LandEscape A r t
R e v i e w
CHRISTINE HOLTZ LAUREN S. ZADIKOW SATSUKI IMAI SARAH SCANIGLIA YECHIAM GAL JACQUELINE SIM ARTEMIS HERBER THEA JULIETTE STEVENSON HEIDI NEUBAUER-WINTERBURN From We Bleed The Same Color, Gosia Mielech No Man’s Land, Exhibition at Artisphere, Arlington VA Photo by Andrzej Hajdasz Courtesy of Artemis Herber
Summary
Our net review presents a selection of artists whose works shows the invisible connection betwen inner landscapes and actual places. Apart from stylistic differences and individual approaches to the art process, all of them share the vision that art is a slice of the world to be shared. An artwork doesn't communicate anything: it simply creates a mental space. Language, gestures, or rather a masterly brush-stroke of a painter are nothing but ways to invite us to explore our inner landscapes". Thirty years have passed since this Borgesean deep and at the same time provocative statement has been written by the fine Italian writer Giorgio Manganelli.
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Artemis Herber (Germany/USA)
Factory, Acrylic on corrugated cardboard
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"I attempt to uncover what subversively dwells in cities: lifestyles of consumerism and commuting pursued relentlessly, demanding destructively high levels of resources, the automatic pursuit of these standards, and the big “bloodstream” which provides the heart of cities with energy and food; the “energy belt” ensuring the survival of masses."
Sarah Scaniglia
(France) " I set up my own stock image with my own photos. And I pick into it to elaborate the universe I want to create. For example, for the image “The Lu's Journey”, You can find in it the Lu tower in Nantes, the ocean of Atlantic french coast, the Diamond Rock in Martinique, and clouds taken maybe during a Sunday walk."
Piken på broen
Thea Juliette Stevenson (Monaco)
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"I take time to construct a mythological landscape, and to research and re-examine my intentions. I always have a vision inspired by a real lucid dream I have had and I tie this in with my own deep fascination with the landscape amidst destruction. "
J a n u a r y
2 0 1 5
Captions
Yechiam Gal
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(USA) "The “Goldbergers” is a digital mix of poetry, literature, and images that incorporates the history of my own family with the history of time. It has been my goal to create a new grammar of visual and linguistic communication utilizing the latest opportunities created by sophisticated systems."
Satsuki Imai (Japan)
Human Sushi
The Battle for Annuziata
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"The artwork can experience. And, It’s will be completed by becoming a sushi. You select the food topping. And you are rotated by the author of the chef figure. Finally you become “Human Sushi”. You will be posted for your menu by your sushi photo shoot. It's you can enjoy performance, and have to entertain people."
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Heidi Neubauer-Winterburn (USA)
J a n u a r y
I'm an artist— I've been labeled a post-conceptualist— writer, and creative director. After over a decade of travel and several years in Chicago and Paris, I now make my home in Denver and I am a full member of Spark Gallery. I've been described as a Swiss Army Knife. Do your teeth miss the taste of the sky?
Jacqueline Sim
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(Singapore)
Duplicity
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Blond Jenny
2 0 1 5
My inspiration are often inspired and derived from theoretical interests or emotional attachments towards certain issues that are close to heart. The environments we live in influence us whether we like it or not, and there is always a touch of nostalgia element in my works.
(South Korea / USA) My work is based on things I love like a bears, family, friends, and my national identity. Taking the bear as an example, I made a story which about an American bear. I talk about the American bear and Jenny which is my fantasy character. They are strangers that become friends. I like telling a story using a character in short stop motion format as inspired by Charlie Chaplin movies. Mixed Metaphors
(USA)
and
Lauren S. Zadikow
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We explore the landscapes of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Our cameras accompany us as we follow paths along train tracks and rivers, into the woods and over the sides of hills. We are searching for illegal dumpsites, and often times, they are not hard to come by. Tires, treated wood, household garbage, railroad ties and construction refuse all lead the way to these sites. The dumpsites we find and photograph are in a variety of states of existence. Some sites have been surveyed by a volunteer organization, some are in the process of being cleaned up, and many remain vulnerable to continued dumping practices.
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Christine Holtz
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Artemis Herber (Germany / USA)
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No Man’s Land, Artisphere, Arlington VA 2
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Artemis Herber
An interview with
Artemis Herber an interview by Dario Rutigliano, Curator
Hello Artemis, and a warm welcome to LandEscape. I would start this interview with my usual introductory question: what does in your opinion define a work of Art? By the way, what could be in your opinion the features that mark an artwork as a piece of Contemporary Art? Do you think that there's a dichotomy between tradition and contemporariness?
A work of art is defined by a unique and authentic artistic concept that leads to a higher principle through the use of specific strategies, methods or materials. Art expresses a general idea through specific meanings while at the same time displaying a distinct artistic significance that an interview with refers to a higher principle. I see the artist as witnesses of time without the intention to manipulate but to seek truth in what they do. Still equipped with well-developed senses the artist perceives observations like a seismograph, catching fine vibrations and eruptions recording those findings in broader complex contexts. Through a more and differentiated art system artists use new technologies to develop their concepts in an ever-expanding field of art and adapt them into their own thoughts and ideas. Differentiation within the art system today through contingency at the very beginning leads to a lot of “noise” such as variety and complexity. This complexity creates new rules and strategies in discovering and working with “new” materials. Meanwhile a more complex system can establish, which gives space for new rules and structures. The new and old systems are reflexive all the time. In consequence, all new technical and material related conditions and
Artemis Herber in her studio (with students)
findings or inventions of new materials will take on more and more prominence. Art practicing and new art materials move into focus and experimentation and improvisation results into artistic concepts by means of diverse interactions. Would you like to tell us something about your background? You have formal training and you have studied Fine Arts and Art Education at the University of Paderborn, NRW, Germany: how has these experience impacted on your
Artemis Herber available to students that created community engagement and offered merit for any emerging artist. These offerings were a big motivation for many of us at the time. Travels and excursions were also a significant part of our education. I have been all over Europe through various visits to art cities and museums while studying at the University of Paderborn. During our travels we would spend a significant amount of time in characteristic regions that allowed me to explore landscapes and cities. These explorations made a huge impact in my art making. For example, findings from a rural environment during one of my earliest excursions relates to beginning of my concept in continuation. Examples of this idea would be paintings such as “Lost Spaces”, “Thresholds”, “Cardboard City” and “No Man’s Land”. One of my earliest series of works, “Ackerbilder”, pictured arable land that represented my realization that idyllic icons of farmland are an illusion. The beef and corn on our plate came from industrialized farms. Those experiences resulted in artistic investigations in the context between illusion-reality-utopie. Later in the United States I continued to explore the suburban areas that circulate like a belt around cities to provide its citizens with food and energy. These insights led to ideas of the relationship between place and space and how we as humans act move and place ourselves by removing the human being as a motive from my paintings. development as an artist and on the way you currently produce your artworks?
I obtained my degree at the University of Paderborn in Germany. The university was located on the periphery of a major art metropole. Students had ample workspace, extremely engaged professors and the perfect conditions to build collaborations between local institutions and organizations. There was also an abundance of supporting programs, scholarships and awards
When I moved from Germany to the United States in 2002 my interest in this theme was reignited through painting series entitled, Lost Spaces and Stations created in 2003-2004. I began to work on subjects of threshold spaces like industrial or suburban landscapes, offices, warehouses, airports, service stations, bus stations, and all night supermarkets - buildings that lie outside the home. These mostly unhomely spaces can be anywhere in the developed world: places of transit, where we are aware of particular kind of
Artemis Herber
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Ferry Station, Acrylic on canvas, 48x60”, 2004
of alienated poetry. The "Ferryboat Station" (Acrylic on Canvas, 160x140 cm, 2004) or "Parking Lot" A.o.C.,120 x 100 cm, 2003) for example, can be important places; they can help us to remember ourselves. Another series of paintings entitled, “Thresholds”, also supports this concept. Stations, Intersections, Malls, Parking Lots, Motels, and Garages represent a familiar place that is a part of our everyday life. This familiarity and banality is then juxtaposed with
aloofness and indifference and also by the strange atmosphere and dramatic contrasts of light, which strengthen the uncertainty of the situation. Transitory in nature, these lost spaces incorporate driveways, streets, and bridges that drive the viewer in and out of the painting. Therein lie just a moment, a short break before you continue with your travel through a distant, deep space, and time. The vision expresses the character of #196 Winter
Artemis Herber
Ramp, Acrylic on canvas, 60X48”, 2006
transitory moments in a world of restlessness and the hurry of mobility. The settings and the emptiness of spaces give you moments of calmness, and unite you by the unexpected vibrancy of light to step into the painting, where you can take a deep breath before strong dynamic brushstrokes take you out of a deserted manufactured wasteland. The turning point from paintings on canvas back to cardboard came in winter of 2010 starting with researches about catastrophes and disasters, whether man-made or natural. My interest was driven by topics of global warming and was caused by a large scale painting on corrugated cardboard I had created with the motif of an
Top Level, Acrylic on canvas, 48x36”, 2006
exploding or burning power plant located on a shore “Power Plant” in November 2010. For months earthquakes, eruptions and catastrophic events were a topic of my researches while making notes, drafting sketches and creating paintings. Basically I envisioned motives of landscapes where big clouds were darkening the sky derived from eruptions or hazardous events. Mostly I see images of clouds as phenomena, but can't really tell, if they derive from natural or manmade disasters or events, which causes one to each other and do not make a difference when they occur. But still I wanted to keep this kind of uncertainty in my paintings, questioning whether the catastrophe has already
Artemis Herber
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Power Plant, Acrylic on corrugated cardboard, 80x100”, 2011
occurred, when nothing or everything is possible - still is there a choice?
work on canvas two days before the catastrophic tsunami happened in Japan.
