A Conversation with Geert Koekoeckx

What inspires you?

Things that have a history, literally or figuratively, that are disturbed, imperfect, dissonant, or contrasting. The poetry of the unexpected & the imperfect, and that poetry is often dissonant. Inspiration can surprise me anywhere; during a walk in the woods, a conversation, reading a book, a museum visit... Eventually, you build an arsenal of motifs and ideas, which—whether or not distorted—find their way to the canvas. But why and how certain things inspire me, that can remain a mystery, and I prefer not to analyze it.

What music was playing in the background when you created this work?

My paintings are inevitably the visual accompaniment to the soundtrack I was listening to while painting. Painting allows me to listen to music with great focus, and vice versa. Some songs I associate with this piece are:

• Adrianne Lenker – "Dragon Eyes"
• Wednesday – "Cody’s Only"
• Wilco/Lambchop – "Reservations"
• Ol' Dirty Bastard – "Shimmy Shimmy Ya"
• Method Man – "Bring the Pain"
• Idles – "Beachland Ballroom"
• Songs: Ohia – "Farewell Transmission"

Listen to the Shopify playlist >

Are there historical figures who influence your work?

In this piece, you can discover some parallels with Napoleon. The skeleton resembles a warlord who—mounted on his steed—enters the battlefield as a victor after a battle. The duck as a headpiece resembles Napoleon's iconic bicorne (his inseparable hat). History remains a major source of inspiration—I (un)consciously quote from (art) historical events and imagery.

"If this artwork had a sound, it would be like the slowly swelling Prelude from Wagner’s Das Rheingold combined with high, screeching monkey noises and a trembling pan flute."

What detail in this piece do you think we really need to notice?

The many cracks create a labyrinth on the surface of this work, with various small alleys winding everywhere. The fun part is to reveal as little as possible and let the viewer find their own path.

How does it feel to release your work as a limited edition print, making it more accessible to art lovers?

Collecting and multiplying things has always fascinated me. It's like rice; in large quantities, it becomes interesting. In that sense, reproducing an existing painting—on a different medium—is a very appealing idea. Making my work more accessible to a wider audience is a plus.