Painting is an art form that has constantly evolved throughout its extensive history and is still changing every day. Cas van Deurssen (Deurne, 1994) is still exploring the boundaries of painting every day. We spoke to him in his studio about his work.
"Previously, I worked mainly in the technical sector as a welder, but after a few years I realised that I wanted to work creatively and decided to make a career switch. I enrolled in the Sint Joost School of Art & Design in Den Bosch, where I studied for three years and did another six-month exchange in Berlin. In Berlin, I realised I was actually ready for new input and studied for two more years at the Minerva Academy in Groningen, where I graduated in 2020.
I would mainly describe my work as large-scale. I usually work on large wall-filling canvases or large triptychs. Occasionally, I also make very small works, but rarely do I choose something in between. My works are at the intersection between sculptural work and painting. They are generally relatively flat wall objects that tend towards two-dimensionality. I sometimes call my works poetic diaries because many things from my surroundings and memories recur in my works. This can be both literal and figurative. Sometimes I paste things I find on my walks directly onto a canvas and sometimes I make things that resemble materials found in construction, for example. Berlin was great because it was such a big city and you could experience something new every day, which was very nice for making new work. The same applies to my work; in construction, you see a lot of symbols and materials, and I like to reflect these in my work. Sometimes the inspiration comes from there and sometimes from something else, it's hard to predict. I look for a playfulness in my work with a hint of nostalgia. They are memories that combine to form a composition and tell a new story.
I got the Kunstenaar Start grant from the Mondriaan Fund a while back, and that has given me the opportunity to experiment with more materials. For Art Rotterdam 2024, I created a large work: seven metres wide and three metres high, using a range of new materials. These range from thermoplastics to scaffolding tubes. This way of working gave me the opportunity to take a break from raw painting and explore more the sculptural side of my work. Sculptural elements behave differently from a painted surface. It is another expression of your actions as an artist and gives it an expression that the flat surface cannot match.
I now work very methodically, which is very opposite to the intuitive way I used to work.
I currently have my studio in a large shed that is full of construction materials and tools, which is very convenient for the making process. I can just grab something or fabricate it on the spot without having to drive to the hardware store. Given the size of the work and the cost involved, I now work very methodically, which is very opposite to the intuitive way I used to work. I usually started with a blank canvas on which I sprayed a whole can of spray paint and that was my starting point to build on. In comparison, the work I make now is very refined. For example, I created the composition on the computer beforehand, which would never have happened before. But it is this variety that is very refreshing for me. I am not someone who makes the same painting a thousand times that is just a little bit different each time. I don't like to repeat myself, so I try to challenge myself every time by trying something completely new."
Text: Dinnis van Dijken
Photos: Lisa Jasperina Bommerson