“Power Plant” was my first painting on corrugated cardboard before the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant on 11 March 2011, resulting in a meltdown of three of the plant's six nuclear reactors. I finished my last
Before starting to elaborate about your production, would you like to tell to our readers something about your process and set up for making your artworks? In particular,
Artemis Herber
Factory, Acrylic on corrugated cardboard, 80 x 100”, 2011
what technical aspects do you mainly focus on your work? And how much preparation and time do you put in before and during the process of creating a piece?
Many of my large-scale paintings derive from small sketches or experiments on a smaller scale. I attempt to uncover what subversively dwells in
cities: lifestyles of consumerism and commuting pursued relentlessly, demanding destructively high levels of resources, the automatic pursuit of these standards, and the big “bloodstream” which provides the heart of cities with energy and food; the “energy belt” ensuring the survival of masses. Eduardo: icic c´est ailleurs (Series: You are here)
Artemis Herber
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Electricity Poles, Acrylic on corrugated cardboard 10x12”, 2010
sites or smokestacks blasting dust and smoke, blurring a blue sky.
Factory, detail Acrylic on corrugated cardboard 2011, 80 x 100”
While being on the road I find my motives in the outer belts of those cities: worlds of oil containers, factories with smokestacks, landfills and power plants, all encompassed by pipes and wires of electricity poles. Back in my studio my approach is to reveal the apparently hidden, I use corrugated cardboard to tear and peel layers of paper, unveiling the corrugations, which are incorporated with the texture of my composition of motifs. Partly disrupted, the external shape of the cardboard sheet reflects the theme of abandoned places: crumbling factories, ruined construction
My first sketches were created on small pieces from found boxes and explored serial themes of “Deserted Dreams,” “Hidden Cities” which became later themes for larger paintings. During the process, I realized that the aesthetics of rawness and roughness from the cardboard itself provoked the certain bleakness of a city landscape that I was searching for. Increasing the size of my cardboard paintings allowed me to treat material, paint and shape the work physically to create a relentless, nearly brutal face of what surrounds us. In interaction with cuts, tears using strategies destruction and decollage I paint with huge brushes and blades in a sketchlike way, expressing the spontaneity of action and reaction within the process on my themes. Now in their extensions those large scale cardboard paintings became autonomous aesthetic objects, artistic artifacts of a culture. Material, structure and texture correlate with the actual temporary character of human-made actions as artifacts. #196 Winter
Artemis Herber
A New City, Acrylic on corrugated cardboard, 80 x 100”, 2014
For that reason it’s hard to describe how much time I put into preparation. Truly, regarding the paintings it depends on the idea of the work. Sometimes I start right away spilling paint all over and develop a painting in a very experimental way just by having a very vague thought in mind. For example with "A New City” at the starting point I had those images of fracking zones in mind after friends reported about the massive changes in their landscape and living conditions. Sometimes the preparation time is squeezed in between a whole process. With “Meltdown” I found the composition too tight, constructed or ‘frozen.’ At that point you give up or continue finding new creative ways to express what you are seeking for. In the following days I exposed the painting for about three days in the rain until the layers started to dissolve from each other. Then I pulled the painting back into the studio and played with the loose layers. As a result I found a way to create this soft uneven nearly organic looking surface, which reflects on juxtaposition between the apparently solid
Meltdown, Acrylic on corrugated cardboard, 80 x 100”, 2014
construction of bridges or ramps of the site and questioning its durability through the melting Oldenburg like character. With “Oede” preparation was time consuming, because I developed methods of templates from cardboard and reusing them in various ways for that work. With “Pearls of the Sea” preparation time took a year by random, because I found a folded cardboard sheet on my balcony after being
Artemis Herber
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Pearls of the Sea, Acrylic on corrugated cardboard, 80 x 100�, 2014 11
Artemis Herber
Öde, Acrylic on corrugated cardboard, 80 x 100�, 2014
exposed for over a year. The weathered nearly ancient look of the piece was the perfect base for a concept related to the oriental culture of Abu Dhabi I visited last year. However, preparation time is not a topic, but the process when time and meaning merge into those layers in a palimpsest like strategy.
Now let's focus on your art production: I would start from Explorer and Oede, that our readers have already started to admire in the introductory pages of this article: and I would suggest to visit your website directly at http://www.artemisherber.com in order to get a wider idea of your current artistic production. In the meanwhile, would you tell us something about the genesis of this
Artemis Herber
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Explorer, Acrylic on corrugated cardboard, 80 x 100�, 2014
project? What was your initial inspiration?
Explorer is the transitional work between my earlier series of Cardboard City and a new theme entitled No Man’s Land. Originally I had different
intentions influenced by the environmental catastrophe of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. I had the idea of placing the motive of an oil rig into the deep sea, while drilling units make their way into the deep
Artemis Herber
Lost Space, Acrylic on canvas, 36x48”, 2004
Body Shop, Acrylic on canvas, 30x40”, 2006
water through cuts and tears into the surface of the cardboard in fiery colors. Once finished this part of the painting (I kept those elements to visualize the process of my work though) there was too much of moral warnings (and blame.) Once you step back from the own work and try to look at it overall at once, I realized this wide-open space with its far horizon line and the power and energy of the sea by reflecting on my experiments of swiveling the large cardboard soaked in water and paint.
line. That concept of suggesting a new situation the painting Explorer found its direction and statement I was seeking for through a long experimental phase.
That reminded me not only of my earlier series of Lost Spaces, but also particularly of the meaning of the horizon line itself. German philosopher, Peter Sloterdijk describes how we as humans create our own spheres or atmospheres. As upright standing species we have the horizon in front of us that means we can look into far, which means space, time and future. The horizon line itself reflects on a far away point that includes the aspect of time, which leads to the concept of future. For that reason I decided to switch the main motive from the oil rig close by from now to something far and later. The solution was the appearance of wind generators at the horizon
That said I would like to underline the concept of liminality in two ways; not only with respect to my themes, but also as an artistic concept itself. Oede is the first painting of the new series from No Man’s Land. The theme definitively describes the concept of liminality, not only because the motive strongly describes a lost and barren space but reflects on the lonesome regions of our sole. I enjoy this work because it is pure, essential and rich at the same time and an archetype in meaning. Martin Kemp’s publication about The Spaces of Painters (Die Räume der Maler, 1996) examines the loss of home in the history of European art. Among other things he describes with reference to examples of Filippo Lippi, Birth of St Stephanus, 1452-1464, Fresco. Prato Dom, the concept of topophobie with the focus on the meaning of the desert. The desert resembles the place of being exposed; it’s the place of surroundings and environs; a hinterland. But it
Artemis Herber
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Intersection, Acrylic on canvas, 30x40”, 2007
Inauguration Day, Acrylic on canvas, 30x40”, 2005
also includes ideas of a place of transition and purification; a journey for the soul. No Man’s Land suggests various directions within the concept of liminality. The painting Oede indicates not just any space but suggests the vastest place on earth and generates its pure essence of its being with various geoeconomic, environmental, terrestrial and psychological notions. As you have remarked in your artist's statement, your work create an atmosphere of alienated poetry by an effective juxtaposition between familiar places and uninviting situations, as in the extremely interesting Lost Spaces series, which is one of my favourite project of yours and that has remineded me of the concept of non-place elaborated by French anthropologist Marc AugÈ. I daresay that this brings a new level of significance to the subjects on which viewers' attention is focused... So I would like to ask you if in your opinion personal experience from real world is an absolutely indespensable part of a creative process... Do you think that a creative process could be disconnected from direct experience?
observation cannot be separated from the creative process. It always flows as a memory or imprint into my mind at the same time I’m creating art.
