Jaap Sinke and Ferry van Tongeren of Darwin, Sinke & van Tongeren . . . Studio Visit

Jaap Sinke and Ferry van Tongeren of Darwin, Sinke & van Tongeren are based near Amsterdam.

What does your studio look like today?

We have been tossing everything around over the last couple of months trying to create more working space in the piles of antiques we have collected over time. We are not at the point of accepting we’ve outgrown this place, because we like the vibes of this old slaughterhouse too much.

What are you most excited by right now?

At the end of this week, we will drive to a zoo 2500 km east of Amsterdam to collect some really great stuff, including extremely rare additions to our freezers.

What would we find in your studio that is unexpected?

What could be unexpected in our workshop?!? For most people, everything we have is just that. For us, it is three barrels from the Mastaba artwork installed by Christo in London’s Serpentine Lake in 2018 – we bought them just two days before he died.

What do you do to make yourself feel better when things don’t go according to plan?

Jump on the bike and buy some special tools or little brass nuts from a really old-fashioned hardware store in the middle of town, where the men behind the counter wear traditional overalls.

What do you dream of at night?

Creating a whole Fine Taxidermy museum dedicated to endangered species (that are currently being thrown away when they die). A monumental collection made for posterity.

What is the best thing someone has ever said about your work?

“It’s unbelievable that two heterosexual guys can make this work.” That made us laugh.

What is your dream commission?

We would love to have a beautiful, authentic room in a very old mansion or castle offered as a canvas to us. It would be a place to go wild in and create something extraordinary with a large variety of exotic animals. A sexy Wunderkammer.

Where would you like to be this time next year?

Working on this commission.

Read more about Darwin, Sinke & van Tongeren

In the studio with Darwin, Sinke & van Tongeren

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