Meet Rusty, People’s Choice Award ArtJump 2017
Next to the winners selected by the official jury, an extra ArtJump Grant is awarded by the ‘company of peers’… The People Choice Award. That’s right, all the burners and art-thusiasts who were present at the ArtJump 2017 in Blijburg Amsterdam, got their chance to select and reward their own favourite. This grant is also worth a whopping 1250EUR for the artist to bring their art to regional burns all over Europe.
Last year this honour was awarded to Rusty, by artist Ronald Duikersloot and his team. We hooked up with him and asked him about his experience and how the ArtJump Grant had supported his work.
Who is Rusty?
Rusty is the beatle you love to meet!
Atelier Rust ‘n’ Dust is the place where we, Huybert van de Stadt, Mike Wessling and me, Ronald Duikersloot work together. Huyb surprised us with this old chassis of a beetle and I took out the angle grinder, Mike pickup the flamethrowers and so he became our first Mad Max inspired art car. At the ArtJump we turned out to be the publics favourite which was highly unexpected, since I didn’t see what the others came up with. SO I just made a video which I thought was F* funny, the rest is history.
What kind of reaction did you get from the burner community?
The Burner community is always lovely. It’s a solid group of people who knows when to help and support and when to receive. The gifting economy is slowly spreading outside the boundaries of the Playa, and I love ‘m for that.
What has the ArtJump meant for you as artist?
Creating art is one thing, but to be able to actually bring it to events for people to interact with it and make it a part of their burn experience is absolutely fantastic. That is what the ArtJump has enabled us to do. Rusty is an artcar and not designed for the main road. We invested the People’s Choice Grant in a trailer and to bring Rusty further than it has ever been before.
Which regional burns have you visited with Rusty?
Where the Sheep Sleep 2017 (of course) and The Kiezburn in Germany. That burn is way way in the back of Germany near Berlin! But jeez what a first ride it was with that trailer. People videoing us on the highway etc etc, big fun! And for sure we would never have been without the ArtJump Grant.
Do you have a message for (aspiring) artists?
Not Trying = Failing… So just GO! Especially with an eager and supporting burner community, let yourself be inspired to share your vision with them. You’ll be surprised 🙂