No, not at all. We live in an outer world, which includes inner worlds. In my experience
My method is to keep observations at a distance so I may allow myself to see the world as something new or surprising. Motives of our everyday life, especially moments of transience, require a certain amount of attention and awareness for the common and temporary and as a self-referring stage and my place as a human. Through migration and globalization places and transitory moments of liminality there is an effect on how one finds their place. As Marc Auge differentiates between places and non-places I would agree that the definition between those terms could be transitional within themselves. Most depend on the individual itself or the frequency an individual obtains at a certain space that is either recognized as a place or experienced as a non-place. For me I found a way to reclaim those indefinite spaces as non-places such as in motels, parking lots, ramps, exits, malls and intersections of our every day life. I define this idea of deserted,
Artemis Herber
Motel, Acrylic on canvas, 48x60�, 2006
abandoned or empty places in an undefined place in my series, Lost Spaces and Thresholds. At the same time it becomes personal and characteristic in “feeding� the imagery with emotions, memories and history through personal experiences. That is the moment when I regain non-places as a place, where I create a position between here and there, now and later, between place and space, space and time. In that visual moment, where boundaries seem to
dissolve in that relationship of our existence: being in an outer world, which includes inner worlds. These are the moments of transitory strengthened by the uncertainty of the situation when I let time stand still within motifs of restlessness, movement, hurry and mobility, migration and modern nomadism. My paintings are derived from common sights in
Artemis Herber
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Quarry, Acrylic on corrugated cardboard, 80x100”, 2014
manner: each is familiar, yet mundane. Many people who look at my paintings believe they recognize a certain place of their own environment, from their city or neighborhood they dwell even though my work was motivated by a different location earlier in my life. On one hand the motives are so banal that the locations are indeed exchangeable and could be defined as non-places and at the same time they are already recognized individually, those spaces are defined as specific places in our memories.
One of my most favorite early paintings entitled, “Motel”, reaches out into deserted empty spaces of transit looking for orientation in a dehumanized world. With Motel I explore a seemingly abandoned or deserted place, devoid of people. The motel suggests an architecture of waiting, with forbidding facades, no entrance, window or driveway to welcome the viewer’s eye. Only the roofing provides shelter and reminds us more of a desolate bus stop or station, protecting but not welcoming or inviting. Revealing the apparently hidden, I use corrugated cardboard to tear and #196 Winter
Artemis Herber peel layers of paper, unveiling corrugations, which I integrate into the texture and composition. The cardboard’s aesthetics of rawness and roughness, incorporated tears, cuts and paper shreds emphasize the crumbling architecture of motel and provoke a certain bleakness of a city landscape and its state of neglect and instability. Partly disrupted, the external shape of the cardboard reflects themes of forsaken places and ruined construction and development. Another interesting pieces of yours that have impressed on me and on which I would like to spend some words are entitled Quarry and Swept Away : I have been struck with the intensly thoughtful nuances of blue that suggest me a sense of dramatic -and I would daresay "oniric"- luminosity that seems to flow out of your canvas... by the way, any comments on your choice of "palette" and how it has changed over time?
The layers underneath may cause the reason for your perception and some residues I leave from those layers. They create an unexpected vibrancy of contrast and light that adds to a dramatic atmosphere especially in connection with non homelike environments such as abandoned areas, murky skies or threatening clouds – all transitory moments referring to changes in nature and its atmosphere. Quarry and Swept Away derive from a series that is based on concepts that are environmentally motivated. I raise questions about urban culture and sustainability in an attempt to capture the impression of recent natural disasters or catastrophes in cityscapes, forsaken places and ruined constructions and how we as humans experience ourselves through changing conditions. My paintings explore urban environments empty of humanity and permeated with a sense of instability. During a time of great uncertainty, humans stand at the threshold between a previous way of life and what their future outcome will become within the community, institution and one’s self.
Quarry, Acrylic on corrugated cardboard, 80x100”, 2014 (details)
The body of work imitates abandoned and decrepit architecture through the application of tears, cuts and shreds to the surface of cardboard. This process reveals layers of corrugation, tattered textures, and dissolving surface conditions while stressing the idea of found objects in temporary nature. These strategies remind me of a palimpsest layers in time merging between the present with an outlook into the future which already appears to be passed. The form of a palimpsest reflects on a status of liminalty as well. “Liminality" is the quality of ambiguity or disorientation that occurs in the middle stage of rituals when participants no longer hold their pre-ritual status but have not yet begun the transition to the status they will hold when the ritual is complete. During a ritual's liminal stage, participants "stand at the threshold” between their previous way of structuring their identity, time, or community, and a new way, which the ritual establishes.” I would like to use this concept as a way to share the idea that liminal space, places of threshold or transition, may be a productive space for creativity with notions of self in flux. Through the exploration of the Terra Incognita one can ask how will our life and surroundings be transformed through environmental and economic desolation,
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Swept Away, Acrylic on corrugated cardboard, 80 x 100”, 2013
neglect, instability and destruction? And, how does human invasion shape our environment and landscapes? With “Quarry” there was a shift in the landscape. Through the juxtaposition of permanence and impermanence in various motifs of our changing environment, I suggest ideas of liminality, places of threshold and arid environments in transition revealed in the interaction between man and nature.
Historical, political and economic shaped environments are reflected in these new works through the generation of cityscapes that seem familiar and yet come from another time. The images are witnesses from the future and talk about changes in our cities. They represent the energy of human creativity and the architectural mastery of space, which raises questions on how our will to shape the world will behave at the moment.
Artemis Herber
Series of Forest, Acrylic on canvas (36x48”, 36x48”, 48x60”, 48x60”) And I couldn't do without mentioning your Forest series: I definitely love that way you have re-contextualized the idea of landscape... the poles of wind generators seems to spring the same energy of a living organism as a tree. In particular, I would like to stop for a moment to consider the "function" of the landscape suggested by this stimulating series: it has suggested me the concept that some informations & ideas are hidden, or even "encrypted" in the environment we live in, so we need -in a way-
to decipher them. Maybe that one of the roles of an artist could be to reveal unexpected sides of Nature, especially of our inner Nature... what's your point about this?
“Forest” features wind generators, exploring how green technologies have changed landscapes while alternative energy has placed it’s mark on the shape of the environment in a new way. I confront the viewer with another arid landscape, this time devoid of trees or forests
Artemis Herber
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#196 Winter
Artemis Herber Stems, Installation, Acrylic on corrugated cardboard, each element 90 (h)x 35(d), 2011 ongoing
With this ongoing project, I am inspired by regional observations to create awareness in a global community. I create work based on local environmental impact that translates to ecological and societal issues worldwide. My work transcends economy and ecology, transforming life into art and meaning. The installation STEMS consists of single sculptures made from corrugated cardboard and can be arranged in various organic patterns depending. STEMS are based on the concept of recreating huge trees destroyed by environmental disasters or ecological disease. I preserve and copy shapes of found stumps, reviving bygone trees through an installation that can be walked through. Inspired by nature, I create open spheres of corrugated cardboard, a material that is recyclable and sustainable yet simultaneously vulnerable, juxtaposing concepts of permanence and impermanence. The original material of trees is integrated and transformed at the same time, encouraging visitors to wander through the installation contemplating memories of what was lost in real nature. My vision is to generate awareness of certain conditions I find in my own physical environment.† Tree stumps – signs of cumulative devastation in the region – are my motivation to recover and recreate natural forms as an artistic concept that delivers a message of the loss in nature. The bright, fresh green color inspires a dreamlike stroll through an optimistic environment – a walk between illusion and reality, suggesting a second nature within an artificial, artistic sphere.
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Vessels,
Vessels,
Rust on corrugated cardboard, variable sizes, 2012
Rust on corrugated cardboard, variable sizes, 2012
in juxtaposition to the suggested title. Instead I place an image of wind generators suggesting a regeneration process for what we have lost or going to lose in nature.
culture, and I would go as far as to state that the imposing dimensions of it in a certain sense are a metaphor of the great impact that such ephemeral nature has on us... By the way, I have highly appreciate the way you are capable of creating such an effective symbiosis between elements from different techniques: while crossing the borders of different artistic fields have you ever happened to realize that a synergy between different disciplines is the only way to achieve some results, to express some concepts?
Wind generators are the anthropomorphic design to wind; the adaption and concretion of what the eye does not see, but what we sense as wind, which is air. Air is the most essential natural resource, which allows us to breathe. Breathing air is one of the strongest life supporting systems. With “Forest� I reflect on the way we condition our atmosphere, while thinking of the options as long as we have choices. The motive of wind generators is a matter of landscape design that affects our air-conditioning with new perspectives on regenerative technologies. Multidisciplinarity is a crucial aspect of your approach and besides the paintings that our readers have admired in these pages, you also produce stimulating sculptures, as Vessels, an interesting piece that mixes the fragility of the materials of which it is made, with prominence of the structure itself. You once stated that it is a metaphor of an artistic artifact of a
Vessels were motivated by perspectives on the port of Baltimore, a big hub of trade and cruise lines, accommodating some of the largest container ships in the world. From the water’s view in the Inner Harbor you can see the connection between waterways trade offered by the landing of containerships loaded with cars and way of life of mobility with all the traffic crossing in the background swallowed by the city. Big cruise ships ensure the uniformity of tourism, where travelers become a function of another economic market place.
Artemis Herber
Vessels, Rust on corrugated cardboard, variable sizes, 2012
With Vessels I like the idea of the connection between shipping and transit, trade and junction by using cardboard partly adopting those beautiful shapes of keels and bow of ships as an open and empty setting. I enjoy how the juxtaposition of the material with a rusty surface acts as a metaphor for an artistic artifact of culture through materiality. Corrugated cardboard is mundane, industrial and cheap – yet interactive, global and irreplaceable. Every pizza is delivered in a cardboard box; every package shipped arrives in cardboard. Cardboard fascinates. We love to open boxes. We are
delighted in the anticipation of the moment of their opening and in the surprise of discovering their contents. Cardboard protects and hides inner secrets. It is warm, sturdy, dense and thick. Conversely, in the next moment, it can be vulnerable, impermanent and easily destroyed. This work examines the relation of our daily life, it's objects and values. It explores the connection between global trade, its current economy, demands and effects on our environment. Cardboard is the market indicator of our economy.
