Kevin Oyen

Aycko

Metalworker

A welder’s outlook on craftsmanship

Kevin feels an object is well made when it’s not obvious how it was made
He strives to push himself and his materials to their limits
He uses residual material to create organic shapes

Kevin Oyen grew up in a family of craftsmen. Inspired by his father’s enthusiasm and expertise, Kevin decided to follow him into the profession of welding. But he refused to relinquish his natural creativity and searched for ways to combine craft and art. At the age of 25, Kevin moved to Australia and started to work for an international artist who was looking for a welder to develop his artworks. “In hindsight, I think that’s where I set myself the goal to start my own creative business,” he says. “Not much later AYCKO was born. I never gave up on my craft, but decided to develop my techniques in a more artistic way. By testing materials' limits, I’m still experiencing new things every day and, frankly, becoming a better welder by doing it."

Interview

Why did you choose this craft?: I guess it's a family thing, but I chose to be creative. Combing crafts with creativity in one piece gives me the most amazing feeling when it is finished. It's not only the result that can be astonishing, but also the trial and error, finding what works and what doesn't.
How important was your experience in Australia?: Immensely. I worked intensively with Matthew Harding to make public artworks for the cities of Melbourne and Adelaide as well as Aarhus in Denmark. Once back in Belgium, I studied furniture design and product design and learned Rhino 3D drawing.
What are your sources of inspiration?: I am inspired by all sorts. When I am skateboarding, I can be fully overwhelmed by the organic shapes and flowers in the skate park. Or when in nature, I am in awe of what the earth brings us, all day every day.
How do you define what you do?: Creatively rethinking traditional metal welding techniques. Most of the time, I start my workday with the question 'What if...?' What if I use this material in another way? What if I bend it over backwards? By doing this, I feel like I can translate pure thought into something real.

Kevin Oyen is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2015 and he started teaching in 2019