Jan Cleveringa is a contemporary, multidisciplinary artist exploring impacts of global cultural change, attitudes and identity resulting in painting, sculpture, video and other forms within an experimental arts making practice which began in 2013 during his first studio residency at the Leo Kelly Blacktown Art Centre.
He is based in Sydney. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in psychology and political science, University of Sydney and also studied a B.V. Arts (painting) at Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Management, University of Technology.
More recently, Cleveringa has been looking at the paradigm of global sustainability using business waste and discarded materials whilst juxtaposing them with natural environments and natural materials producing ephemeral works, sculptures, drawings and paintings. He has also been exploring the global impact of the mobile phone on the psycho-social landscape by producing series of works using the metaphor of the ‘filter’ and ‘screenshot’ in painting, video and photography.
In 2019 he won the Eden Unearthed Art Prize, Eden Gardens NSW as well as the Scenic Sculpture Environment Prize, Scenic World, Blue Mountains NSW. In 2018 he received the Highly Commended Prize in the Adelaide Park Lands Art Prize. In 2018, he was selected as part of the European Galeria-Zero Arts Collective and had group exhibitions in Barcelona, Paris, Berlin and Paris with painting. In 2016 he was awarded a grant for new experimental work in painting by the Leo Kelly Blacktown Art Centre Creative Arts Fund. In addition, he has also been awarded several community and public art project commissions.
Cleveringa’s studio residencies include the Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre, NSW in 2013, 2015 and 2016: The Peacock Gallery, Cumberland, NSW, 2017 and this year 2019 at the Bilpin International Ground for Creative Initiatives (BigCi) Bilpin, NSW and also 2019 Gunyah, North Arm Cove, NSW (via Kath Fries, Curator).
Cleveringa has been a consistent finalist in respected art prizes entered, such as: the Mosman Art Prize (2010, 2011, 2017); Blacktown Art Prize (2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017); Campbelltown Art Prize (2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018); Hidden Sculpture Art Prize 2016; Eden Unearthed (2018, 2019) and the Scenic Sculpture Prize (2017, 2018, 2019). Furthermore: the Chippendale New World Art Prize, NSW, (2016) and the SWELL Sculpture Prize, Currumbin, Queensland (2017).
Get to know more about Jan here
2020 SWELL ARTWORK – The Corporate Snake, Jan Cleveringa
You’re looking at about 10,000 discarded light globes and about $75,000 of working waste that was not mindfully utilised or redistributed. Why? The Corporate Snake looks at the big picture about oversupply, waste, recycling and sustainability where industry production and waste should and could be tied to the beginning when companies first start out through incorporation law. When companies are born. It’s a new idea about how all companies can change their behaviour by modifying the corporations law and therefore each company’s Constitution at the point of power which is when new companies get created. Let’s add a new clause.
SWELL Kids Artist Statement – The Corporate Snake, Jan Cleveringa
Shaped as a snake, this artwork is made from thousands of free light globes that have never been used. It’s a shame they were thrown out and not used. Sometimes business needs to think ahead. What a waste.
Come and see for yourself at SWELL Sculpture Festival, Pacific Parade, Currumbin 11-20 September.