Artemis Herber
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Coats, Installation, Acrylic on corrugated cardboard, San Jose Museum of Art, 2008
Earlier works such as Walls of Love, Coats or Barricades were the effect of the transition from wall-hung pieces to open space. Coats were the continuation of Walls of Love exploring the idea of how we as humans live in spheres whether contained or imagined. Coats function as protective mantles covering our bodies, defending against elements, separating interior and environment. The Coats series reflects the correlative relationship between inner and outer worlds, place and space. Individual segments are sheltering womb-like spheres, where a human being can be contained. By using a mundane, industrial, sturdy cardboard
instead of fabric, my Coats appear like walls or hardened curtains, defending and sheltering. At the same time their ultramarine/cobalt blue color attracts us and pulls us in, cocooning and conserving, bringing us quiet, tranquility and calm. Even though I choose to use darker shades of blue, both the Ultramarine and Cobalt blue evoke another look with their pureness and clarity, as they carry light and create a mystic sphere of reflection inside the sculptural shape. Within these juxtapositions COATS offers the playful option of life: they reflect the relationship between the inner and outer world, between the physical world and the world of mind and spirit, between being here and there, place and space. #196 Winter
Artemis Herber
Barricades, Installation, Acrylic on corrugated cardboard, 2012
In various groupings, they create a warm climate of interaction, floating dynamically, with boundaries constantly redefined. The installation and the setting itself suggests the idea of a liminal space or place of transit through the artwork itself. Barricades were also a continuation of Walls of Love but in a different way. This sculptural series explores how specifically-shaped formations create an index of social conflict and how societies do (or do not) find solutions to those conflicts. BARRICADES embodies the concept of current unresolved global confrontations (Syria, Egypt, Greece) and centuries of historical construction representing a language of fear,
defense and exclusion (Great Wall of China, Western Wall, Berlin Wall, Mexican/US border). I purposely juxtapose a common visual interpretation of “barricades” with the material I use –corrugated cardboard – which is sturdy but not lastingly durable, stable or resistant. Creating a visual barricade (which we suppose is a solid defense system between forces in conflict) out of cardboard ridicules the inherent meaning and converts the construction itself into an absurdity. The work conceptually questions systems of frontiers and barriers in social and political systems.
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Walls of Love, Installation, Acrylic on corrugated cardboard, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo NY, 2007
As pre-fabricated serial pieces, BARRICADES can be installed in varying formations, transforming any space as the hurdles and barriers provoke visitors to stop, walk around and take detours. Those purposeful stops and halts motivate viewers to reflect on the specific site of the work. The pieces can be arranged in rows, circles, small groupings or even along permanent walls, each installation engendering different responses and creating different meanings. Minimal in color, material and formation, various groupings give rise to connotations of political topics, images of current riots or reflections on totalitarian ideals
implied in military parades or other demonstrations of organized power. Barricades are the visual meeting point of two opposing sides, of peace and war, of unsolved conflicts between those longing for protection in unstable situations of social or economic disparity. Even if built as protective borders, barricades always imply aggression and thus serve as a provocation as well as a defense. In any installed formation, BARRICADES represent an index of a society's fragility, thin layers of civilization, the fine line between attack and defense of consciousness.
Artemis Herber
Shelters, Rust on corrugated cardboard, 65x50�, 2011
Societies obtain immune systems (Peter Sloterdijk) through monumental architectures such as walls as a defense system I have liked the idea that once human raise walls there are others who seek for the gaps, openings and let troughs with the connotation of absurdity through the material itself. As in Walls of Love across culture and history, civilizations have built walls as defense systems, creating a global atmosphere of separation, isolation and, in consequence, alienation, all of which hinders us from being communicative, curious and social. These
ideas were what motivated me to create Barricades. Another impact was, realizing fences and walls built up in the US (along the Mexican border, The Secure Fence Act of 2006 and earlier after the September 1 in 2001 attacks, the United States looked at the feasibility of placing soldiers along the U.S.-Mexico border as a security measure, but made no mention of the Canada – United States border) or Israel (following a Palestinian violence outbreak in 2002, Israel began construction of a barrier that would separate most of the West Bank from areas inside Israel)
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By the way, I think it's important to mention that you are a founding member of „Raum Fuer Kunst“ (Space for Art) a non-profit organization funding arts and culture for the city, in Paderborn. I do believe that interdisciplinary collaboration today is an ever growing force in Art and that that most exciting things happen when creative minds from different fields of practice meet and collaborate on a project... could you tell us something about these effective synergies? By the way, the artist Peter Tabor once said that "collaboration is working together with another to create something as a synthesis of two practices, that alone one could not": what's your point about this? Can you explain how your work demonstrates communication between several artists?
During that time we were young emerging artists desperately seeking more space to work and focus on our art production. The owner of a popular bakery that had recently retired his business read about our mission in the local newspaper. He was excited about our future plans and provided us with a four-story building that we called “Raum fuer Kunst”. Over 20 years later the building and organization still exists surrounded by a newly revitalized city core next to City Hall. The effects were amazing. Forming a non-profit organization resulted in a lot of support from donors and advocates of our ideas. The Raum fuer Kunst success came from a collaboration of support from the city, university, teachers and architects and the hard work we put into remodeling the building. To show our gratitude we provided yearly exhibitions about our progress and curated a full year program including exhibitions, events, performances in music and theater. I have to admit, those things only happen when you find people of similar energy and commitment. For about five years my home and studio were in Cleveland, Ohio. I had a small space in The Old Schoolhouse in Little Italy, not far away from the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Institute of Art and the Cleveland Orchestra at the University
Circle. In the revitalized schoolhouse former classrooms were transformed into galleries, artists studios, architects, designers offices, film studios, goldsmith workshops, yoga and psychotherapy spaces. The energy and activities during my stay were dependent on who moved in or out. During much of my stay I experienced wonderful collaborations with various people working within that building. The effect was so driving that we became more involved with activities in the neighborhood, community and the city. Now in Baltimore the ways of collaboration have changed since my workplace is secluded. It changed into engagements with non-profit organizations or individual artists I like to work, experiment and collaborate with through studio collaborations, art projects, workshops, planning and coordinating exhibitions. For example, my involvement in workshops (either as the instructor or student) is similar to concepts of improvisations. There I can explore new ideas or develop unexpected artistic strategies. It opens up new concepts, piques my curiosity, fuels my experimental self and pushes me to integrate the new experiences into my own work. During these thirty years your works have been exhibited in several occasions both in Germany and in the United States. Could you tell us something about the impressions that you have received in these occasions? By the way, how much important is for you the feedback of your audience? Do you ever think to whom will enjoy your Art when you conceive your pieces?
I enjoy the audience in the United States because of their spontaneous and personal responses. In Cleveland, viewers would feel quite comfortable in telling the artist how they felt about the work. Sometimes people dropped off letters or beautiful notes in front of my studio. However, in Germany a positive response to the work arrives through a purchase of the work. As Jeff Koons mentioned in one of his interviews, the artist’s work is about acceptance. Reviews from critics are as important as the audience’s feedback to move on. But, it would not come to my mind to create concepts in #196 Winter
Artemis Herber
Walls are Gone, Acrylic on corrugated cardboard, 80x100”, 2011, CARDBOARD CITY, Artemis Herber, Steve Keene, Valery Koshlyakov, Goethe-Institut, Washington DC
branding my work. I follow my stream of consciousness whether my latest idea will be popular to the masses or not. During my time of artmaking the audience is excluded. The most liberating moments are those when I am in ‘flow’ and one with my work. Thanks a lot for your time and your thoughts, Artemis. My last question deals with your future plans: what's next for you? Anything coming up for you professionally that you would like readers to be aware of?
My next project is the realization of a public art project in Baltimore. For many years I have
envisioned my large cardboard works translated into outdoor installations that would allow the public to experience my work through interaction while walking and moving around the sculpture. I I always envisioned my installations in public places where they can relate to surrounding architecture and integrating natural forms. with constructed elements. With their vertical construction, round shapes and energized natural forms, my Stems unify architectural and organic elements and should be installed where visitors would interact with the existing environment and with the work, walking in and around the setting and through openings, enjoying the constant flow
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E scape of ever-changing perspectives. I will be happy to communicate with communities through art. My desire is to become more involved with public art projects to create places for people where my installations or paintings will be translated through metal, glass, mosaic, 3D-print technologies or mixed media. The transformation will create a broader audience and invite people to participate and become more involved with my art outdoors in venues such as parks, riversides or places of transit. I plan to return to Marfa, TX and continue my work from last spring. I will develop a concept of an even more temporary nature working with corrugated cardboard as a decomposing material in terms of fleeting time. I have always envisioned my installations in public places where they can relate to surrounding architecture/given architecture integrating/merging natural forms with constructed elements. With their vertical construction, round shapes and energized natural forms, my Stems unify architectural and organic elements and should be installed where visitors would interact with the existing environment and with the work, walking in and around the setting and through openings, enjoying the constant flow of ever-changing perspectives.
an interview by Dario Rutigliano, Curator landescape@artlover.com
Artemis Herber
BUBBLE, Rust on corrugated cardboard, 60x 60�, 2013 CARDBOARD CITY, Artemis Herber, Steve Keene, Valery Koshlyakov, Goethe-Institut, Washington DC
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Sarah Scaniglia (France)
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Introduction of The beginning of Infinity
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Sarah Scaniglia
An interview with
Sarah Scaniglia Hello Sarah and a warm welcome to LandEscape. I would start this interview with my usual introductory question: what in your opinion defines a work of Art? Moreover, what could be the features that mark the contemporariness of an artwork?
