VAGTARY is a creature of contrasts, telling stories about places where the unknown lurks just beyond. It was born in Amsterdam, December 4th, 2022. The artist drawn to the starkness of a world divided in black and white. The abstracts are a reflection of this love for contrast and duality.
How did you get into art?
Well, I’ve been drawing and designing all my life. 8 years ago, I challenged myself with a simple question: can I make something interesting within strict limitations? No color, no recognisable shapes and just one form concept at a time. Based on these experimentations, VAGTARY was born December 2022.
How would you describe your style? What makes your work special?
VAGTARY is a creature of contrasts, telling stories about places where the unknown lurks just beyond. I’m drawn to the starkness of a world divided in black and white. My abstracts are a reflection of this love for contrast and duality. They introduce settings that somehow keep you on your toes, with a sense of tension and excitement. That’s where I thrive.
How do you go about developing your work?
To be honest, every idea I start with falls apart the moment I make the first design. Things never work out like I planned. But often I see an image that tickles me somehow. Why is that? Then there’s a journey of discovery: what makes the image interesting? What can I do to bring it to life? I never know where that journey takes me. It can takes days, weeks, months or even years to figure that out.
All my work is digitally made and then mostly produced on brushed aluminium. The combination of organic shapes and solid metal works really nicely.
Who or what influences you?
Bridget Riley was my most important influence. I love her innovative, daring and minimalistic approach. Later came artist like Carlos Cruz Diez. And, being Dutch, obviously Mondriaan. On a broader level, my heroes are Picasso and Matisse. On Instagram, artists like Nik Shanlin (@Nikshanlin), Alex Spheo (@spheo), Carl Krasberg (@claudia_krasberg) and Robert Stone (@robertstoneart) inspire me.
Make us curious. What is planned next?
I just want to keep myself entertained and stretch my imagination. For me, VAGTARY is more of a fluid concept than a specific piece of work. The expression will change over time. What that means, I don’t know, but I trust it will make sense when I see it. My main goal is enjoying the journey without knowing the destination.
What I would like to do though, is more collaborations, especially those that cross boundaries. For example, I would like to work with a musician, graffiti artist or fashion designer. And I would like to design the livery of a race car.
