Levi Van Veluw: What’s That Tree In Your Hair?

14 Oct 2008 Category: Arts & Crafts, Worldwide

Levi Van Veluw: What’s That Tree In Your Hair?

A wild cat's fur pattern with a slight twist: "Dots" from the "Ballpoint" series by Dutchman Levi van Veluw took around nine hours to finish on the skin.

Either you’ll be intrigued by the fascinating way Dutchman Levi van Veluw applies materials on his face, neck and head — or you’ll be kind of appalled by this weird appearance. But in any case, there is more than something about his art. Ever wanted to know how carpet, pebbles or ballpoint drawings feel on the skin? Levi tells PingMag all about it.

Written By Verena

First, when did you start with your art? And why?

I was born in the Netherlands in a small town named Hoevelaken in 1985, and graduated cum laude from ArtEZ’ School of Arts in 2007. I started out mainly wanting to be a painter, but during my time studying I started experimenting with other mediums such as video art and photography. The self-portraits started as a practical choice, but developed as a main concept in the last three years.


“Gravel” from the “Material Transfer” series: pebbles in an unfamiliar context…

… and “Blocks” patterns meticulously drawn, from the “Ballpoint” series.

We’re curious: What’s the concept for the Ballpoint, Material Transfers and Landscapes series where you apply these materials on your face and head?

First, the photo series are self-portraits, drawn and photographed by myself: a one-man process. I modify the face as object; combining it with other stylistic elements to create a third visual object of great visual impact. The work you see therefore is not a portrait, but an information-rich image of colour, form, texture and content.


Can’t see the forest for the trees in the landscape painting: “Landscape III.”

The Material Transfer series were all completed and photographed within 24 hours and without any digital manipulation. I used familiar elements such as cheap carpet, pebble stones and sterling wood in a new context to let it all result in a confusing conflict between the objects’ normal associations and the new values assigned to it in the works. Although it seems as if the actual material is the object of my observation, it is in fact their metaphoric use in daily life what interests me most: the signification people attach to the things that surround them.

Landscapes is a four-piece series that reinterprets the traditional landscape painting, removing plots of grass, clusters of trees, babbling brooks from their intimate two-dimensional formats and transposing them onto the three-dimensional contours of my face. It’s supposed to be a fresh twist to the obsession inherent in the romantic landscape of recreating the world and simultaneously being part of it.

A railroader’s miniature fantasy: “Landscapes,” 2008.

So about the Ballpoint series: How do you get such precise lines with a felt pen? It doesn’t smear… Do you prepare the face with something before? And how long does it take to cover your head approximately?

First, I had to degrease my skin with alcohol. And it takes about nine hours to create the drawing while constantly looking in the mirror. In the end, you just need a lot of patience, and discipline. However, it doesn’t have to be perfect since imperfection is part of the work.

“Tape,” applied as kind of a performance. No fetish involved though.

Wow, nine hours! How does it feel? Is it like a meditation? What do you feel while applying the ink?

When I start, I feel very uncertain about my work and myself. It is very confrontational to create an autonomous work directly onto yourself. So I have to motivate myself every time to go through.
Sometimes it is very frustrating, because nobody tells you what to do and there is nobody who supports you to go through. But I have to make all the choices while I create the drawing, so it is not really like a meditation. When everything is finished, I am always really tired.

“Hair” from the “Ballpoint” series was finished after several hours. “It doesn’t have to be perfect since imperfection is part of the work.” But looks wonderful!

No wonder. Do you see it as performance?

It is important for me that everything happened for real. The end result is not only an end result, but contains a short creative history. The image contains the process of creating the work itself. In that way, it is a performance, but not a live performance; more an acquisition of it.

OK. What is so fascinating for you about art on the body surface?

For me, it is not about body art. I use myself as a object, and it’s an always available and very direct way to express my ideas.

A face made of “Sterling Wood” (!) like out of a Grimm fairy-tale. From the “Material Transfer” series.

True, no need to buy a canvas. Being one of the oldest art forms, you find an interesting angle to modernise it…

I think art is always about re-interpreting the past in a different way, and not about making unique things.

Yes, that’s pop. How do you select the material?


A very serious “Yoghurt” look! From the older works.

The materials are part of the concept. For example, the carpet is part of the idea to re-interpret and introduce the material with all of its associations, thus changing all of its values.

Interesting. And how does it actually feel on your skin?

Not enjoyable.

We meant to ask: Why are you always looking so serious in the photos?

I tried to look as neutral as possible, because it is not about making a portrait of a person. The person is looking towards nothing, not expressing anything. In that way you are not revealed to anybody and the image stays more believable.

Lastly, about your inspiration: What would be your favourite artist at the moment?

I like the works of Hans op de Beeck, Erwin Wurm, Erwin Olaf, Andreas Gursky.

Haha! “Q-tip,” also from an earlier series.

Thank you, Levi for the theoretical insights in your intriguing art!

28 Comments

  1. Creepy… and horrible.

    Posted by: Zender on October 14th, 2008 at 7:59 pm

  2. He is the head nutter at the head-butting academy.

    Posted by: Kreebilicus on October 14th, 2008 at 8:22 pm

  3. Visually arresting, intriguing, humorous at times–certainly not your run-of-the-mill artist!

    Posted by: Heather T. on October 14th, 2008 at 11:42 pm

  4. [...] Levi Van Veluw: What’s That Tree In Your Hair? Tags: Design, Interview, LeviVanVeluw, Photography [...]