Thank you very much for your invitation in your review. Well I think art is before all a creation which can result of different ways. I would say that the contemporariness in a work of art appears when there is a social mark. When this art reflects issues or ideas about our society, something we can see or we have heard about, at our time or near of and will affect our creation.
an interview with
Would you like to tell us something about your background? You have formal training and you hold a a diploma in performing arts, with a focus on cinematographic and photographic disciplines. Then you improved your knowledges in photo development and retouching working for years as a technician in a laboratory of photography. How have these impacted on the way you currently produce your Art and on your evolution as an artist?
My studies made me aware of art in general and his history. I started to work in the shop of photo development when I was studying. Each day, people came to us and without really knowing it, they gave us a part of their lives. Because even if it was quick, we had to see photos in the development process. So I've discovered one of the various aspect of photography: the sociological one. It was very interesting to see what people wanted to immortalize and keep on
Sarah Scaniglia
paper. Most of time it was children, holidays, but it could be little things which seem insignificant for us or on the contrary, intimates moments or illness, even death. When I brought them their photos, it could untie speech, so I've lived some very specials moments and connections with people. Before starting to elaborate about your production, would you like to tell to our readers something about your process and set up for making your artworks? In particular,
Sarah Scaniglia
Lu's journey - Nantes - France
what technical aspects do you mainly focus on your work? And how much preparation and time do you put in before and during the process of creating a piece?
When I started photography, I've learned to develop in a dark room and how to make photo -manipulation by “collage”. I photographed my friends and put them in a fantastic reality like fighting against praying mantis or becoming a Shiva. This work worth me Marinda Scaramanga
the higher score when I graduated at school. Now I do the same thing but in the digital way by using Adobe Photoshop. I set up my own stock image with my own photos. And I pick into it to elaborate the universe I want to create. For example, for the image “The Lu's Journey”, You can find in it the Lu tower in Nantes, the ocean of Atlantic french coast, the Diamond Rock in Martinique, and clouds taken maybe during a Sunday walk.
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Sarah Scaniglia
Now let's focus on your artworks: I would like to start with The Rootless Passage that our readers have started to admire in the introductory pages of this article: and I would suggest them to visit your website directly at http://www.sarahscaniglia.com in order to get a wider idea of your stimulating artisti production... in the meanwhile, would you tell us something about the genesis of this project? What was your initial inspiration?
One day I was looking at some pictures that I have made on a beach with fishermen cabins. I found a good onirical mood in there but I wanted to push it a little more by adding a detail : birds. It was simple but a real changing. Here how it's started. Then I decided to create a series in this way named “The Beginning of Infinity”. The Rootless Passage is in the continuity of it. One of the features of The Rootless Passage that has mostly impacted on me is the way you have been effectively capable of recontextualizing the idea of landscape and of environment: as you have remarked, one of the aims of your work is to discover “the other story” which a landscape can tell and when the faces reveal part of secrecy... so I would like to stop for a moment to consider the "function" of the landscape suggested by your work: most of the times it doesn't seem to be just a passive background... and I'm sort of convinced that some informations & ideas are hidden, or even "encrypted" in the environment we live in, so we need to decipher them. Maybe that one of the roles of an artist could be to reveal unexpected sides of Nature, especially of our inner Nature... what's your point about this? I liked the idea that our environment is
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Sarah Scaniglia
On the other side of the bridge - Nantes - France
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E scape not fixed. We are moving into it and it's moving with us too. We are evolving inside of it without looking at it whereas we are bounded. And sometimes, something happens that catches our attention and remind us what we are surrounded with. So, if you look at a photo with an element you know well, that used to be in a definite place, out of his context, it will create a disturbing feeling. We forget too fast that our environment has a real function to define us into a reality. And if it changes, we change too. And that's correct, it's not just a passive background. (I've chosen sea as a redundant element in my work. I love it and the many impacts it could have. Sea can represent a lot of elements, I use it as a metaphor for many things). I think an artist can create without any purpose, just by listen to his sensibility to the world and share it with us. But he can also bring us others translations of what we see and give a message or a warning. Another interesting project of yours that have particularly impressed me and on which I would like to spend some words is entitled The Beginning of Infinity , which it is very ambitious in terms of resources and creative scope. Since many of the readers of our review are artists, would you like to tell us if digital technology as post-editing has impacted on your creative process? To quote Wittgenstein, the limit of our language is the limit of our world and in all, by allowing us to creating a new grammar modern technologies allows us not only to make possible what was once hard to make, but are also and especially capable of helping us to conceive new kinds of ideas..."
The digital technology I use is the technical support which permits me to
Sarah Scaniglia
Sarah Scaniglia
The Factory - Nantes - France
Eduardo: icic c´est ailleurs (Series: You are here)
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Sarah Scaniglia
get the result I want. Indeed it has influenced my work because, if I didn't know how to use it, I could not have created theses images. And also the representations would not be the same depending on the means I use. Like says Wittgenstein, it permits to push our limits to conceive. In my case, not the imaginary or creativity but the capacity to represent it. It's like if it was my own grammar technology helping me to share my ideas. Your very first approach of photography started whe you were just 17 years old by creating photomontages in darkroom. In these last years we have seen a great usage of digital technology, in order to achieve outcomes that was hard to get with traditional techniques: do your think that an excess of such techniques could lead to a betrayal of reality?
Indeed, this increase of using technology of retouching has altered our judgment of reality especially in advertising where all images are most of the time highly modified to sell us various things. I think this excess of retouching is used for more serious purpose like medias, information. They spread ideas to influence our spirit to get what they want. But this has nothing to do with art. The series entitled Stories of the Cities has reminded me of the concept of non-place elaborated by French anthropologist Marc AugĂŠ: what has mostly impacted on me of these pieces is the way you are capable of challenging the perception of the real suggested by the solid concept of a city and the structures in it and the onirical dimension... so I would like to ask you if in your opinion personal #196 Winter
Sarah Scaniglia
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Extract of "Stories of the City"
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experience is an absolutely indespensable part of a creative process... Do you think that a creative process could be disconnected from direct experience?
Well, in my opinion, you can't dissociate what you are from what you do (or create) even if we are not always aware of it. Moreover, art can't be objective, so it is inevitably connected to our own experience. It's an interesting question which could bring us into a long philosophical conversation. And I couldn't do without mentioning your Structures series: for this project you drew inspiration from american imposing architecture, that, as you have remarked, reminds the idea of war... I can recognize a subtle but deep social criticism in this... even though I'm aware that this might sound a bit na誰f, I'm sort of convinced that Art in these days could play an effective role not only making aware public opinion about socio political issues: many contemporary landscape photographers such as Edward Burtynsky or Michael Light have some form of environmental or political message in their photographs. Do you consider that your images are political in this way or do you seek to maintain a neutral approach?
I don't think my images are political and if they are, it's not wanted because my point is not to share any political ideas. I was just very impressed by these huge monuments and it brought this feeling of not welcoming. It reminds me classics movies like Metropolis by Fritz Lang for example. By the way, this movie was born after his first visit in New York.
Extract of "Structures"
Sarah Scaniglia
Eduardo: icic c´est ailleurs (Series: You are here)
Sarah Scaniglia
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Extract of "The beginning of Infinity"
It goes without saying that feedbacks and especially awards are capable of supporting an artist, encouraging him: I was just wondering if an award -or even the expectation of positive feedbacks- could even influence the process of an artist... By the way, how much important is for you the feedback of your audience? Do you ever think to whom will enjoy your Art when you conceive your pieces? I sometimes wonder if it could ever exist a genuine relationship between business and Art...
It hasn't been a long time since I show and share my work. About the series we are talking about, I did it without thinking that one day it could be seen by unknown people or shared in a review. For me, photography is first a personal approach. When I conceive my pieces, I don't wonder if it will be liked. But when I see that it creates reactions, feelings, it gives to me a big motivation and the desire to go on. Now, it became important for me to show it.
Thank you for your time and for sharing with us your thoughts, Sarah. My last question deals with your future plans: what's next for you? Anything coming up for you professionally that you would like readers to be aware of?
