Jasper Rouwen
Residency date: May 2024
Project Title: Friends Are Forever…
Website: https://jasperrouwen.com
About the artist:
Born and raised in Kent, Jasper moved to the Netherlands in 2018 to start a BA in Fine Arts at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie, where he graduated in 2022. Since then, he has continued to live and work as an Artist in Amsterdam, exhibiting in multiple galleries. In 2022, together with Emile Weisz, he co-founded ‘suzi’, a curatorial initiative centred around exhibiting contemporary and experimental artists.
Residency Thoughts
‘In the summer of 2019, I cycled from Amsterdam to Dorset. I entered the New Forest National Park just over halfway through the ride. While searching for a bakery, I stumbled upon a curious scene that forced me to stop. A brown pony was standing by the porch of a large white house, completely blocking the door and trapping the residents inside their own home. Apart from the occasional swish of its tail, the pony stood there motionless, showing no indication of moving anytime soon.
‘Intrigued, I got off my bike and decided to observe this mundane yet surreal moment unfold. After 20 minutes, the pony still stood there, unfazed and unperturbed, seemingly unaware that it was obstructing others. In fact, it appeared as though the house was in the pony’s way. My imagination was sparked. How would the residents deal with this situation? Did it bother them? Did they find it funny? Has a pony ever entered their house? Was it doing this on purpose? After another 10 minutes without any sign of change, I left with unanswered questions.
‘I’m excited to investigate and explore the intangible borders that exist between the different inhabitants of the New Forest National Park. This specific interest came from the scene I experienced whilst cycling through the New Forest in 2019. By engaging with the local community, I will seek to learn how they deal with these comical moments of ‘mundane madness’, where ponies block doors and show up for breakfast.’
Interview with Jasper Rouwen - New Forest National Park Artist in Residence
How did your residency in the New Forest shape your approach?
Jasper: During my residency, I observed many moments that highlighted the boundaries between the domestic and wild, public and private, strange and mundane. From dogs chasing me off-leash to the interactions between ‘wild’ and domestic ponies, these experiences deepened my understanding of how nature and human life intersect in the New Forest.
Now that you’ve completed your works, do you have any further reflections or has anything surprised you?
Jasper: Although I believe I’ve discovered a lot, I don’t kid myself that I’ve uncovered everything the Forest has to offer, nor do I think that’s possible or even desirable. The New Forest seems to be defined by our human attempts to understand and control it. Yet somehow, it manages to resist and continues its own mystery—a non-linear vacuum for others to enter and interpret. It interrupts the cycle of questions and answers, appetite and satisfaction.
What themes are you exploring in your exhibition?
Jasper: The exhibition explores the tension between control and chaos. I was fascinated by how the Forest manages to maintain its mystery despite our human attempts to manage it. It’s a place shaped by both natural forces and human intervention, and my work tries to reflect this paradox. For example, I witnessed the Verderers monthly meeting to discuss forest offences and Commoners’ livestock, while traditional coppicing techniques encourage tree growth. These practices represent our effort to control the forest, but it still resists, retaining its untamed essence.
How do you think visitors will feel when they see your work? What would you like them to gain from it?
Jasper: In my work I use signs and symbols to communicate. These are gathered from my observations in the New Forest. By isolating these symbols from their original context, I free them from the meanings traditionally attached to them, allowing new interpretations to arise. I think visitors will feel like they’ve entered an ‘uncanny valley’—they’ll recognize the imagery, but see it in strange, unfamiliar ways that could change their understanding. Ultimately, I’d like visitors to become ‘data-gatherers’—unraveling the mystery of the work, following clues, and reaching their own unique conclusions.