    Posted by: Interview mit Levi van Veluw, Fotograf unglaublicher Selbstportraits | Nerdcore on October 15th, 2008 at 12:05 am

  5. I really like this. Who doesn’t love drawing all over their self? I remember when I was little, I sat at my mothers makeup table and put her red lipstick on and continued onto the rest of my face. It was a hugely satisfying feeling, though I can’t say why…I totally get this. :) I may copy the ballpoint pen on the face thing and then take some pictures of myself. I LOVE the bark one, too.

    Posted by: Anonymous on October 15th, 2008 at 1:15 am

  6. Really really amazingo.o

    Posted by: Sophie on October 15th, 2008 at 3:35 am

  7. i totally get this too :D

    Posted by: Alice on October 15th, 2008 at 1:41 pm

  8. I think that’s pretty neat, although I interpret it much diffrently than he does; much more simpler. I still think it’s fascinating. I support you Levi!

    Posted by: Provi on October 15th, 2008 at 2:55 pm

  9. yawn x3

    Posted by: masa on October 15th, 2008 at 3:20 pm

  10. [...] PingMag hat Levi interviewt und man erfährt dort noch mehr über seine Arbeit. Zum Beispiel, dass er wirklich alles [...]

    Posted by: Wahnsinns Selbstportraits - BIGOD:NET on October 15th, 2008 at 4:06 pm

  11. not someone i’d like to get on the wrong side of..=p

    but does this mean he doesnt have public shows?

    Posted by: roku on October 15th, 2008 at 5:28 pm

  12. [...] Levi Van Veluw: What’s That Tree In Your Hair? « Splatter-Teppich [...]

    Posted by: Interview mit Levi van Veluw, Fotograf unglaublicher Selbstportraits | Ubernerd on October 15th, 2008 at 5:30 pm

  13. psssst - hot tip for all photography lovers: http://www.photographerslimitededitions.com

    Posted by: pinktide on October 15th, 2008 at 10:05 pm

  14. The Q-Tip-face is a little over the top xD

    Posted by: Chan TheJunction on October 16th, 2008 at 3:16 am

  15. damn, that is scary.

    Posted by: tina on October 16th, 2008 at 3:54 pm

  16. [...] to human skin or his longanimity during the process? Find it out yourself reading the interview “What’s that tree in your hair?” of always inspiring Ping Mag. My personal favourite is the landscape [...]

    Posted by: Impressed, amused, deterred… » Freestyle Magazine on October 16th, 2008 at 7:09 pm

  17. [...] Le travail assez impressionnant du photographe allemand, Levi van Veluw,  se distingue par son support : le propre visage de l’artiste. Paysage, bois, pierre, yaourt, tout y passe! Un portfolio à découvrir d’urgence et un interview par ici. [...]

    Posted by: RDP #4: Sharing some time again « Mike-o-matic on October 17th, 2008 at 1:24 am

  18. all i can say is WOW!!! How did he do that?

    Posted by: LazyAnimation on October 17th, 2008 at 2:59 pm

  19. that’s disgusting.

    Posted by: Anonymous on October 23rd, 2008 at 9:43 am

  20. I hate the rocks one. It’s sooo effin disgusting. Along with the trees one and the q-tip.

    Posted by: Zane on October 24th, 2008 at 12:10 pm

  21. great work!!

    Posted by: blanche neige on October 29th, 2008 at 9:28 pm

  22. [...] Posts by Pingmag, Pretty On The Outside, Booooooom, Related [...]

    Posted by: Levi van Veluw - Landscapes » Post » whats wrong with the zoo on October 31st, 2008 at 12:19 am

  23. [...] The work of young dutch photographer Levi Van Veluw is unmistakably different. These are self portraits where his face becomes the canvas, and photography becomes a way to record the message of the expressive make-ups. This is a one man work, although I have to think that he gets some assistance to put all these “trees” on his face.  Photography and painting, painting and sculpture, all with self portraits. Like it or not, it is quite interesting. First, the photo series are self-portraits, drawn and photographed by myself: a one-man process. I modify the face as object; combining it with other stylistic elements to create a third visual object of great visual impact. The work you see therefore is not a portrait, but an information-rich image of colour, form, texture and content. - interview by Ping Mag [...]

    Posted by: Levi Van Veluw: the self portrait as a canvas | [EV +/-] Exposure Compensation on April 28th, 2009 at 12:31 pm

  24. [...] an interview with him here at Ping [...]

    Posted by: Toxico Cultura › PORTRAITING on April 30th, 2009 at 8:11 pm

  25. [...] dem Objekt nun auch für das Subjekt Levi van Veluw interessiert, für den hat das Pingmag noch ein umfassendes Interview mit dem 24-jährigen parat. Etiketten: BodyArt, Design, LeviVanVeluw, Mensch Verwandte Einträge: [...]

    Posted by: Vom Subjekt zum Objekt: Levi van Veluw | Feingut on May 25th, 2009 at 3:19 am

  26. [...] der pingmag-Website gibts ein ausführliches Interview mit Levi Van Veluw zur Entstehung der Fotoserie und sein [...]

    Posted by: Sammelsurium: — Treibgut des Webdesigns on July 14th, 2009 at 5:20 am

  27. this is pretty cool!

    Posted by: gregory on August 16th, 2009 at 3:07 pm

  28. Good job! Nice..

    Posted by: hairstyles on October 11th, 2009 at 7:35 am

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