Michiel Jansen (1973) is a dutch artist, based in Oslo. He graduated in 2000 at the royal academy for arts and design in Den Bosch (NL). He exhibits mainly in Europe in nature and independent art spaces. His work can be found in private collections and collections of cultural institutions.

Next to his artistic activities, he has always been active in organizing and producing cultural events. He was part of Temporary Art Centre in Eindhoven and the Dutch Cacaofactory in Helmond, both artist run initiatives. When he moved from Eindhoven to Rotterdam he founded the SingerSweatShop, a cultural building in the centre of Rotterdam where people could live, work and exhibit. In 2013 he moved to Berlin for a short period and after his return to Rotterdam in 2014 he focused mainly on his own artistic career.

Since is move to Norway in 2018 he has had exhibitions at Norsk Billedhoggerforening, Galleri TM51, Kunsthal Oslo and Kunsternes Hus. At this moment he’s working to get his own exhibition space off the ground in Oslo in the studiobuilding he’s developing.

My studio practice is twofold. On one hand I create outdoor site-specific works and on the other hand I digest, transform, and research these outdoor wanderings, interventions and found materials in my studio.

My work is an investigation into reality and actuality of the place we exist in and our position in it. Empirical research and perception of the environment is the starting point of my work.

On hikes and camping trips, I reside and dislocate myself in search of an understanding of the place and space. Especially where boundaries of spaces meet a lot happens. Not always knowing exactly what I am looking for, I recognise it when I find it, but also often I find things I am not looking for. From all these findings, I relate and connect myself to the surroundings and my work emerges.

These works consist of performative actions, interventions, and leaving traces. In my studio works are then created with materials taken and with edits of documentation materials such as photos and videos. My studio is the laboratory where the construction of my world is investigated in a more analytical way through deconstruction and rebuilding.

With these works, I create a place and moment that exists timeless for an instant, separated from the world around it, only to be colourized and reinvented again.