Gerdien van Halteren
Gerdien van Halteren (1993), better known as -GARY, is a visual artist from Amsterdam. Her work touches on topics like queerness, sexuality and gender and she hopes to uplift taboos surrounding those themes.
GARY’s work is characterised by a distinguished colour scheme, harsh but flow-y lines and a minimalistic approach. Her subjects exist in a surreal universe, somewhere between real life, the dream realm and the online world.
The role of art has changed over time. How would you describe your role as a modern day artist?
For me, my role as an artist to the outside world is all about representation. Representing various bodies, sexualities, identities. In that way I hope my art will contribute to a more diverse and inclusive depiction of our society. I wish I had more imagery of women loving women, our people with stretch marks around when I was younger; that would’ve meant a lot in my way to accepting myself.
What kind of art do you have hanging on your walls?
All different kinds. Paintings I find in thrift shops that I love because of the texture and colour. Some lighthearted and humorous illustrations from Rogier Roeters & Nastia Cistakova. Some postcards of replicas of old artworks & photographs, that I buy after an inspiring museum visit. I have f.i. ’The Dying Dandy’ from Nils Darndl taped to my wall; I think I stared at the real one for at least 45 minutes when visiting a museum in Stockholm.
What is the most unexpected source of inspiration for you?
Boredom. I’m almost never bored but it happened to me a few times during quarantine. It does interesting things with your brain, makes you draw different things all of the sudden. Things at hand, things from your childhood.
What does your ideal working day look like? What time of the day do you feel most creative?
I’m a morning person, so I love to get up a bit before the rest of the world (but it doesn’t always work out). That way it’s still very quiet and peaceful & it feels like you have a head start. I’ll have a very elaborate breakfast and then head to my studio. Serious stuff will happen during the morning & I’ll get a little dip around 2/3. We have the most comfy couch in our atelier, so I’ll take a little nap and then most of the time the creativity starts. If I’m in a flow I’ll stay till late, get some really nice food and some good red wine and just create things until I’ m either tired, empty or drunk.
With what kind of art did you fill your notebooks as a child?
Girls! Always girls, most of the time (partially) nude. I should’ve known that I liked girls by then but it took me a good 15 years extra haha. And I always drew with ballpoints, just lines, no colours.
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