New Artistic Collaboration at Lumen Hotel & Events

Lumen Hotel & Events has a new artistic collaboration with artist Ruud Knispel. Last summer, during a charity event of Hidden Disabilities Sunflower – of which Lumen is also a partner – the paths of Lumen and the new house artist crossed.

Ruud says: "Through an acquaintance, I was invited to exhibit a number of artworks for an event at Lumen. There I came into contact with Chris, the commercial director of Lumen Hotel & Events." Chris: "We were at the start of a project to redecorate the rooms in our Event Center. The meeting with Ruud came at just the right time."

For Ruud, the timing couldn't have been better either: "I was looking for a new workspace and was given the opportunity at Lumen to house my artworks. My work can now be admired throughout the hotel, restaurant, and event center. Lumen Hotel & Events has actually become my exhibition space," says Ruud. 

From Fashion to Art

Although the interest in art has always been there, Ruud first worked in the fashion industry for many years. "I had my own business in Italian fashion for eight years. Then I worked for a Japanese company that produced zippers and Velcro." It is certainly no coincidence that Velcro is used in the artworks. "A few years later, I produced leather labels for a bag manufacturer and thus came into contact with the material. I quickly discovered what you can do with leather and was immediately sold. My fascination with leather led me to have a leather wholesale business in Zwolle for 16 years."

When Ruud sold his wholesale business six years ago, the initial plan was to take it a bit easier. But his creativity got the better of him. "I first started a company in leather walls, but unfortunately, it didn't go as I had hoped." So Ruud decided to focus on smaller projects. This resulted in sound-absorbing panels. "Based on the same principle as the leather walls, but more compact and with an artistic twist." 

Recycling and Lord Of The Rings

Sustainability plays an important role in Ruud's work; he uses leather that would otherwise be wasted. "Leather that would normally end up in the environment, I reuse. The felt on which I fix the leather is made from recycled PET bottles." Ruud collaborates with a studio in Rome where clothing is made for operas and films, including the famous Lord Of The Rings series. "In that studio, they have a lot of leftover materials, and they save them for me. That is mostly pre-treated leather, and I also experiment with applying color to leather using paint, spray paint, and ink." 

Leather, Paint, Felt, and Velcro

Ruud takes us through the process from a blank canvas to an artistic end result. "It starts with leather, often from the hide of a cow. That is my canvas. Then I start working with paint. In colorful works, I mix different colors of paint on one canvas, from which I then cut out various shapes. I fix these on felt, allowing them to be attached to panels with Velcro. This is how my works are created." Ruud draws inspiration for his works from museums, magazines, and nature.

Introduction

Ruud's goal is to introduce the public in the Netherlands to a renewed form of art, in which leather plays a central role. He hopes his work inspires people to look at materials differently. "I want to show how you can make something beautiful from leftover materials," he says. With Lumen as his new studio and exhibition space, that is sure to succeed. "Due to the many guests and visitors, my works are now viewed much more often."

Are you interested in Ruud's work? All of Ruud's paintings are for sale. Business cards with his contact information hang next to the works.