Jens ”jenslabs” Clarholm

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Artist statement

My artistic approach is driven by experimentation, consistently incorporating technology to enhance my creative process.

In 2014, I constructed a laser cutter from wood and a laser diode extracted from an old DVD burner. This opened up a new world of artistic possibilities by bridging the digital and physical worlds. The laser cutter allowed me to make a design using a computer and then laser cut stencils with the laser. I also built a pen attachment to be able to use the same machine as a plotter. This led to a variety of experimentation, including rust on metal, paint on glass, and laser cut stamps.

As I continued to learn and explore, I developed my first drawing machine, known as ”The Circlon machine” which was a fun tool to use in my creative process, despite its limitations in drawing capability. In 2015, I was commissioned by the city of Norrköping in Sweden to construct a light installation called ”Kraftstationens själ” (The soul of the powerstation) for the Norrköping Light Festival. For this work, I hand-built four large LED panels and animated a light show through the glass block windows of an old power station. This installation has also been displayed at the Verkstad gallery in Norrköping and has been used for VJ sets at clubs.

In 2020, I built my second drawing machine, which is more complex than its predecessor. Utilizing computer simulations and the drawing machine as my tool, I create generative art. The machine is not a plotter or printer that creates a physical drawing from a computer image, but rather produces different drawings through experimentation with the speed of three different motors, the length of the arms holding the drawing medium, and the type of paper, color, and ink used. I also experiment with custom-designed 3D printed tools for dispensing ink and other mediums. This amalgamation of analog and digital techniques produces a unique type of generative art with a human touch, where different physical media such as ink, watercolor, and cyanotype enhance the digital work.

As part of my continuing exploration of new forms of digital art, In January 2022 I released a generative long form artwork called Dendrites as a series of NFTs. This collection showcases my experimentation with pure digital generative art and offers a new way for art collectors to appreciate and own my works. My work has been exhibited in different parts of the word including NFT art week in China and Vellum gallery in Los Angeles.

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