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The ‘Casper Waaijer in Kazakhstan’ art exhibition is on display at Singer Laren gallery until 2 March, 2025. Casper Waaijer (1995) is the winner of the 2024 John and Marine Van Vlissingen Art Foundation Prize, which includes supporting a young Dutch artist’s journey, a book, and an exhibition at Singer Laren. Casper Waaijer traveled to Kazakhstan, a country of rich contrasts, where he explored how to unite the brutalist urban architecture with its vast natural landscapes.
Inspiration
It’s a word that marks the first step of creating art. It is also the central theme in the mission of the John and Marine Van Vlissingen Art Foundation: to support and encourage young, talented Dutch artists to take new steps in their careers. The Foundation celebrates its 15-year anniversary by awarding the prize to its 50th artist, Casper Waaijer. He was selected for his skilled use of inherently expressive raw materials, such as jute sacks, ratchet straps, and car seat belts.
A self-taught artist
Although Casper Waaijer has only been active in the art world for a few years, as a self-taught artist, he has already shown significant development. In 2021, after studying Business Administration at Nyenrode and a career in sales, the Casper decided to follow his true passion. His journey to Kazakhstan became an valuable source of inspiration, which he translated into a series of intuitively abstract works. These reflect his passion for combining diverse materials, techniques, forms, textures, and colors.
Intense and Alluring Artworks
Casper Waaijer was drawn to Kazakhstan by his fascination with Brutalism—an architectural style characterized by block-like structures, unpolished concrete, and metal constructions. There, he found inspiration in the details, such as diverse repainted window frames and façades of apartment buildings. They create a raw streetscape, a significant source of inspiration for his work.