Well, since a few times I'm really sensitive about documentary photography. It’s at the opposite of my actual work. I love the concept of the immersion in an environment totally unknown from us, and the relationships that you can build. You have to adapt for a while and with your look, you translate and share it. Also because you have a part of writing. I find very interesting to associate words and images. So, I'm studying photo-reportage. an interview by Dario Rutigliano landescape@artlover.com
Sarah Scaniglia
The Crane - Nantes - France
Eduardo: icic c´est ailleurs (Series: You are here)
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Thea Juliet Stevenson (France)
(USA "Photography may be considered a ritual of “The cutting of Time�, in itself an echoed reality reflected in the nature of the fictional worlds we inhabit, and, the reality in which we exist. I am compelled to experiment within the realm of the dream landscape, utilizing the wilds of nature as a means to draw human landscapes. Therein the body merges within the landscape redirecting itself and forming disparate personalities in the rocks and ocean that envelop us. The memory of the life I have re-asserts itself in the images I create as an ode to the dream world I have experienced. I use personal dreams and companions to re-enact hybrid forms of my mind. In this process of sharing I relate to our interconnectedness as a human-animal-plant world."
Thea Juliette Stevenson
Thea Juliette Stevenson is a photographer and multi media fine artist. She trained at The San Francisco Art Institute, has exhibited in NYC, LA, San Francisco, London and Paris and is represented by Agora gallery in NYC. She is published internationally and can be contacted for commissions. Commercially she shoots fashion, portraits, music, event and product photography. Please contact her for your assignment needs. *Member of The Association of American Photographers.*
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Introduction of The beginning of Infinity
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An interview with
Thea Juliette Stevenson As soon as I have got to know Thea Stevenson's works, I have been struck with the way she goes beyond the boundaries of common perception, getting it free from its most primordial parameters: her refined approach and her engaging creations question the traditions of photography and how they influence contemporary ways of seeing... Steveson's work clearly reveal that Art is often separate from reality, and that we can always get away with more within its boundaries... Hello Thea and a warm welcome to LandEscape. I would start this interview with my usual introductory question: what in your opinion defines a work of Art? Moreover, what could be the features that mark the contemporariness of an artwork?
an interview with
Art is defined by the relentless pursuit of a message to communicate, and in regards to contemporary, it must reflect people of our times, the present day, the present mentality, be it personal or political. Would you like to tell us something about your background? You have a solid formal training and you have studied at the prestigious San Francisco Art Institute: how did this experience influence you as an artist and impacte on the way you currently produce your Art? By the way, what's your point on formal training? I often ask to myself if a certain kind of training could even stifle a young artist's creativity...
Unfortunately, the rigorous timeline of deadlines within school presents serious restriction on the creative process. I take a long time to formulate my ideas, I like to ruminate on them, to consider them from different angels. School demands one to produce work every two weeks.
From the Dance series
Thea Juliette Stevenson
Marinda Scaramanga
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The good things that come of school are new colleagues, people whom you can rely on and fight with. I feel that school can help one to form communities and to center oneself as 'an artist'. It does force you to struggle with your identity and ideas, but essentially art making is an isolated process and too much critique at the nurturing stage of your career can deeply hinder the process. I create my best work on my own without any 'other' looking in on the process. Before starting to elaborate about your production, would you like to tell to our readers something about your process and set up for making your artworks? In particular, what technical aspects do you mainly focus on your work? And how much preparation and time do you put in before and during the process of creating a piece?
For me, part of the joy of photographic art is this sense of deep exploration and expansion on a real life subject. I adore location scouting and take a long time finding the right places that 'speak' and by speak, I mean 'shout' at me. After, I take time to construct a mythological landscape, and to research and reexamine my intentions. I always have a vision inspired by a real lucid dream I have had and I tie this in with my own deep fascination with the landscape amidst destruction. I studied ancient Indian mythology so myths and morals are always embedded in my work. Now let's focus on your artworks: I would like to start with your Landscape: Urban and Natural series that our readers have started to admire in the introductory pages of this article: and I would suggest them to visit your website directly at http://odysseyartdebate.wix.com/theaju liette in order to get a wider idea of #196 Winter
Thea Juliette Stevenson
On the other side of the bridge - Nantes - France
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this stimulating project... in the meanwhile, would you tell us something about the genesis of this project? What was your initial inspiration?
My initial inspiration is to capture the voices of the landscape. If a landscape could talk what would it say? I play with the titles in that the urban is also the natural; and the natural is also the urban. I want us to integrate our understanding that landscape is not something separate to us as human beings, it is us, we are nature and we are the landscape. Nature is alive in the heart of a city, in the back streets of alleyways, as well as in the forces of power evident at the top of a cliff face. One of the features of Landscape: Urban and Natural that has mostly impacted on me is the way -by an effective usage of juxtapositions- you have been effectively capable of re-contextualizing the idea of landscape and of environment... so I would like to stop for a moment to consider the "function" of the landscape suggested by your work: most of the times it doesn't seem to be just a passive background... and I'm sort of convinced that some informations & ideas are hidden, or even "encrypted" in the environment we live in, so we need -in a way- to decipher them. Maybe that one of the roles of an artist could be to reveal unexpected sides of Nature, especially of our inner Nature... what's your point about this?
Nature has an emotion and I have a duty to represent and respect that emotion through photography. I do wish to show the ferocity of our inner natures against the landscape, to present that we are one and the same, we are echoes, mirrors of the outside world which we emotionally create. Just like our emotions, nature can not nor ever will be controlled. It will always fight back, either directly or surreptitiously.
Thea Juliette Stevenson
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Thea Juliette Stevenson
As you have remarked in your artist's statement, Photography may be considered a ritual of “The cutting of Time". When I happen to talk with Fine Art Photography artists I often ask them if the pervading usage of digital processing could lead to a betrayal of reality: turning the question around, I noticed that your approach accomplishes an investigation about the intrinsically fictional nature of the worlds that we inhabit: I would go as far as to state that your landscapes reveal what gets lost in the way we perceive reality...
I want to capture the unseen worlds, the voices of the silent revolution of the landscapes we create daily, we inhabit daily and we destroy daily. I love the feeling of being lost, of a landscape swallowing you, and my landscapes are always on the precipice yes of the real/surreal. I am interested in that fine line between fantasy and reality. Imagination too is a real thing, just as real in a way as the physical landscape in which we reside. However, I am not interested in digitally over processing images to betray reality, rather, to add a voice to the reality that I bear witness to. The reality of the emotional force of our world rather than the fact driven world which we are often forced to be suffocated by. By the way, many contemporary landscape photographers such as Michael Light or Edward Burtynsky have some form of environmental or political message in their photographs. Do you consider that your images are political in this way or do you seek to maintain a neutral approach?
Every emotion is political, and landscapes can not escape the emotion of their destruction. I look to what we are ‘doing’ not just to destroy the 'landscape' (both urban and natural) but to control it. How do we invade the landscape, how to we conquer it and fight it? Yes, my work is political, Yes I want to raise awareness as to destruction of the environment, but I also want to show integration of the environment, to reveal the silent but ever present drama in destruction of buildings, homes, lives, ecospheres. Another interesting
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Thea Juliette Stevenson
On the other side of the bridge - Nantes - France
Thea Juliette Stevenson
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works of yours that have particularly impacted on me and on which I would like to spend some words are from your Fashion series: I definitely love the way -by heightening the tension between reality and perception- these pieces effectively explores the concept of memory and space, offering to the viewer an Ariadne's Thread that may lead to an oniric dimension... so I would take this occasion to ask you if in your opinion personal experience is an absolutely indespensible part of a creative process... Do you think that a creative process could be disconnected from direct experience?
Creation and perception are separate and yet
also the same, you can not disconnect them, for they are intrinsically connected, but whether the original vision held in the creative process is truly manifested in the perception of the art work, and moreover whether that is crucial or not is suspended in doubt. Yet of course my personal experience is embedded in the environment. I grew up spending large amounts of time in the Scottish mountains and forests, I thrive in objectively mystical landscapes and the search for the unknown but ever present is my personal journey, my personal volition.
Thea Juliette Stevenson
Eduardo: icic c´est ailleurs (Series: You are here) 8
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And I couldn't do without mentioning your Portraits series: in particular, I can notice that you often seem to focus on moments of physical or emotional tension between people. What attracts you to these moments? Do you intervene when you are shooting to stimulate tension or do you take more of a ‘fly on the wall’ approach?
It's integral to me for the experience with the model and myself to be directed and created by me. After initiating the process it is fascinating to see where the model goes on their own, in that there is the natural tension and emotional paradox that reveals itself. I love to wait for time to reveal those crucial moment, so to be a guide to the natural process of things. During these years your works have been extensively exhibited: from New York City and San Francisco to London and Paris. It goes without saying that positive feedbacks and especially awards are capable of supporting an artist, encouraging him: I was just wondering if an award -or even the expectation of positive feedbacks- could even influence the process of an artist... By the way, how much important is for you the feedback of your audience? Do you ever think to whom will enjoy your Art when you conceive your pieces?
Feedback is crucial. I really thrive knowing that I have touched someone or aroused intellectual curiosity in someway. I have a grand vision for my work in 10-15 years and I want to keep holding peoples attention if I can, or suspend concepts of reality. However I must say that the process of creation is for me truly integral and vital to me. It feeds me and vitalizes me entirely on it's own. In that respect, I am not influenced by an award though I am truly humbled by it. Truly. By the way, I cannot help without asking a question that you might have probably been asked for a thousand of times: what are some of the challenges for a sustainable relationship between the Business and Art?
