A Night at AIPAD with Casper Faassen

Last night, my friend Mike, a photography aficionado and avid art collector, dragged me to the AIPAD (Association of International Photography Art Dealers) art fair. Usually, I find these events somewhat dull—everyone trying too hard to look serious and most of the art just blending into one forgettable blur. But this time, it was different. While many booths trotted out the same old boring and already-seen stuff, a few stood out. One such standout was the work of Dutch artist Casper Faassen, showcasing works from a series called 'Recollection.'

Mike and I bumped into artist Michael Gaillard, who was pretty hyped up about Faassen’s work and quickly pointed us towards the gallery with the display. The 'Recollection' series looked phenomenal—composed of 12 vases that Faassen had collected. As you might know, artists often gather objects that they use as inspiration. Each piece in this composition had a delicate crackling effect over the surface, hinting at aging and the inevitable passage of time. The work is incredibly sophisticated and has great visual appeal. The series deals with questions about ownership: objects that are made by someone, collected by someone else, and transformed by the artist—who gets to claim true ownership, really?

Before I got around to writing this, I did a deep dive into who Casper Faassen is—I mean, his work is impressive, and I knew next to nothing about him. Faassen was born in 1975 in The Netherlands.. He is an artist who blends photography with painting to create something totally unique. His pieces are visually striking, and they grab you in a way that's hard to describe without seeing them firsthand.

Starting with a love for drawing and painting early on, Faassen has turned these passions into a career that beautifully combines these traditional forms with photography. His technique is all about layering—think of it as stacking different elements on top of each other to give each piece a sense of depth and intrigue. He paints right over his photo prints, which gives his work a texture that you just want to reach out and touch.

Seeing Faassen's 'Recollection' series last night turned out to be my highlight of the evening. It was one of those rare moments where you stumble upon something genuinely compelling that sticks with you long after you've left the gallery.