Jasper Griepink

Through participatory performance, happenings, installations, and (international) research, Griepink tries to examine and propose a healthy and abundant eco-centric co-habitation of the planetary spaceship. With an inherent interest in the holistic meeting of ecology, spirituality, and various cultural narratives around our body, they began an artistic and personal exploration, ‘The Artist as a Shaman,’ in 2011. This resulted in various works such as Laya Papaya Public Bath (2013) and SWEAT (2014-15), in which bodies were soothed and embalmed in ritual interactions.

Since 2016, ending a series of pilgrimages in the tropics, Griepink returned to European soils seeking to reanimate and explore 'local indigenous knowledge' for the sake of getting to the roots of colonialism and global capitalism – which they believe originated in Europe's dark history. Since then they've shifted the emphasis from ‘the persona of the healer’ towards more horizontal opportunities in the re-shaping of shared environments by integrating (social) Permaculture, (alternative) Community and Eco-Activism into their practice. 

Griepink’s art activates the intersections between nature, spirituality, sexuality, community, ecology, gender, language and the politics in and around these zones. Embedded within their work is a reconnection of bodies within themselves and with (natural) environments. Parallel to this, run various intersecting wisdoms and perspectives that spell the decolonization of western ontologies, power structures and notions of gender and love. In essence, Jasper wants to support a shift towards a more 'animist' or pre-colonial ontology of existence. Via the 'temporary ecologies' and images that they create in their projects, Griepink forwards a Renaissance of Matriarchy which includes the embodiment of ecstasy, empowerment, social justice, and the restoration of ecological homeostasis on the planet we cohabitate.

Jasper Griepink obtained an MFA from the Piet Zwart Institute (2013), is a certified Permaculture Designer (2016), and furthermore holds certificates in Reiki, Community Design, and other Holistic Therapies. They write an eco-political blog itallcomesdowntoearth.com and develop educational material for Art Schools, Universities, and Primary Schools. 

 Jasper teaches the elective module Communities of All Beings at Ecology Futures.