UNTAMED

Humans are a mix of emotions, thoughts, and expression. In a world where structure and expectations are the norm, we often forget the untamed thoughts, creativity, and raw energy that lie deep within. For this campaign we collaborated with Utrecht based visual artist Bob Mollema. Bob explores the human relationship with nature and how that connection has become distorted. Untamed is about the concept of embracing human nature and letting go of the need to control, polish, or suppress it. A raw return to instinct, emotion, and the wildness within.

Bob’s relationship with art began early. When he was about nine years old, he became fascinated by the artwork of various bands and the covers of VPRO magazine. As a child, he collected flyers and packaging that visually appealed to him, keeping them in small boxes he would return to from time to time. In his work, Bob doesn’t look to specific people for influence. Instead, he is drawn to folkloric art from different parts of the world, where the artists are often unknown. For him, that anonymity isn’t important. It is the intention behind the imagery that matters. In many of these traditions, there is a desire to create something that supports mythology or nature in a certain way. As a result, the work often has little to do with the real world. It feels as though those creators understood they could never surpass nature with pencils and brushes, and instead turned inward, searching for shapes that emotionally aligned with their own experience of nature.

The themes he explores most revolve around the human relationship with nature and how that connection has become distorted. Inspiration comes differently each time, but often through a visual archive he maintains. Just like in the past, he collects and pastes images together. He sees these visuals as lanterns that light up a world he can explore, like lighthouses in a vast dark space.

He believes people should ask fewer questions about his work and describe more. Perhaps instead of asking for explanations, they could ask, “Can I tell you what I see in it?” If his art could speak, he hopes it would say the same thing he would say about the artwork itself, that it is merely an expression of his internal world. When people see his work, Bob hopes they feel powerful. And while the creative process can be very intimidating, over the years it has brought him more confidence.