By Katie Dominy / 04-01-2011

Jeroen Erosie combines his skills as an illustrator, graffiti artist and graphic designer to create site-specific pieces that often come from his observations on the overload of images and influences that bombard today's consumer.

His latest work in black and white at the Stroomhuis in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, covers 250 square metres and was completely created using paint rollers. Geometric forms, lightning bolts and swarming amoebic shapes cover the entire space creating an overwhelming explosion of pattern on pattern.

The timing of the freestyle painting project at Stroomhuis at the end of November, fell neatly in place to coincide with Eindhoven's STRP Festival - a celebration of e-culture, fusing music art and technology - where Erosie also showed his work.  

Design.nl asked Erosie how he came to be involved with the Stroomhuis painting project?

“The Stroomhuis is one of the few completely independent multi-functional places still left in the Netherlands, run by chef de cuisine Andre Amaro. There are occasional parties there, performances, exhibitions, a silkscreen workshop and catering, to name a few. The section I painted is situated in the basement - a really nice place for crazy parties and events.”

“Andre asked me to paint the walls, and I decided to incorporate the ceiling as well. Since the place is a platform for various parties and many different kinds of people go there, I thought my Horror Vacui theme would match the setting perfectly. Horror Vacui has everything to do with a broad range of styles, but also incorporates an image overload in general. The fact is that the context of images and visual clichés is so fractured nowadays, it doesn't specifically fit a certain genre of people. You can only really experience the image in real life, as you find yourself in the middle of a 360-degree artwork, and this only happens once in a while at a party. This makes the painting as a whole something impossible to capture which is an interesting added feature. That's why the time-lapse video clip is more of a sketch really, a derivative of the actual painting itself.”

And your work at the STRP Festival, how did this come about?

“I work closely together with my good friend Martijn Deijkers, also known as Martyn. We run a record label together called 3024. I do the graphics and Martyn does the music. He was asked to perform at the STRP festival, so we decided to ask VJ Elisa from Eyesupply to incorporate my imagery in her VJ set. The screens at the stage and in the hall were pretty overwhelming, so the whole setting was covered: the visual, the music. It was a great night.”

How did your work sit alongside the music? Did you work this out in advance?

"Mine and Martyn's work has quite an overlap; he has a wide view on music and doesn't like to be pinned down into genres too much. We share this 'genrephobia' as I call it. I have a similar approach to image in general. I have a background in illustration as well as doing graffiti, but I have a wider appreciation for graphic design, visual arts, conceptual art, pattern design, pop culture, architecture, etc. I also try to incorporate this broad range of influences into an experimental approach to my work, using these fields as building blocks for a bigger picture.”

“In that sense this is a similar approach to the one Martyn has in his music, DJ-sets and his attitude. I think it fits today's overload of influences and accessibility  through the internet and the complexity of searching for valid ways of expression. In my Horror Vacui theme I look for this 'fear of emptiness' both visually and conceptually. I play with that, just like Martyn plays with this musically.”

Click here for the making-of video of Horror Vacui at STRP
Click on the images to enlarge

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