Jaap Snijder & Marcelo Gimenes

Decorative painter

©Snijder&CO

An old Dutch craft

Jaap Snijder and Marcelo Gimenes work as a duo
They make personalised wall hangings
They mix traditional and contemporary skills

Established in Rotterdam, the duo of craftsmen Jaap Snijder and Marcelo Gimenes decided to embrace the traditional Dutch art of large landscape wall hangings. After researching old techniques from the 18th and 19th centuries, they now create personalised handmade wallpapers presenting landscapes, animals and vegetation. The impressive pieces, often as big as several metres in height and width, require patience and a meticulous process of creation, one they describe as meditative. Eager to keep this long-lost traditional craft alive, the duo collaborates with many institutions to offer a new perspective on the Dutch wall hangings, as well as working with design academies and applied art institutions in order to preserve the expertise behind this craft.

Interview

©Snijder&CO

©Snijder&CO

When and how did you actually start?: We started ten years ago by researching old techniques like chinoiserie and typical Dutch wall hangings. As artists with different styles we wanted to merge our techniques to create large paintings and decorative art; wallpaper was the natural choice.
How do you divide work between you two?: We always make sure we can both do the same things, but of course there are specialties which suit one better than the other. Birds and mammals are usually done by Jaap, and skies, background and insects by Marcelo. The rest is mostly a mix of both.
What is special about your wall paintings?: We use classic painting techniques for landscapes and mix them with contemporary materials for a more sustainable result while keeping the historical context. Many old techniques are lost, we search and categorise them to pass on to a new generation.
Could your craft be considered in danger?: Our craft has been lost for more than 150 years. We are working on a revival with the help of museums, historians and the Cultural Heritage Agency, to bring back this Dutch tradition of large landscape wall hangings and secure it for the next generations.

Jaap Snijder & Marcelo Gimenes are expert artisans: they began their career in 2010 and they started teaching in 2019