Jan Fabre, multi-disciplinary artist: 'I have a space for myself. No one comes in. No press, no curators, no gallerists'

Karen Wright meets the artist in his studio in Antwerp

Chain reaction: Fabre studied window display before becoming an artist (Hans de Bruijn)

Jan Fabre has a studio in Antwerp. It was formerly a school that had fallen into dereliction. Fabre got it rent free, having committed to renovating the space, and will eventually return it to the city complete with the 70-odd artworks now contained in it.

The studio, or laboratory as Fabre prefers to call it, is now home to the theatrical company that Fabre founded in 1986, Troubleyn. "The kitchen is designed by Marina Abramović. Luc Tuymans painted the big painting on the ceiling, Michaël Borremans painted some panels in the theatre". All the artists donated their works.

It is one of the most impressive studios of any that I have visited. I ask the lean, charismatic chain-smoking Fabre what was the idea behind the hugely ambitious reconditioning of the space and he replies: "I did this because in this building there a lot of young actors, dancers, philosophers, scientists." As many of his visitors are artists he asks them to contribute to the fabric of the building. To him it is important that the young artists "are confronted with real artworks and not computers… it will inspire a young generation of artists".

Fabre was born in 1958 in Antwerp not far from the studio, then a poor part of the city. His parents were clear that their son would be an industrious member of the family, not fall into the trap of poverty and thievery, although he did his share of car break-ins using a cola tin wrapped in a sock.

He recalls when he was 10 years old: "My father took me to Rubens's house and he made me copy drawings of Rubens, and he took me to the zoo and I had to make drawings of animals. This was my education".

Fabre attended the Academy of Beaux Art in Antwerp to learn the proper skills of drawing. He also studied window-display, as his father was determined he would have a career: "I chose it as it was the career of Andy Warhol". He quickly started turning the shop windows into performance spaces. He travelled to America where he performed around the country.

Fabre considers himself a consilience artist (one who draws answers from a variety of non-related sources). "I'm learning a lot from my writings; I'm learning a lot from seeing my stage work. From the kinetic intelligence from my actors and dancers, for my sculptures and installations. And I'm learning a lot from my sculptures and installations for my theatre work."

He is a sculptor who often embraces unusual materials such as the carapaces of beetles as well as the traditional materials of bronze and marble, but never works on his visual arts in this large space. He has another space where he works alone. "Only for myself. No one comes in there. No press, no curators, no gallerists. That's really private."

When I remark how impressive his theatrical performances are he gives credit to his city, saying it is the city of Rubens, a truly modern artist. "He directed all the processions in Antwerp, he made the sets; he was a writer. And look to the light of Rubens. All his light is artificial. When I'm directing I'm still using Rubens, he was the best director ever."

See some of Fabre's work here