www.idiots.nl

Hello and welcome ‘Idots’ Afke Golsteijn, Ruben Taneja

and Floris Bakker. Thanks for chatting with us today.

What are you working on right now?

It’s just me Afke Golsteijn We are all spread up into different things. I am working on a jewellery collection, you can see the first six pieces on our web site :the bird collection. There are also small works that popup. And then lots more big works with Floris Ruben is working on the web site.

Sounds great we’ll check it out. So how did Idiots’ come about anyways?

We where in school together, Floris and Ruben from kindergarten and we all as teenagers.

Why the name Idiots?

AAh well….. it happened a long time ago, it was more something that just happened. We all are to honest to naive, working with materials where not supposed to, to vulnerable to expensive to much work, and totally non commercial and you have to be an idiot if you work with the last and maybe only taboo in Holland (death). A lots Dutch artist where sponsored or supported by the government…..well we are not. And we started as a sort of designers…. but we never made a product…see secret archive of idiots on the site: www.idiots.nl than Menu /Contact and than “click” on the creepy guy with a huge beetle in his hands.

That’s was our Design period Ha Ha!! the full title was; this must be designed by idiots.
that became idiots. It is not a very interesting story. the name has to functions you have to be a idiot to do what we do and we refer to the idiots that consume to much and cry murder(if you use a
death bird) and think if you don’t see death it is not there!! we only use animals that died naturally. we never kill for the work.

How did you first begin to use taxidermy as artistic expression?

*That was in 2002 with Ruben we took a coarse in taxidermy. In 2003 I did graduate from the Rietveld academy With jewellery, shirts and most important sculptures. (the first collection on Idiots.nl) After that we Floris and I (we are also a couple for 14 years now) started with the sculptures (incl Iron) and ruben the site and graphics. (now more taxidermy for him)

Was there any question that this was something that you just thought felt right from the beginning?

No! it felt very wrong and that as a meet eater I found very worrying, so I thought I have to do something with this strange Taboo.

There is a lot of miss use in the world, But leather and animal remains are a very beautiful rest product it is because we eaten to much and wand to pay as less as possible that bio industry comes in.

We have tree way’s to get the animals we use , people that bring us animals they found or belonged to them self’s and died. Ore found on there attic, because there grand pa was a taxidermist etc…

We also use the “waist” of the slaughterhouse.

Some time’s as by Ophelia, it game from a Belgium Zoo. So animals that come from wild parks.

I guess this has created a demand for visual merchandising since it lends itself well to sculpture, handicraft, jewellery, and taxidermy as well as capturing the audiences imagination. Does most of your demand come from visual merchandising?

No. we have no demands that’s why we are Idiots

It must be quite a surreal journey as I am sure most taxidermist must all succumb to. They take something that was once alive and moving well on it’s own and dollying it up for presentation. But you guys have taken it to a fantastical level that allows us to further examine not just your animals journey but to question our own. What has been the most surprising part of your work?

How strong Nature and authenticity really are.

We try to show what cruelty we as humans do toward Nature (and our self’s) So often we try to drown the animals in artificial beauty but, than….. magic happens.

Contrasting emotions plays a big part in your work. In your eyes, when does fantasy go to far?

If it is out of narcissism, exclude people or bring harm to all that lives. We people have conscience, so responsibility.

I guess what your really doing is getting the viewer to examine their own colliding path to extinction? As you pose these questions, what answers have you found in your enlightened existence towards life and death?

Enlightened?? More en-darkened. Death is inevitable. One of the most honest pure knowledge what we have.

Undying love is a taxidermist theme that cannot be ignored. What are you your thoughts on a loved one stuffing their pet for display?

Oeff… euhh I don’t know no comment. I mean it has now soul….it is clinging on to a memory. And material….

 

Can you please explain to us the process involved from coming up an idea and continuing it to completion?

Just do it; sometimes it takes years some times it just happens. It is more a way of living I guess

What are some of the challenges in forming your own studio and working with clients and partners?

For partnership leave your ego at the door, And clients??? Wishing for them…

Who do you look to for inspiration from within your industry?

Look around you… that’s my inspiration…well here some one not famous; www.franciswillemstijn.com & www.silvia-b.com

5 questions we wanna know…

1. Favorite website…our own…ok who killed bamby?

2. The best advice you’ve ever heard…*To say no!

3. Art that all we need to see…I don’t know support your friends

4. What do you believe but can’t prove…That the world would be so much more beautiful without humans.

5. Biggest distraction…fear.

In 10 years where do you see your work taking you?

I really hope we would make public works like on the street, or strange places like the dessert. Probably without the animals.

Thanks again!

Posted: November 16th, 2008 under Idiots- Afke Golsteijn, Ruben Taneja and Floris Bakker.
Comments: none