The Bestiary of Jasper Van Gestel

The Bestiary of Jasper Van Gestel

Discussion with the artist

Jasper Van Gestel is a multidisciplinary artist from Antwerp, Belgium, whose work is rooted in the natural world, folklore, and symbolism. Both a painter and tattoo artist, he draws on an instinctive practice to create works that are both contemporary and timeless.

For this collection, he presents us with a symbolic bestiary that addresses creation as a whole.

Can you introduce yourself in a few words?

I’m a tattooer and artist based in Antwerp. I'm 39, happily married and we have 2 daughters. My work revolves around symbolism, nature, and simple forms, often carrying layered meanings. I work intuitively and focus on building a personal visual language rather than following trends.

How did you get into tattooing? What place does this activity occupy in your life?

I came into tattooing through drawing. I was an illustrator before, and already obsessed with images and symbols. Tattooing felt like a natural extension of that. I was getting tattooed a lot, and at some point I had the opportunity to become Younes’ ( @younes_tattooer ) apprentice at Brabo’s Hand Tattoo in Antwerp. Today, seven years later, tattooing is the backbone of all the stuff I make - a passion that structures my life. It keeps me grounded: it demands focus, discipline, and presence, while still leaving room for intuition and growth.

You talk about ‘intuitive iconography’ when describing your work. Can you explain what that means?

For me, intuitive iconography means creating images from the gut, without overthinking them beforehand. I paint, draw, and tattoo images that feel instinctively right, and only later do I start to understand why they keep returning. Over the years, these recurring motifs form a personal iconography - a visual language shaped by repetition, intuition, and lived experience rather than by theory.

What inspires you?

I’m inspired by nature and it's timeless symbolism. I'm translating that into the things I encounter in everyday life. I’m also inspired by living a dedicated life - by doing the work over and over - and by observing how images slowly gain meaning over time. How style evolves organically. Life itself - family, love, mental balance, not fitting in these modern times - it all feeds into my work more than spectacular moments or concepts do.

What did the theme of Salty Lands evoke for you when you were working on it?

"Salty Lands" made me think about harsh environments - places shaped by nature and time. About resilience, and the strength needed to survive in difficult conditions. But also the beauty of those rough lands. While working on it, I felt a strong connection to that idea: continuing to create patiently, even when circumstances are often not gentle or comfortable.

Cardigan Cartago

Blouson Pura Vida

Animals seem to occupy a special place in your work, birds in particular. What is the connection that links you to this environment?

For me, animals are never purely decorative or graphic choices.They’re carriers of symbolism. I don’t approach them from a scientific or encyclopedic angle — it’s more instinctive, symbolic, and built over years of drawing.

The heron, as I drew for the collection, is a good example of that. To me, it represents patience and precision. An animal that can stand completely still for a long time - low-key, almost invisible if needed - waiting. Not passive, but alert. And when the moment is right, it strikes with absolute relentlessness. Efficient. No wasted energy. That balance between restraint and intensity is something I strongly relate to in my work, but also in how I move through the world. Quiet observation, laid back, trusting timing. And then acting decisively when it matters.

So when I draw animals like birds, it’s not about illustrating nature as it is, but about translating those qualities into symbolic images. They become archetypes rather than literal representations of nature.

Jasper Van Gestel

jaspervangestel.be

@jaspervangestel