Interviews
From Gut to, to Mind, to Canvas: The Raw Emotional Art of Jimi Dams
September 6, 2024
“The arts in general are what keep me going. It’s what makes me get up in the morning and, unfortunately, go to bed at night, because then I’m afraid I’m going to miss something.” – Jimi Dams
In the world of contemporary art, few voices resonate with the raw, unfiltered emotion of the human condition like Jimi Dams. For over 35 years, Dams has been creating art that speaks not just to the intellect, but from the very core of his being. His work—spanning intricate drawings on vellum to striking collages adorned with sequins—embodies a visceral connection to both material and meaning. In this interview, Dams shares his journey from Belgium to New York, his unique artistic process, and the unwavering passion that drives his creative endeavors. Through his words, we glimpse the soul of an artist who believes in the power of art to move from the gut to the mind, creating a profound and lasting impact.
This is Jimi Dams.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your work?
My name is Jimi Dams. I make drawings and collages, and I’ve been doing this for over 35 years. The human condition is basically what I’m most involved with in all of my work. I don’t do very cerebral art. Mine is more rooted in the gut.
How do you approach conceptual art?
Most people within conceptual art, for example, go from the head to the stomach, at best. So you see something, process it through your brain, and it goes straight to your stomach. Then you feel something, or it stays in the head. But to me, that’s incomplete. The other way around—when art goes from the gut to the mind—that’s perfect. If it stays in the gut, it’s not enough.
Can you explain your choice of materials, like vellum, for your drawings?
When I draw on vellum, the pencil glides easily over it. With paper, the structure of the paper determines every dot you put down. Vellum is somewhere between plastic and paper—you can’t tear it. When I do collages, they’re usually on magazine pages, which I then cover with sequins. The only part of the original magazine print that remains visible is the eyes.
You live in a small studio. How does that affect your work?
Obviously, I live in a very small studio in a typical railroad apartment in the East Village. I can’t make huge canvases here, but I like the intimate scale. Eventually, I will make bigger work, but so far, I’ve been limiting myself to a smaller scale. The drawings take forever to make—months of sitting and putting dots on a piece of vellum. My hand gets painful after hours of dotting, so I switch to collages, which go faster. Placing the sequins is like placing dots—each sequin is basically a dot. So I continue the conversation, but with bigger dots.
How did you end up in New York?
I moved here in 1997 from a small country called Belgium, which is incomparable to what New York is. The city inspires me a lot; it keeps me young. It’s very energetic, and you have no time to just walk slowly on the sidewalk. People will run over you. I like that a lot. There are so many art galleries here. If you start in one gallery, by the time the month is over, the first gallery you visited has another show up. So you can keep watching art as much as you like.
What led you to start your own gallery?
A friend brought me here; he had an art gallery and said, “I think you should leave Europe and come here.” And I did. In 2005, I was sick and could barely use my arm to draw, so I couldn’t draw anymore. My friend Hudson, who used to run Gallery Feature—he passed a few years ago—suggested I start my own gallery to stay connected to the arts. That’s the reason why I started an art gallery—because I couldn’t draw myself anymore. That only changed in 2019, when I could pick up my pencil again and work for a couple of hours, then stop. Slowly but surely, I was able to build it back up.
What role does art play in your life?
Art is the most important thing in my life. And when I speak about art, I mean the arts—all of it. That includes literature, music, dance, filmmaking. The arts in general are what keep me going. It’s what makes me get up in the morning and, unfortunately, go to bed at night, because then I’m afraid I’m going to miss something. It’s an incredible engine of creativity that I love.
Wrapping Up
Jimi Dams’ journey as an artist is a vivid example of the strength found in trusting one’s instincts and staying true to a passion. His drawings and collages aren’t just creations; they’re windows into the human experience, capturing emotions that resonate deeply. As Dams continues to push the boundaries of his craft, he holds firmly to the belief that art should touch both the heart and the mind. His work is more than a reflection of his inner world—it’s an invitation for us to explore our own feelings and thoughts, making his art a powerful medium for connection and introspection.
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