Joya: AiR / Karlijn de Lange / NED

"During my one week residency I wanted to emerse myself and my work in nature as much as possible. Upon arrival I let the sun, wind, light and temprature direct the course of my days. Lots of my mornings were spent hiking and biking in the vast nature around Joya: AiR. I took photos and gathered rocks to work with in my studio during the afternoons. The amount of inspiration was overwhelming, which resulted in the start of several different projects simultaniously to further develop at home.

An important part of going to Joya for me was to connect with other artists and to have conversations about each others practice. I was fortunate to enter a warm group in which we were all open to welcome others in our studios. These frequent visits and interactions throughout the week resulted in insightful talks and deep bonding as a group.

After a dark winter in my home country this was a beautiful time to gain new energy for the start of the year. I look back with great joy and gratitude for taking part in this introspective experience."

Simon Beckmann10 April 2023