What is it you do in Broedplaats VKG?
Nyk: « I mainly write in my small office on the second floor. Besides being a writer and poet, I am also a musician. I record and mix music in my attic at home, where I’ve built a small studio. »
You do quite a lot of different things. Is there a common thread in your work?
« In my work, you’ll always find a certain degree of lightness, humor, and at the same time heaviness, tension. The combination of those two things is the holy grail for me. I like it when work is accessible and then suddenly hits the reader or viewer with pressing uncomfortable things. ‘Discomfort, expertly wrapped’, a reviewer once wrote that about my work. I thought it was a good description. »
Do you find Broedplaats VKG to be an inspiring environment?
« In recent years I have worked with quite a few people in the building. Since I don’t have any valuables in my studio – except for my laptop – I don’t have to blind my window. This way I see everyone walking by. It’s wonderful how easy it is to make contact and exchange ideas here. Sooner or later, collaborations will emerge. »
You’re also the poetic ambassador of Friesland (aka ‘Dichter fan Fryslân’). In this capacity you write six to ten poems a year, inspired by striking affairs in the province. What was the most striking affair you wrote a poem about?
« The town where I was born is pretty much the heart of the so-called ‘blokkeerfriezen’. And quite a few people I know there are PVV-voters and supporters of Forum voor Democratie. In Amsterdam, almost all of my friends and acquaintances have a left-wing signature. I try to create work that reaches both camps and has an effect on both. ‘Begin’ – the first text I wrote as Dichter fan Fryslân – is apparently about an ordinary quarrel, but this theme certainly lies underneath it. »
Your new poetry bundle ‘Asman‘ will be released soon. Can you tell us something about it?
« Asman is a mix of prose poems, humorous ultra-short stories, and texts I wrote as Dichter fan Fryslân. The bundle brings together the lightness and the heaviness that I mentioned earlier. It also includes eight short poetry films that I made with filmmaker Herman Zeilstra. I am a big fan of film because it’s the discipline where everything comes together: text, images, and music. During the bundle presentation in Doka, I also hope to include the films in my performance. »
Last but not least, the million-dollar question: who is your favorite poet and why?
« I started as a musician, so music is my main inspiration. The parlando songs by Tom Waits had a big influence on my short texts. For example, a song that I have played endlessly is ‘Franks Wild Years’ from the album ‘Swordfish Trombones’. »
More info via Nyks website
