itself through an intuitive, associative, physical and sometimes
agressive way of working. The raw energy in my work can be associated with old school
abstract expressionism but also street culture in it’s many forms.
The direct approach and speed of work comes from graffiti, where I learned to act quick and be creative while being under time pressure.
Artistic production for me is not an illustration of a concept, I think in material.
Work comes from work, meaning work is produced, shown, destroyed (deliberately or not),
recontextualised or re-used.
This has developed into a certain dynamic where a work is never really finished but part of
a continuous rhythm.
Sometimes I add objects to the canvas, sometimes I paint objects. Most sculptural
materials are found in the surroundings of my studio, which is located in the Bijlmer, a
vibrant multi-cultural neighborhood in Amsterdam.
20th (and 21st) Century black music from the US and Caribbean play an essential role in my
work. I use lyrics from Hip Hop, Reggae, Funk, Rhythm and Blues, Techno and/or Jazz, which often focus on
awareness, have a political message or call for action.
What inspires me is messages about injustice, social issues, racism but also pride and joy.
On the other hand these songs inspire me to use perseverance, endurance and
competition as a positive force to achieve higher goals together with fellow artists,
creatives, makers and friends.
My color use is rooted in Rastafari (green, yellow/gold and red). and Pan African (red,
black and green) movements. Next to a little white and brown, this is my palette.
Recently my use of color has become more strict, the white plays less and less a role. In a
painterly way I want to make a statement about the predominance of white (as an outdated
symbol of neutrality) in the art world.
Thinking of the Dutch painting tradition, my limited use of color fits in perfectly, as a kind of
post-colonial answer to De Stijl.
With my use of materials I want to ask questions about the shelf life of terms such as
neutrality, eternal value, tradition, (de)construction, use, re-use and abuse. But in general,
I want to question the sanctity, this holiness of art.
By using coded texts, I wish to excite, trigger, seduce and arouse curiosity for the
language, the energy and the emotion that underpins the work.
By following my heart and using my creativity, I want the work to help build a future where
racism is disappeared, capitalism has been curbed and colonialism has been processed.