You feel protected and still free. An ideal environment for someone like me,” says Jan, describing what others have experienced before him: Even if free spirits sometimes struggle with the rural-village aspect of the island, Sylt still offers an ideal fertile soilPerhaps precisely because of the human proximity and manageability, which provides security as well as it can mean confinement. "On an island, there is water all around. This limits, creates a framework and gives security"This phenomenon is a phenomenon that is often overlooked," was once described by author, columnist, and playwright Moritz Rinke, who was the first Sylt island writer at the beginning of this millennium. With his scholarship from the "Sylt Quelle," he lived and worked on Sylt for a while and was able to appreciate why the island is good for the artist's soul and offers a magnificent setting for creative work. Twenty years ago, the projects and initiatives of patron, free spirit, and mineral water entrepreneur Indra Wussow breathed new life into Sylt's image as an island of writers and artists. Innovative and forward-looking.
Jan Koppers is his way largely alone The urge to devote himself entirely to art grew ever stronger. "No more compromises," was his decision at some point. He overcame hurdles and navigated the shoals to achieve this – and never regretted it. "During the coronavirus pandemic, I had to vacate my studio in Keitum and temporarily lived in a dilapidated, drafty garden house. On a wild, stormy night, I realized that, compared to so many others, I lived a rich and totally privileged life. The fear was gone, and I felt free."A key moment“, says Jan, the man with the signature hedgehog hairbrush.
A number of uncomfortable stages followed, all of which ultimately led to his current life as a 100 percent artist. He follows his inner compass, which, of course, functions differently than that of most of his contemporaries. This summer, Jan always got up at 4:30 a.m. and worked into the morning. To avoid jet lag, he allowed himself an extra hour of sleep towards the weekend so he could participate in "normal life" on the weekends.
When he sometimes doesn't contact them for weeks, none of his friends are angry. He only occasionally allows himself to be distracted from his work drive: by glorious island weather, for example, or by invitations from his adopted family to Copenhagen: "The city is so inspiring. I love Scandinavian art and lifestyle. But somehow, even there, you're always working on your inner self."
