Jan Indrans gave us a delightful and inspiring talk last meeting - I’m not sure if he produced this summary on his own or with Gordon’s help - but it sums up my experience of the evening. Thanks Jan and Gordon and everyone else there.
Jan’s passion for art was nurtured early on. His mother had a talent for drawing and painting his father an engineer, both complemented his future development as a sculptor.
On completing secondary school in England Jan enrolled at Watford Technical College School of Art for a one year foundation course. There he was introduced to the various art disciplines, including painting, drawing, print making, graphic design, industrial design and sculpture.
It was here that he came under the influence of two German tutors, Peter Schmidt and Michael Werner both of whom had been guided by the Bauhaus and Surrealist movements. He then went on to study Art and Design at Sunderland Polytechnic School of Art in the North East of England. There he came under the influence of Conceptual and Minimalist Art which were very much in vogue at that time, the 1970’s.
After 3 years of study he obtained his B.A. Not wishing to go into teaching he went a wandering wishing to shake off influences and find his true self. In 1981 he came to visit these shores and has been here ever since.
Australia provided the perfect platform from which to explore his sculptural ideas. The place had SPACE an important ingredient in his work. The many varied landscapes especially the bolder strewn Wilsons Promontory were to influence his work. The LINE between city and wilderness, sky and land and sea was to shape his ideas of CONTRAST and FORM. The physicality of the place was a three dimensional experience. This is why Jan likes to photograph his work in the landscape using it as both studio and gallery.
Intellectually Jan draws his influences from attempting to understand the artist’s place in history as a recorder of place, experience and idea. There is an affinity with music, Mozart through to Philip Glass, jazz and beyond for these are also creative fields upon which to graze. The idea of the subconscious as described by Carl Jung allows him to maintain faith in his creative pursuits. The works of Paul Klee, Brancusi, Donald Judd , just to name a few provide reoccurring themes in his work. Classical Greek, Inca and Palladian architectural motifs provide a sub text. Working in hardwood jarra, red gum etc., allows him to define sharp edges and exploit the colour giving the work. Sometimes the wood is limed white to enhance the form of the piece. Jan likes to work abstract this allows him freedom to experiment with ideas and juxtapose materials. He searches for simplicity in his endeavors sometimes this is not possible with the result that some of his pieces appear complex. Jan’s idea of creating sculpture is in keeping with that of a music composer or conductor that some sort of order should be brought upon the whole.
Jan indicates that he , paints with a broad brush , that is to say he likes to cover a multitude of artistic disciplines sculpture being one of them, these include drawing, photography, print making and digital art. For him it is the creative process that matters not necessarily the end result. It’s about being hands on and in the zone.
To view Jan’s creative endeavours log on to: http://www.suburbanrelic.com
You can also search his name, Jan Indrans in the online gallery:
https://www.behance.net
And of course there is our own site:
http://sculptorsvictoria.asn.au
Jan’s passion for art was nurtured early on. His mother had a talent for drawing and painting his father an engineer, both complemented his future development as a sculptor.
On completing secondary school in England Jan enrolled at Watford Technical College School of Art for a one year foundation course. There he was introduced to the various art disciplines, including painting, drawing, print making, graphic design, industrial design and sculpture.
It was here that he came under the influence of two German tutors, Peter Schmidt and Michael Werner both of whom had been guided by the Bauhaus and Surrealist movements. He then went on to study Art and Design at Sunderland Polytechnic School of Art in the North East of England. There he came under the influence of Conceptual and Minimalist Art which were very much in vogue at that time, the 1970’s.
After 3 years of study he obtained his B.A. Not wishing to go into teaching he went a wandering wishing to shake off influences and find his true self. In 1981 he came to visit these shores and has been here ever since.
Australia provided the perfect platform from which to explore his sculptural ideas. The place had SPACE an important ingredient in his work. The many varied landscapes especially the bolder strewn Wilsons Promontory were to influence his work. The LINE between city and wilderness, sky and land and sea was to shape his ideas of CONTRAST and FORM. The physicality of the place was a three dimensional experience. This is why Jan likes to photograph his work in the landscape using it as both studio and gallery.
Intellectually Jan draws his influences from attempting to understand the artist’s place in history as a recorder of place, experience and idea. There is an affinity with music, Mozart through to Philip Glass, jazz and beyond for these are also creative fields upon which to graze. The idea of the subconscious as described by Carl Jung allows him to maintain faith in his creative pursuits. The works of Paul Klee, Brancusi, Donald Judd , just to name a few provide reoccurring themes in his work. Classical Greek, Inca and Palladian architectural motifs provide a sub text. Working in hardwood jarra, red gum etc., allows him to define sharp edges and exploit the colour giving the work. Sometimes the wood is limed white to enhance the form of the piece. Jan likes to work abstract this allows him freedom to experiment with ideas and juxtapose materials. He searches for simplicity in his endeavors sometimes this is not possible with the result that some of his pieces appear complex. Jan’s idea of creating sculpture is in keeping with that of a music composer or conductor that some sort of order should be brought upon the whole.
Jan indicates that he , paints with a broad brush , that is to say he likes to cover a multitude of artistic disciplines sculpture being one of them, these include drawing, photography, print making and digital art. For him it is the creative process that matters not necessarily the end result. It’s about being hands on and in the zone.
To view Jan’s creative endeavours log on to: http://www.suburbanrelic.com
You can also search his name, Jan Indrans in the online gallery:
https://www.behance.net
And of course there is our own site:
http://sculptorsvictoria.asn.au
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