Jaco van der Vaart

Jaco van der Vaart (1960) is a multidisciplinary artist whose work ranges from figurative to abstract. He works across sculpture, installation and drawing, using a wide range of materials in his three-dimensional work, including plastics, wood, ceramics and metal.

Growing up in the countryside, surrounded by nature, Jaco developed a curious mind from an early age, always eager to discover something new, driven by a sense of wonder and a desire to understand how the world works. Although art was not part of his upbringing and he was expected to take over his father’s horticultural business, Jaco chose to follow his heart and went on to study at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam, graduating in 1998 as a 3D autonomous artist.

Jaco embraces the idea that everything is interconnected. His work explores the relationship between humans and nature, unveils the unexpected and the impossible, and invites us to see the world from a different perspective.

Jaco lives and works in Delft. He has been a member of Pulchri Studio in The Hague since 2004.

His work is held in private collections in the Netherlands and abroad.

Everything is interconnected: human beings, nature, the Earth and the universe, constantly shaping and influencing one another.

I express myself through sculpture, installation and drawing, combining abstract and figurative elements. For my three-dimensional work, I use a wide range of materials, including plastics, wood, ceramics and metal. My choice of material is always closely connected to the form and meaning of the specific work, and every aspect is carefully considered. This results in a combination of aesthetics and craftsmanship.

Material transformation is an important principle in my work. I take ordinary materials and make them extraordinary by giving them new forms and meanings. In this way, an idea takes on a tangible form that can unfold in the mind of the viewer. Experimenting with different materials and exploring their meanings and properties are an essential part of this dynamic process of renewal and change.

My drawings are highly detailed, with subjects and a visual language closely related to my three-dimensional work.

I am drawn to the intangible and mysterious aspects of our existence. I explore and unravel unexpected connections, such as the similarities between the human body and nature; for example, the branching structures of trees that mirror the neural networks in our brains.

My work reflects on the interconnectedness between humans and nature. Familiar elements from everyday life – such as brains, hands, houses and medical instruments – evoke new associations and reveal secrets that can be both thought-provoking and surprising. Religion, magic, art and science come together naturally in my work, inviting us to view the world from a different perspective