On Curating, Skateboarding and Public Art

Who is Jens-Peter Brask? It’s hard to find a single description. A former restaurant and nightlife entrepreneur turned curator, book publisher and art collector based in Copenhagen. His personal collection contains an eclectic range of mixed media, as well as - and this is where we come in - over 350 skate art editions, many created especially for him by world renowned artists and friends.

A skater himself, Brask looks for personal connections with the art he acquires, with a special passion for works which spark a debate and encourage a second look. It is no wonder then that he is behind over sixty mural projects, injecting his city with creations from the world’s biggest talent - all in an effort to give back to the culture he sprung from.

We connected with Jens-Peter to discuss his approach to curation, the impressive Brask Collection and, of course, his love for skateboard art. Take a look.

What is the story and concept behind your company, Curated by Jens-Peter Brask?

I did my first curated show in 2012 in New York. At that time, I was running four different restaurants, a night club and a beach bar. In 2016 I sold all of them because I wanted to work with art, however I didn’t want to start a gallery. *Curated by Jens-Peter Brask* is a platform. I’ve done twenty books and around sixty murals around Copenhagen, in collaboration with many international and local artists. I curate shows in galleries and museums. We also have a space in Copenhagen where we present younger artists to collectors.

Curated by Jens-Peter Brask launched in 2018, so we are still new in the game and doing what we want. I also have the Brask Collection, which is my private collection. Within it, I have around 350 skateboards, including editions from THE SKATEROOM: Cindy Sherman, Jenny Holzer, Warhol, Basquiat, Keith Haring, Jules de Balincourt…

How did you become interested in skateboard art?

I grew up skateboarding. It’s really close to my heart. I own works by Kenny Sharf, Eddie Martinez, Julian Schnabel, Rashid Johnson… All of these guys have custom-made one-of-one unique skateboards for me.

What does skateboarding mean to you?

I love it. Skate and graffiti culture have given me so much. I’m happy if I can give something back, for example through curating a show inspired by skateboarding, with skateable pieces of art.

What kind of art are you interested in collecting?

If I like the artwork and I can afford it, then I buy it. I have skateboards, ceramics, photography, neon, paintings, graphic works and a few video pieces. There are all kinds of materials within my collection.

So you really gravitate towards works that you have a personal connection with. It’s not about following any collectors’ trends.

No trends. If I like it, I like it. I’m able to collect mostly contemporary and emerging artists. Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat are two of my favorites of all time, but their work is in a different price bracket, so that’s not for me right now.

For someone whose passion for art turned into a full-time job, how do you manage to maintain that pure love for it and not turn it into a business?

I love art, it gives me so many things. It’s like a high. I still love to collect and do the work, whether it’s a mural, a book or curating a show. I still feel this passion in my heart.

Is there a piece or artist right now who you are especially passionate about?

There are a lot of great artists out there but I’d rather say one instead of saying ten. Eddie Martinez is still one of my favorites. I really love all of his work and he’s been a really good friend since 2005.

How do you discover new art?

I find it when I travel or when I talk to friends who recommend their friends. I also look a lot on the internet and Instagram. I try to read different articles and find what I like.

You’ve mentioned in the past that art can change our perspectives and minds. How did it influence yours?

I follow what goes on in the art world but I’m not interested in thinking how others think or following artists who make what the world wants them to make. There are a lot of collections that build on what is trendy. That’s okay, but it’s not for me. I don’t understand buying art just because everyone else is buying it. There’s a hype and then, a moment later, the air goes out of the balloon because it was never interesting enough in the long term. For me, it’s about individuality and work which I feel a genuine connection with.

You definitely have a strong connection with murals. What does this art form mean to you?

I come from a graffiti background. Of course, you don’t have to be a graffiti artist or street artist to make a mural but I just really like seeing public art, and so I get huge artists to make artworks in Copenhagen for small amounts of money, because it’s very important to give back. Maybe it sounds like Mother Theresa but, to me, it’s crucial.

A person may be walking around and they might stop and look at it. Whether they like public art or not, they try to understand it. It opens up a conversation.

What effect would you like this art to have on the audience?

I’d like them to make a decision about it. If they don’t like it, I respect that. But art is about dialogue. If they don’t like it and you start to talk about it, then oftentimes people are like: “Ah, that’s interesting. I haven’t thought about it in this way before.”

Of course, if someone doesn’t like the motif or the colors then it might be hard to convince them. But I hope that the conversation it sparks could inspire them to give it another thought.

How do you approach art that you don’t like?

I try to go back and look at things more than one time. Maybe I didn’t like it at first, but I would feel differently if I gave it a second chance.

Do you have any advice for young collectors?

Go out and see a lot of art in real life. I love that you can see so much on Instagram, but you need to get out and explore. If you’re in New York, Copenhagen, Berlin, London, Amsterdam, LA… wherever you are in the world, don’t be afraid to walk into galleries and museums. Still do your homework on the internet, but go out and explore. Take the time. Don’t rush and assume you’ll own fifty artworks in an hour. Take it easy and find the piece you feel good about.

There is art out here, for example from THE SKATEROOM, which is still accessible for lower amounts of money. Start there and then build up your collection.

The world is going through a turbulent time right now, to say the least. Are there any challenges affecting the art industry, from the perspective of a curator?

It’s tough right now for a lot of younger, emerging artists. But if they keep creating, keep the pace and don’t give up, then I’m sure they will come out stronger on the other side.

Every crisis is like a construction. It’s an opportunity for growth. There is a lot of art out there that is really not interesting and should not be getting the attention it gets. If those young, talented artists keep pushing then, when we get out of the crisis, they will be stronger than ever.