The journey of creating a new series – the process of making – plays an important part in the visual language of its final form. I always try to move at the intersection between process and image. By embracing flaws and failures that arise during the process of making, elements of decay – like dripping paint, peeling tape and glitches – become part of the visual language of the image itself. 

I'm driven by material experimentation. Shifting between various styles, I create compositions that incorporate collage, silkscreen and photography, and are rendered using a multitude of materials including spray paint, acrylics, oil stick, fabric, cardboard and paper cuts. 

New places can bring something unexpected. That's why being somewhere else, all alone, works very inspiring. When I start a new project I use walks, mostly in big cities, as a starting point. I'm attracted to the visual language of the street and urban space. It's patterns, rhythm, and how humans, animals and plants relate and move through this world of signs and structures. Who am I, and who are we in relation to this space?

I usually walk without a clear goal in mind, collecting a variety of materials, like second-hand books from thrift stores, old records and postcards. I make photographs, snapshots, soundscapes and little writings, all driven by spontaneous encounters and interactions. Back in the studio, I reflect on my collected material, creating new narratives while constructing and deconstructing.

Bio Hugo Tekstra | Kultuer Kollektyf