The challenges are many; do I create work in a commercial capacity? Do I change the final product #196 Winter
Thea Juliette Stevenson
On the other side of the bridge - Nantes - France
Thea Juliette Stevenson
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to ensure that it has versatility? It's a real obstacle and yet on the one hand I like to keep my art practice separate from my commercial work. I do feel it is valuable to be aBle to work in both a commercial and fine art practice. It's crucial to really just continue to reach as many people as possible.. Thanks for your time and for sharing your thoughts, Thea. My last question deals with your future plans: what's next for you? Anything coming up for you professionally that you would like readers to be aware of?
Indeed. My project COMBUSTION (on dancers
amidst urban dystopia) is being exhibited in Georgia, NYC and various areas of the USA this year and a book of my images is due out later in the lear too. As to my personal growth. I want to shoot a deep impact driven series on the deserts of the USA and the nature of abandonment. I also just wish to continue to challenge myself philosophically and artistically, then I shall be happy.
Thea Juliette Stevenson
Eduardo: icic c´est ailleurs (Series: You are here)
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Yechiam Gal (USA) An artist’s statement
"The Legend of the Goldbergers, a semiautobiographical science fiction cartoon-like book, along with my other digitally executed works, is the culmination of my decades-long fascination with emerging technologies. The “Goldbergers” is a digital mix of poetry, literature, and images that incorporates the history of my own family with the history of time. It has been my goal to create a new grammar of visual and linguistic communication utilizing the latest opportunities created by the availability of sophisticated and continuously evolving systems. I am, by nature, a storyteller; therefore my works, though self-referential, carry extravagant fabrications. It is in this way that I am able to realize the fullest manifestation of the creative process.F
Yechiam Gal
Yechiam Gal is a conceptual artist and educator currently living in the village of Catskill, NY, where he also has his studio. Mr. Gal has taught at a number of highly respected institutions, including the School of Visual Arts, in Manhattan, NY; Camera Obscura, in Tel Aviv, Israel; and, for the last 18 years, at Pratt Institute, in Brooklyn, NY. His professional career spans more than 32 years of experience in various aspects of media production. Much of his time and creative energies have been devoted to the experimental exploration of new technology within the realm of modern art, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary media and approaches to art as part
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Yechiam Gal
An interview with
Yechiam Gal Hello Yechiam, and a warm welcome to LandEscape. I would start this interview with my usual introductory question: what does in your opinion define a work of Art? By the way, what could be in your opinion the features that mark an artwork as a piece of Contemporary Art? Do you think that there's a dichotomy between tradition and contemporariness?
First, I want to thank LandEscape for taking the time to study my work and to give me this wonderful opportunity to show my work; I am deeply moved and appreciative. As for your question, I am not sure I can define a work interview of art; I’m not sure there are specific an with ingredients that, if combined, definitively form a piece of art. I do believe that art is generated, through the passage of time, by the evolution of culture. I think contemporary art is part of the creative process that borrows material and knowledge from our current existence and reshapes it. In other words, in art, objects and people do not have a static or unvarying role, but their meanings are fashioned by humans in the context of culture since we have the ability to give meaning or significance to something. Would you like to tell us something about your background? In particular, are there any experiences that have influenced your development as an artist and on the way you currently produce your artworks? By the way, during these years you have earned a wide experience as a teacher, so I would like to tale this occasion to ask your point about formal training: I sometimes wonder if a certain kind
Yechiam Gal
of training could stifle a young artist's creativity...
My artwork is the sum of my evolving experiences and accumulated knowledge. I don’t think I can point to a singular event and say, “This is the one.” As we accrue information and assimilate it, our views, philosophy, and convictions become more sophisticated and complex, so we are able to create on a more elegant or elaborate level as our field of vision, so to speak, broadens. About the second question, I think it’s important to understand the difference between training and educating.
Blond Jenny
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And this is where I grew up!
You can train young people to draw, to paint, to record images or motion. That’s a pretty straightforward process. To educate, on the other hand, is an altogether different thing. Through the years I’ve been teaching, I’ve discovered that the best I can do, aside from sharing my experiences in as honest a way as possible, is to try to elevate the students’ curiosity, to make them want to ask more questions, read more books, enlarge upon their knowledge, and then to
hope they have sufficient tools to open as many doors as possible in order to fulfill, in a meaningful way, the requirements of their particular creative method. Before starting to elaborate about your production, would you like to tell to our readers something about your process and set up for making your artworks? In particular, what technical aspects do you mainly focus on #196 Winter
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your work? And how much preparation and time do you put in before and during the process of creating a piece?
My work today incorporates a great deal of material I have created through the years, images from assignments I completed for various magazines and newspapers, work I created for clients in my commercial studio in Manhattan, my personal work of the last forty years, old family
stories, my writing, all of which is archived on my computer. (I work with multiple hard drives.) So, my creative process begins in front of the computer. I need to have an emerging idea; in my case, it has to be a story. I open an image; almost always, this image will be a space, a landscape. This is the place where the story will transpire. From that point, there will be a stream of actions and reactions influenced by the memories of the
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Goldberger Was Not Faithful
images I am looking at, combined with the current emotional state I am in at that particular time of my life. It can be triggered by current political or social events, or by events connected with my health. It is an interesting process as my thoughts and the images interchangeably influence the end result, and though I cannot explain why, this is the way it always happens.
At some point, I will put a period to my thought, and the sentence I am trying to write is complete. I have a new image that will carry the story forward. Now let's focus on your art production: I would start from The Legend of The Goldberger's, an interesting project that that our readers have already started to admire in the introductory pages of this article: and I
Yechiam Gal My wife and I had a long attachment to the City of Brotherly Love, and for a time, we lived there, temporarily relocating from New York. Philadelphia is an amazing place but it suffers from striking social and economic inequalities. In the decades from 1950 to 2000, Philadelphia lost ½ million people and, today, the City has still not recovered from the blow. The basis of the story was formulated from my observations and experiences visiting, and then living in, Philadelphia. Shortly after I began developing “We Must Save Philadelphia”, I realized the work was evolving into a more universal narrative, and that I was incorporating imagery and history from my own family into the mélange. This, along with my deep social convictions regarding the inestimable value of equality and the fair distribution of economic resources, led me to the notion of fashioning an epic tale that would encompass the fundamental truths of human nature and the disparities we convey as a race and as individuals: heroism, greed, violence, passion, ambition, vision, generosity, resourcefulness, creativity, drive, and the countless other characteristics that make us human as we grapple with our proper place in the universe. As you have remarked, The “Goldbergers” is a digital mix of poetry, literature, and images that incorporates the history of your own family with the history of time: so I would like to ask you if in your opinion personal experience from real world is an absolutely indispensable part of a creative process... Do you think that a creative process could be disconnected from direct experience? would suggest to visit your website directly at http://www.ygaldigital.com in order to get a wider idea of your artistic production. In the meanwhile, would you tell us something about the genesis of this project? What was your initial inspiration?
The artist’s work cannot exist outside the artist, himself. I don’t think Leonardo Da Vinci was a great artist; he was the art! I think the difference between an artist and someone in another profession is that to be an artist, you have to be the thing itself…ART.
"The Legend of the Goldbergers” actually began as another story. I initially had in mind the working title, “We Must Save Philadelphia”.
My work is a representation of me at any particular time, reflecting all I’ve heard, lived, and experienced up to that point in my life. Eduardo: icic c´est ailleurs (Series: You are here)
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Sunday Morning Down Town Uranus
be able to draw attention to subjects I feel are important. I am, nevertheless, convinced we have a responsibility, as good citizens, to express our convictions. My voice is my work, and so, “I Want To Scream” is my way of doing that. I projected this video art/documentary in numerous events and exhibition venues and the response was overwhelming. Multidisciplinarity is a crucial aspect of your approach and besides Photographic works, you
also produce videos, as your digital poem entitled American Culture: while crossing the borders of different artistic fields have you ever happened to realize that a synergy between different disciplines is the only way to achieve some results, to express some concepts?
I totally agree with you. It is as described by Jan Smuts in his 1926 book Holism and Evolution, “Multidisciplinary work is often seen as revolutionary by skill-centred specialists, but it is #196 Winter
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The Battle for Annuziata
simply a fundamental expression of being guided by holism rather than reductionism.� The creative process is always seeking, searching to discover ways and tools for networking and solving multiplex problems. For me, this involves drawing appropriately from multiple disciplines to redefine problems outside of normal boundaries in order to reach solutions based on a new understanding of complex situations.
During your over thirtyfive years career your works have been extensively exhibited in several around the world: from Israel to Europe to the United States. Could you tell us something about the impressions that you have received in these occasions? By the way, times ago a well known artist told me that "the worst reaction you can have to an artist’s work is no reaction at all"... How much important is for you the feedback of your audience? Do you ever think to whom will enjoy your Art when you conceive your pieces? by the way, what are
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in your opinion some of the challenges for a sustainable relationship between the business and arts?
