Works
An overview of my most recent works.
About the works
“The backs of sheds, worn thresholds and greasy patches around light switches. What does the inside of the wall look like? I want to know what is on the blown away pieces of paper lying under a bush. And why shouldn’t an old piece of plywood be just as valuable as a ceremonial portrait? All those houses with attics with cabinets with drawers containing all sorts of little things...”
Jef Stapel uses discarded materials from building sites: mainly plywood boards and sometimes perspex. The glue residue, old layers of paint, nail holes in the material are the starting point for his creations. He saws the boards, breaks them, cuts and chisels out shapes from them, glues and hammers parts of them together, layered on top of each other, adds a stripe of paint …
The main tool used to make these ‘paintings’ isn’t a brush but a chisel, and a saw, nails and glue. The pattern of the chiseling forms its own painterly texture, like brush strokes do.
Walls have ears. Just as light captures an image on photographic paper, sounds leave an impression on the surface of walls. Even the slightest sigh leaves a trace. These traces, however, cannot be detected by humans. At least, not yet.
Latest news
WTC Rotterdam Art Gallery
Together with three other artists, Jef shows new work at the spacious WTC Rotterdam Art Gallery. Location: WTC Rotterdam Art Gallery. Beursplein 37, 3011 AA Rotterdam From: March 19, 2017 – April 2, 2017 More info (website WTC Rotterdam Art Gallery)
This Art Fair
Jef shows his work together with photographs by Serge Steijn at the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam during This Art Fair. Location: Beurs van Berlage. Damrak 243, Amsterdam From: December 30, 2015 – January 3, 2016 More info (website This Art Fair)
NEWSCAPES
Group exhibition with Waël el Allouche, Kevin Bauer, Esther Bentvelsen, Stephan Blumenschein, Tycho Brouwers, Jonathan van Doornum, Daniel Mullen, Anastasija Pandilovska, Jef Stapel, Ivar van der Zwan, Kim Wawer. Location: Cityscapes Gallery. Piet Heinkade 83, Amsterdam (visit by appointment) From: September 11 – October 9 More info Invitation (pdf)
¨Matter of Concern¨
Opening Easter Monday from 12:00 – 17:00 hrs, featuring at 15:00 hrs an interview by Sis Josip with artists Paméla Maria and Jef Stapel, making use of Youtube footage. Location: Sis Josip Gallery, Hoogstraat 9, The Hague From: April 6 – May 7, 2015 More info
KunstRAI 2015
At the booth of SBK KNSM with Huub Vlemmings and Mathilde van Wijnen. Location: RAI Amsterdam. From: May 27-31, 2015. More info
Family Matters: Generations in Art
Opening Saturday 4 April at 16:00 hrs. Jef’s work next to that of his grandfather Frits, grandmother Willemien, father Dick, mother Pepi and sister Fenna. Location: Lange Voorhout 15, The Hague. From: April 4-26, 2015 More info
Week 49: Artist of the week
In December 2014 Jef featured as ‘Artist of the week’ on the Amsterdam website www.liveoost.nl. More info
MIX#2 (Finissage op 16 januari van 17–22 uur)
Werk van Lotte de Ruiter, Jef Stapel en Frans van der Steen. Vrijdagavond 28 november 2014 (tijdens Hoogtij), Galerie Sophie Finissage: 16 januari 2015 Lokatie: Paviljoensgracht 70, Den Haag Meer info
Sprouts #3
Duo-expositie met Huub Vlemmings. Finissage 30 november van 15–17 uur 1 tot en met 30 november, SBK KNSM Amsterdam Lokatie: KNSM-laan 307-309, 1019 LE Amsterdam Meer info
Boost – meet the jeunes talents
6 november t/m 16 november 2014, CBK Amsterdam Locatie: Oranje-Vrijstaatkade 71, 1093 KS Amsterdam Meer info
FreshCACAO
31 augustus t/m 12 oktober 2014, De Cacaofabriek Locatie: Cacaokade 5, 5705 LA Helmond Meer info
The surface is more profound than when you start digging.