Nat Murray and Xenia Chitoroagă, Utrecht
At just 21 years old, Ryan van Vugt is a Dutch artist who sparked people’s interest with his wooden pieces that reflect his country’s folklore and traditions. He stands out for his ability to maintain Dutch culture while other artists seek to innovate.
Sometimes even boredom can be a source of inspiration, which is exactly what happened to Ryan at a summer camp six years ago. Ryan found his taste for wood carving, and since then, this young artist, often dressed in vintage costumes, has continued to develop his technique and creativity, focusing mainly on wood carvings for carnivals and those who request his services.
Thus, Ryan draws inspiration from Dutch history, aesthetic, and symbolism in his work, and his approach is intuitive, based on his knowledge and skills of the craft. In addition, he shines through his unique and raw style, and his choice of traditional or classy clothing, pinned with wood carvings, including a gnome humorously referring to his height. These particularities make him be spotted by everyone around him.
Figure 2. Two examples of Ryan’s artwork, Utrecht, Nederlands. Own photo.
Along with the gnome, Ryan’s other two characteristic designs include the Jester and the wooden shoes – popular symbols of the carnival in Oosterhout, Noord-Brabant, the town where he lives. Using no more than a knife, wood, and paint, he carves pieces from the branches that grow in his own garden, with the use of historical, traditional methods. What is more, his largest creation to date has been a Dutch farmer for carnival, which took him “about 10-15 minutes” to carve.
Ryan acknowledges the Dutch rich cultural and traditional heritage, where a variety of festivals and carnivals each highlight their distinctive symbols, traits, and history, King’s Day, Sinterklaas, and Liberation Day being such examples. Yet, the one that inspired Ryan the most was the Kaaiendonk carnival which manifests itself with red, green and yellow colors, and the “Kaaike” (a small figurine that is designed and produced every year to represent the carnival theme).
Despite everything, Ryan has also opted to step out of his comfort zone on some occasions and carve “random” things: “I’ve also created magnet versions of Santa Claus, Padishah from the Ottoman Empire, Abraham Lincoln and Stalin. Don’t ask me why”, he adds with an amused, yet proud tone of voice. “I just wanted to challenge myself and experiment with other known figures, but it got political pretty quickly”.
Although he does not come from a family of woodcarvers, Ryan has become a staple figure during the carnival season, where he is often surrounded by people interested in his art. His ability to maintain Dutch traditions in his work makes him an important exponent of the country’s cultural heritage, and his creativity and passion for his craft make him an up-and-coming talent on the local art scene. However, in order to know more about Ryan’s future plans, process of carving and showcasing his creations, he offered answers in this extensive interview.
