In conversation with Erris Huigens

During this episode of Fakewhale Live, host Jesse Draxler chats with Dutch artist Erris Huigens.

Erris, who also goes by the artist name Deconstructie, grew up in a creative family with a father who was a landscape architect and a collector of over 10,000 books. Erris took art classes in college and then traveled to the United States for a year, visiting places like New York and LA. After returning to Europe, Erris applied to art school and found a passion for photography, graphic design, and street art.

In particular during the conversation, Erris discusses how his father’s passion for landscape architecture and his own travels to the United States helped shape his understanding of space and visual art. He also mentions how he and his collaborator at the time were interested in subcultures and showing their work outside of traditional institutions — not only exploring their surroundings, but also using space both indoors and outdoors creatively.

Throughout the conversation, Erris emphasizes the importance of finding one’s own direction in the art world and choosing what to show based on one’s interests and style. He points out that art school is not mandatory for everyone, but for him, it was a valuable experience in working with art and visual media.

Erris’ journey as an artist reflects his unique perspective on the world and how his background has helped shape his art.