werkfotoWelcome to my website!

My very first works of art in metal were created long before I started studying at Gerrit Rietveld Art Academy in Amsterdam (1978-1983).I have been making sculptures ever since and have extended the range of materials to stainless steel, bronze and combinations of these.

On this website you will find information about my oeuvre and a photo gallery of works of art through the years.

If you are interested in my work and would like to see some recently made sculptures or, if you are considering buying a work of art, don’t hesitate to contact me to make an appointment. It is also possible to purchase by commission.

Enjoy visiting my website.

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John Spek is a sculptor who has chosen not to work with wood or stone. Neither does he make use of gouges, hammers or chisels .

His favourite materials to work with are sheets of stainless steel and bronze. After the initial designing process with pencil sketches and cardboard models the artist turns into the artisan fashioning his material by carving, bending, assembling, welding, and grinding. The final form of the sculpture as well as its surface finish are of equal importance to the sculptor . With its mat finish, high-gloss polish or patina, the finished work of art will catch and reflect the light in a forever changing way, never appearing the same to the viewer.

Any artistic achievement is, invariably, a matter of blood, sweat and tears. Even more so when the final result does not show that John’s material is one of the most difficult an artist can choose. And yet his creations look so flawless and a matter of course , thanks to John’s many years of experience and his ever-growing awareness of both the vulnerability and the hardness of his material. Metal has become part of John himself.

Over the years, his growing artisan skills have kept pace with his expanding freedom as a designer. His style has moved from abstract, geometric shapes, via circular forms into a mostly non-figurative, organic world of forms with curves, arcs and torsions, bringing to mind associations with germination, growth, rising up , dancing and embrace.

His monumental objects, some of which are more than10 metres high, are on display in many public places all over the country. The sculptures are sometimes stern sometimes dynamic, or even playful, depending on the artist’s interpretation of their destination and location. Harmonious or discordant, the choice made is always a conscious one.

The individual art lovers need not be daunted by the size of the sculptures, however, as John also makes smaller objects for private homes or gardens.

John Spek’s art is without any doubt modern art, but not of a complicated kind. It is not the cry of a tormented soul, or a protest against the ugliness in this world. What he does want to offer is a true experience of beauty, similar to that which classical music can evoke. That is the very reason why his work appeals to a much wider audience than just the circle of experienced, modern art connoisseurs.

Mr. H. Slim, former Chairman Art Purchase Committee Bouwfonds

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John Spek is devoted to his art. There is nothing he likes better than working with sheets of stainless steel and bronze to create unique sculptures, featuring faultless and strong lines and surface planes.

Every new day finds the artist experimenting with abstractions, showing the way to new organic forms that somehow manage to seem distantly familiar.An excellent artist with an outstanding technique resulting in fascinating three-dimensional works of art.

Drs T.Loggers