Maker Monday: An aspire Exclusive Interview With Jan Kaláb

Born in 1978 in Czechoslovakia, Jan Kaláb is among the country’s most celebrated contemporary artists, with roots in graffiti and street art. Evolving from murals to paintings, sculptures, and 3-D graffiti, he has showcased his work globally in cities like New York, Paris, and Shanghai. Kaláb’s art delves into an exploration of space, blending classic ideologies with fresh dimensions, characterized by layered surfaces and precise acrylic techniques. He continues to live and create in Prague. Learn more about Kaláb’s art in today’s Maker Monday.

“Point Bird” – 2022

Andrew Joseph: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received as an artist?
Jan Kaláb: When I had a studio in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, for some time ten years ago, and I was visiting galleries in Chelsea, I ended up in a conversation with an older artist, who had a show there. He told me basically this: you have to find a way to succeed on your own, don’t wait for somebody else to do it for you. Up until now, I still think this is the best advice I have ever gotten.

AJ: How do you stay creative and inspired?
JK: I work in my studio every working day from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm, and have free family time during the weekends. This balance between working and chilling keeps me in the rhythm of my creative process.

AJ: Can you tell us about a specific moment in your career that made you feel accomplished?
JK: Flushing, Queens – early morning in June 2000, I was taking photos of subway cars we had painted that night. I felt my graffiti career was accomplished. It was a dream come true for a kid from Eastern Europe to paint NYC subway cars where it all started. From that time I had a similar feeling after finishing a huge installation at the MASP (Museum of Art of São Paulo) in 2011. I hope I’ll achieve another big show like that again soon to have the same feeling.

AJ: What is your favorite place to find inspiration?
JK: My favorite place is being on the water in my boat in the Lake Slapy area of Prague, where I spent summers as a child; I love looking at sunset reflections off the water. This brings me peace of mind. To be honest, I’m not sure how much inspiration it’s brought me so far, but let’s stick to that. Because inspiration is like a ghost, it usually comes in less poetic moments.

“Vibrating Corner” – 2021

AJ: What is the most important skill for a successful artist?
JK: Courage is very important for finding new ways to create your art, because fear of failing means repeating the same things as what was successful in the past, and it means no evolution. No evolution means no new artistic inspiration and practice, which means no new success.

AJ: What is your favorite thing about being an artist?
JK: It is creating my own ideas in the way I want, at any time I want. The only problem is you have full responsibility in achieving success – that’s quite a hard job.

AJ: What is your favorite artist tool to use?
JK: I love using spray guns – you can apply so much paint in such a short time. It is so much fun to work on color gradients and to challenge myself on how smooth I can make it. The only disadvantage is the working process is pretty loud, you need to have good ventilation, and an air compressor. So after working for some time in a spray booth, I question myself: “Isn’t a brush better instead?”

AJ: If you weren’t an artist, what would you be and why?
JK: I would be a professional surfer. Surfing is the most fascinating sport to me, it is a pure connection between human, nature, and poetry. I found out pretty quickly, however, I have zero chances in the surfing world. So I’m glad I focused my energy and time in a different direction, and I became a pretty successful artist, which is much better than an unsuccessful surfer.

“Anatomy of Rainbow” – 2022

AJ: What’s your favorite cocktail?
JK: Dark and Stormy or Negroni.

AJ: What would your dream project or dream client be right now?
JK: Creating sculptures on a private island in the Indian Ocean. If it were to really happen, am I capable enough to do it? I hope I wouldn’t screw it up!

AJ: Style icon and why?
JK: Snoop Doggy Dog – walking in pajamas and smoking blunts in such style for so many years and being so successful. You need to be specially gifted for that.

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About the Maker | I am an abstract artist working with various mediums and different types of techniques. Shape and color are the main characters of my work, which I push and blend together to exaggerate, or minimize, forms and to express my artistic self. My paintings teeter on the edge of sculpture and my sculptures are mostly painted. I am inspired by nature and both, the micro and macro, cosmos. Sometimes my shapes may resemble a particular form, but my intention is not to capture nor replicate an existing image or narrative. Rather, I’m looking for a universal beauty in an unseen and novel perspective, and telling a different interpretation of perhaps a known story. The sensations you get when you remember any special moment or melody; this feeling of déja vu is what I strive to achieve and wish to resonate with my audience. I paint with acrylic on custom-sized organic shaped frames made in my studio. I create sculptures from different materials, such as wood, resin, or bronze. I like to do light suspended installations. It is also important for me to work in a virtual space, so I can translate my physical art into digital forms, such as augmented realities, or animated NFTs. My sources of inspiration for my work are inexhaustible.

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