The Siege of Tilburg: Building. The End?

Building

No prophet, but a message

"I've long thought that Michael Jackson was the only artist on earth"

During the interview:
Where:
Tilburg
Duration:
1 hour
Drink:
A bottle of elderberry soda
Food:
Nothing
Pronunciation:
"Everything is much more intense because of the war”

After his work in 2007, Fillet of Sopie, the success of the Surinamese artist Building rolls steadily into the new decade. Now in Tilburg the ever cheerful Building experiments with Tilburg as a public workshop, but with a certain immersion and harassment.

That the young Building would become an artist was almost inevitable. His father worked alongside his regular job, for years as amateur artist in various workshops, his parents' house in Paramaribo was always filled with paintings, drawings, collages and more different works. Building began painting at the age of nine and from the age of fifteen, he worked with whatever he could find. With characteristic inseparable hat, Building walks through the ravaged but still trendy cafe where I've agreed to meet him.

Your appearance, a sort of vintage soul style, is that a trademark?
"I don’t know, that style always accidentally seeps through: in furniture and other things also. I do not really have a clear vision when I’m buying clothes, it's a collection of different things that I like. One time I wear sneakers, the other day walkers. "

Does that also apply to your artistic taste and style?
"Yes, I'm not really tied to one style. I am influenced by different styles, from dada to realism. It usually doesn’t matter, but most often I am most attracted by art that seems to be created straight from the heart. "

And now?
"Since I'm stuck here, I work with whatever I can find and get, and I also teach at the Academy of Fontys. I have a one year contract so I better finish it. And a well, for myself... I was inspired by the sheets and curtains hung across the streets by citizens back in Sarajevo. I do not know if you've already seen them but, yes I wanted to add some more. Hehe, yeah, it’s just funny to tease the snipers here with an additional message. Recently I managed to get my hands on a turntable and I mostly listen to vinyl. Soul, jazz, fusion, whatever that I can get, but I prefer real home-chillmusic, I love it. If it seems to be a quiet day, I sometimes bring the turntable and some records to the academy. Then I and the students get to work, while enjoying the music and the sounds of war. "

Are we going to see those acts back in your work?
"Well, I never really have a plan of how my work should be. Especially NOW I let myself be influenced by the environment. First I search for what I experienced and what I would like to say, then how I would it to say. You’ll also recognize this yourself as being an artist. Just like your projects: you have a topic in your head and then you go looking for the way you want to depict. And then you go looking for the right pencils and paper format. Make no mistake, I am also impressed with your work, but isn’t that the way it is, when keep trying to work in a city like this? "

You got that right, it’s not easy. You have to adapt and make the best of it. And especially do not lose your sense of humor.
"That's the last thing you should do. Here’s one by the way, a student told me:
In South a mother puts her head out the window of her apartment and calls out to the children playing outside: "Children go inside! There is a sniper over there! " One of the children answers:" No there’s not! Daddy is sleeping! "

(We laughed out loud because of the silliness joke. People in the cafe who also heard the joke joined us in our laughter. Then we ordered another bottle of elderberry soda)

Okay! Next. You're not a world famous artist, but you already exposed your work in various museums in the world. And besides that you also worked a lot behind the scenes. You were active in Suriname, you contributed to Paramaribo Perspectives in Rotterdam in 2010 and now you teach students at Fontys. Why?
"I like people. People are inspiring. I also find it very good to transfer knowledge, no pardon, I’ve said that wrong. It’s good to EXCHANGE knowledge. You can really learn from each other. It's also great fun to work with others."

But you haven’t been working on your own career for such a long time.
"That's not true, actually I’ve been working on my career since I was fifteen. But in Suriname it’s also difficult to get known. After having been taught at academies abroad, I began to use more influences. From these influences came Filet Of Sopie in 2007. It seems ‘suddenly’ but it takes years of preparation. I grew up poor and I still haven’t got much money. But I am a billionaire when it comes down to experience. "

How did you get in the picture?
"After Filet Of Sopie was discovered by an American in Suriname, I was invited to exhibit in the United States. Then the ball started rolling towards Europe. First Rotterdam and then London. It was also a lot of good luck, believe me! "

You’re a father, since five months. The contact with your family must be very difficult right now.
"Yes it is. But it gives me an extra boost. My wife is very proud of what I do and she also wants me to finish this. And if we get to talk on Skype or chat, we share in joy. "

When was the last time you spoke to them?
"Ten days ago ... Can I use your.. Does your laptop has..? "

Sure!
"Thanks man!"

But what’s to say of your world fame?
"It will become less I guess. Yeah as I said, after Filet Of Sopie it got started. And in the UK it started a debate. And especially in Switzerland and Italy it went well. "

Do you speak Italian?
"No, but phonetically I'm quite strong."

The work 4-3dom shows a reasonable commitment and you have guided students with their performances on the Katterug. This clearly shows your concern about the state of the world.
"Correct. Look around you. Who would have ever thought this would happen in the Netherlands!?
4-3dom was actually before the war and the work was not intended as specific criticism. The situation made it specific criticism. Do you remember that song that got popular by the attacks on September 11, of that American band, Live? "

Yes I know them!
"Overcome, that’s the song. Overcome became their biggest hit. People think that Live wrote Overcome specifically in response to the attacks, but it was already on their album. It only really embodied "with the feeling of those days." Then the song was released earlier as a single early and the income went to the victims of the attacks. That comparison you can draw with 4-3dom. The war has made it very well known.
But apart from that .. it suits me, but I don’t want to make it look like: "Let me tell you how this works!" For long I thought that I had no authority to create such works. Who takes that kind of stuff from a guy in his twenties, who had never experienced war? Now I'm in the middle of the shit. And now I'm 31, I feel I should take responsibility. I don’t want to be a prophet, like Bono, but I want to create things about issues that I think are really important. The arts allow us to expose and debate calls, and this is my way to make that happen. "

Is it the paternity?
"Perhaps, but the war broke out before Joy was born. I should have been there but the war prevented me from the plane to catch. But everything has become much more intense. On a large scale, "where should it go in the world, as well as small things. I think more about what kind of example I give, what message, I want to transmit, or want to bring to debate. I want to show that in my work. "

Where do you get your inspiration?
"Actually, from everything that moves me. For example, you with your curls haha, no man, yeah I mean, sorry hehe. Okay okay. Uhm. No, things that touch me. Like a song you really feel, the feeling behind the song. You are parsing: how does it work? In my early teenage years I was a fan of Michael Jackson, I have long thought that he was the only artist in the world."

Would you like to be as famous as Michael Jackson?
That level of fame you do not want, and is not pleasant for anyone. For me now, it’s more about my work, The work that I can do here in this city with other people. That’s what I want.

(I saved the file that I made using the voice recorder on my laptop, linked to the internet and let Building chat with his family.)

Typical Building
Favorite stimulant
"I like to smoke a joint now and then."
Finest spot
"The Katterug. I enjoy the work of the students. "
Greatest sin
"I only have a few .. Should I do something about it? "
Best feature
"I'm open to anything."
Biggest annoyance
"This war and that I cannot be with my family."
Typical Building
"My signature?"
Building 10 years later
"Just like now. But together with my family in peace. But I hope sooner, rather than 10 years. "