Arjan Janssen: Shifting Depths

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EXDP: How does your local landscape inform your 2D work and installations?

AJ: The Netherlands has a special landscape. Or maybe I have to say they have no landscape. In any case, not what many people here mean: hills or mountains with the air above it. We have no hills and no mountains at all. It is completely flat. Our view consists of a horizon with the air above it.

This is quite radical and certainly influenced the history of Dutch painting. Famous are the 17th century clouds above a horizon far away. But Mondrian was also influenced by the landscape. The horizontal line of the horizon with it at right angles to vertical lines of churches. Its visual language in a nutshell.

I am also formed by my environment. From the geometrical imagery, I move more and more towards a free handwriting. The infinite variety of cloud skies in contrast to the urbanization of our country certainly has an impact. Paradoxically, our view is free and we always see the infinite sky. But on the other hand, we experience little space because we do not have a view from a mountain landscape. I think this contradiction feels my work.

EXDP: Can you talk more about the philosophies you studied? How has your work been influenced by them?

AJ: During my study at the art academy I missed the depth of philosophy. I saw a lot of activity around me and little power for reflection. I found it difficult. And to be honest, I still find it difficult at times. For me, art is strongly connected to thinking. I do not always see that in the art world. There is a lot of superficial tendency.

Man is characterized by his consciousness. We are a thinking creature. Of course we are driven by our drift or by our will. But we can think about what we do. The artistry or culture is its generality gives a platform to intensify it. When I'm at work I do not want to be inhibited by analyzes. During the creation, I have to guide myself through my intuition. But afterwards I think about what I've done and what that means. That is philosophy, reflection on your actions. The stronger the consciousness about your actions is developed, the more power it gets. That means that a painted spot of one artist has the power of command and that of another doesn't.

EXDP: The majority of your works look unfinished on purpose. How does this drive your process?

AJ: Long ago, I was hurting my mind with the question of what a still image seems like. After all, everything is in motion to speak to Heraklaitos. Why then try to solidify this continuous movement in a fixed image? Is not that too high? Is it not wise to accept in your humility your short presence as a human being? And why is that so hard to do? Why the need to apply yourself?
From these questions, I have developed the idea that every artwork is a proposal for a work of art. A painting says as it were; this is what a painting might look like. A Platonic view of reality. The visible world is only a reflection of the real world behind it. And that is not reachable to our invisible beings. From this point of view, it is logical that my works often have an indefinite character. These are snapshots of a continuous creative process. In that sense, I am an oeuvre artist in the first place.

EXDP: I see shifts in atmosphere and figure/ground in your 2D drawings and paintings. Can you expand on this?

AJ: Yes, that is certainly the case. I think I have recently tried to drill deeper ground in myself. Not that I did not do this before. Only it was less visible because there was a formal layer over it. By this I mean the abstract geometric imagery that I worked for a long time. I would like to point out that I never had to do that visual language myself. It was a means that I could express myself well. But it was not an end in itself.

Now that I've left this out, it seems that I'm going through a radical change. I myself do not experience this. I have made work during and after my academic time in which my current work is recognized. So it's before I go back to an earlier process. Only now with much more experience. I think I now have the maturity to cultivate those deeper grounds in a fruitful way. It's no loose gesture because the search is supported by technical finesse. Built by years of effort.

EXDP: Do you think about how time affects a drawing? On average, how long to you spend on a work?

AJ: That is an interesting question. At first, painting seems to be about space. On a flat level, you create an illusionary space. But that will be done in a certain amount of time. The time you've been working on the painting. This aspect can be transferred to the paper or canvas. It can be made visible and is an essential part of the perception of the work of art.
In my current work, I vary a lot in that time experience. I regularly use quick brushstrokes in both the drawings and the paintings. But those are often masked by slow actions. It's a way to keep myself and the spectator too surprised. This will prevent a clear picture. That's something too easy for me. You could name this stylized expression. Tempo changes that generate complexity.

EXDP: What is next in the studio?

AJ: There is a series of seven large-scale paintings waiting. And I am working on a new series of drawings. After the summer I am always full of energy. The coming months are usually very productive. In any case, I am looking forward on it.

Arjan Janssen is a visual artist iving in the Netherlands. More more on his work, visit http://www.arjanjanssen.nl