Interview #88

Gijs Kast

“I studied communication at Design Academy Eindhoven. This was a great introduction to the world of art and design. During my study I focus more and more on illustration. After graduation I started working as a freelance illustrator, mostly editorial, and doing projects, books, exhibitions and painting.”

Where do you draw your inspiration from for your work / what inspires you most?

“I get my inspiration from people, normal people and photography. like my last book project PLAZA, I went to visit shopping malls to portrait the people and surroundings, to make a portrait of the edge of the city.

My work is kind of realistic, I do filter and exaggerate, but its never a caricature. I want my drawings to be convincing characters. I focus on the emotion / expression. I’d rather draw an old grandpa than a pretty girl. I like faces who tell a story. My friend (photo editor) calls me a documentary illustrator. ”

Gijs Kast's portraits are stripped from any form of aesthetic. The images offer a direct and confronting reflection that underlines the humanity of the portraited. Kast shows what normally is hidden and uses his humor to make the painful experience of this exposure bearable. Kast reveals the venom within you and offers you the pleasure of a sarcastic peep. It is therefore not hard to tune in to his work.

Tell us about your works, we would like to know more about them. What materials do you use?

“Most of my work is pencil drawing and sometimes bigger scale (acrylic) painting/drawing.”