I believe audience response is important and I agree that no reaction, as you say, is probably the worst response to an artist and his or her work. Regardless of the reaction, we can’t permit it to influence the creative process. I think artists need to be able to discern the difference between the two. I have, in fact, experienced a whole range of reactions to my work. When some of those reactions are extremely negative, I am actually ignited to produce more. Negativity can suggest
more than one thing – maybe the idea of the piece takes people to places that make them feel uncomfortable. From my perspective, that’s a good thing. But I try to filter out non-productive negativity, since it doesn’t add value to the creative process. I’ve also experienced, more than once, no reaction; especially when a viewer is paralyzed, when they cannot, for some reason, recognize a new landscape. As to the business part of your question, I don't think I have a good answer. Of course, artists want to sell our work so we can continue to produce. Personally, I don’t really like expending my energies in that direction. Realistically, the business of art isn’t any different than any other.
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Let My Fucking People Go
Thanks a lot for your time and your thoughts, Yechiam. My last question deals with your future plans: what's next for you? Anything coming up for you professionally that you would like readers to be aware of?
As of now, I am about to finalize my third book, “The Legend of The Goldbergers”, and I am working on publishing it. I also started my new portfolio, entitled “Red and Yellow”, which comprises my visual reflections of Ludwig Wittgenstein’s essay “Remarks on Colour”. The first few images may be found on my web site <http://www.ygaldigital.com/ygaldigital/2D_Digit al_Work/Pages/Red_and_Yellow.html> .
I also hope that my new adventure, opening a gallery in Catskill, NY, where I now live, will become a reality. It will be dedicated to providing opportunities to digital artists, with a focus on emerging technologies. If all goes as planned, “Atelier Progressif” will open its doors by the end of April 2015. I encourage LandEscape readers to look for it and participate. Thanks to all at LandEscape for the exposure.
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Satsuki Imai (Japan) An artist’s statement
The artwork can experience. And, It’s will be completed by becoming a sushi. You select the food topping. And you are rotated by the author of the chef figure. Finally you become “Human Sushi”. You will be posted for your menu by your sushi photo shoot. It's you can enjoy performance, and have to entertain people. And "that it comes to food", "that it is rolling in front of people" is that will not do usually. It's possible to form the experience. It's art in the true meaning of this work. I think that there are three types for relationship of art and human. The first is "Viewing type". Works gives the effect of a one-way to the viewer. We are impressed by the individual in it. Example, it is paintings and sculptures. The second is "The experience type". Experience person will be able to participate in the work. Appearance of the work will vary by experience person enters. The third is "The experience themselves type". This is a work that have been established when there are people who experienced. My work will be completed by experience person will be "Human Sushi". So, my work is a type of third. This work is changing by various experience person. The type of works, there is only the number of people. It's important that experience person “Will be a work of art”. However, "Experience itself" by experience person are most important. For my Art works.
Human Sushi(2013) : It is a scene that experienced person rotated by a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itamaeâ&#x20AC;? chef. 2
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An interview with
Satsuki Imai Hello Satsuki, and a warm welcome to LandEscape. I would start this interview with my usual introductory question: what does in your opinion define a work of Art? By the way, what could be in your opinion the features that mark an artworks as a piece of Contemporary Art? Do you think that there's a dichotomy between tradition and contemporariness?
Hello. I appreciate you invited me. Then, your first question is so difficult for me, but I try it. I think that Art give us opportunity that we are able to meet on inner of ourselves. The time when we meet Art, we are able to find a common point between Art and ourselves, and we get opportunity that to introspect our mind by meeting Art. Art has opportunity that we are able to meet ourselves. I think like that. Therefore, I don'tinterview think that therewith are dichotomy between an tradition and contemporariness, because, both can be to do it. And now, I talk about my Art, where is my Art position in Contemporary Art? The question is difficult for me. What should I say …I think that my Art doesn't belong to the current performance art and interactive art. My Art is able to experience , and this center is experienced person. Would you like to tell us something about your background? You have solid formal training and you hold a Master's degree of Fine Arts, that you have received from the prestigious Aichi Prefectural University of Arts… How has this experience influenced your development as an artist and on the way you currently produce your artworks?
Yes, I hold a Master’s degree of prefectural art universities in Japan. The time where university, I learned Fine Arts and Design in university. It influenced me.
Satsuki Imai
Then, the land and the life in suburbs of Nagoya was the most influenced me. Then, I got a fresh feeling that the suburbs life different from the urban life, also the experience were very important time for me that I discard something I don't need. In a favorable environment, I used to think about “What should I do to affect people? ” during feeling a soft wind or seeing sunset. Furthermore, the indispensable part of my life is period of undergraduate. I studied “the way to create a game” and, “ I am very glad when I
Satsuki Imai
Human Sushi(2013) : The photo is exhibition in Korea. I exhibited Human Sushi in 5 cities in 3 countries, and experienced person is 450 people over.
entertain other people.” before I study Art from university department of game which is rare in Japan. Then, I thought I wanted to create Art that without language and a power source, and I created “Raybox”.
set up for making your artworks? In particular, what technical aspects do you mainly focus on your work? And how much preparation and time do you put in before and during the process of creating a piece?
The two periods that intimate connected, so it was important for me that I created a base of my Art.
First, I decide motion of experienced person for my Art, before I create. Also, I’m looking for some hint of my Art from around my life. And I confirm a motion affinity with it. For example, if I decide a motion " jumping”. Also I imagine me that I become a bread, and pops out from a toaster.
Before starting to elaborate about your production, would you like to tell to our readers something about your process and Marinda Scaramanga
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Human Sushi menu : They will be posted on a menu as their sushi photo, and they write name of sushi by themselves.
Do you think this is funny? In this way, I continue store a idea. then I will begin to create. Then, my Art have stories each. it’s so important for it. All objects have some stories. For example, Sushi has some stories about “roll”,”rolled” with some topping, and the motion can't get the story by another foods like sandwich or hotdogs. For experienced person are able to moves heart by good experience that unrealistic. I'm always careful that “Don’t make noise” for to create high quality unrealistic. Therefore, I think that objects stories. I spend time for create Art, that 1 month for prototype, and 1 month for art work, but It’s different by each works.
Now let's focus on your art production: I would start from Human Sushi, an extremely interesting work that our readers have already started to get to know in the introductory pages of this article and I would suggest to visit your website at http://oxaca.jimdo.com in order to get a wider idea of your artistic production. In the meanwhile, would you tell us something about the genesis of this stimulating project? What was your initial inspiration?
When I was in urban, I thought that “Something has to be done.” I thought we have lost our realistic sense in advanced society. However, I couldn't notice it before I go to postgraduate college of suburbs, because urban life is buried me in many information and service, then I couldn't think that by myself. They didn’t give #196 Winter
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Human Sushi(2013) : ”Human Sushi” has some parts that rice, dried seaweed, topping and stage. All things is fake food.
me time to think, and I lost real experience along of PC or smartphone. I got a feeling of strangeness little by little. However, I regained a sense of the real by postgraduate college’s livelihood of suburbs, because it have only a little information. The experience was so important for me . Through the experience, I thought that “Would I be able to approach this way to people from my Art ?” I wanted to make opportunity that we are able to feel five senses like vision, hearing and touch. However,I'm not able to compelled that to experience to someone, suddenly. Therefore, I made stage for separate from reality that they can experience easy. That’s “Human Sushi”. I made the area that we are able to play in Art. The play, it has rules that they aren't affected our assets and personality. Therefore we are free
in the area. Then, I made opportunity to focus on experienced person. My Art is able to create Art from each person, and they are able to become sender. They become my Art, and they are able to reaffirm and prove themselves. Human Sushi, as most of your creations are strictly connected what we use to define real world and I absolutely agree with you when you state that yout amazing work produce the experience that can not I would like to ask you if in your opinion personal experience from real world is an absolutely indespensable part of a creative process, both for creating a work of Art as well as for enjoying it: do you think that a creative process could be disconnected from direct experience?
I don't have negative opinion about appreciation of Art. However, I had doubts about it can't
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Human Sushi(2013) : Experienced person enjoys with their friends. They enjoy it by they share and create Art with their friends and audience.
touch, because my create base is “the play”. Then I had question and antipathy against about that “Why can't I touch it?" I thought that it looks like somebody else's problem.. I wanted to create Art that experienced person are able to enjoy themselves, and I wanted to get affinity. That was the start for my Art. If I have been asked to sum up in a single word your Art, I would say that it's kaledoiscopic: multidisciplinarity is a crucial aspect of your approach and I have highly appreciated the way you are capable of creating such an effective synergy between elements from different techniques: while crossing the borders of different artistic fields have you ever happened to realize that a synergy between different disciplines is the
only way to achieve some results, to express some concepts?
I was surprised by your comments. Particularly, you said comments that my Art is new level. I'm looking for every possible way to result for experienced person get anything. Now, I think that the distance getting shorter between Art and people, day by day. From appreciation of Art, to experience of Art, then I think that my Art move on to “center of Art”,and I would like to serve as an intermediate between their. I thought My Art have not allowed to be a Art, because it not there core of artworks when experienced person is not there. However, I think it’s ok, because I think that my Art is their heart that they were impressed by experience.
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Human Sushi(2013) : She looks like she is eaten by her friend. The performance by Eduardo: icic c´est person ailleursis(Series: Youofare experienced fun point myhere) Art. 8
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Hanko!(2014) : “Hanko" is a work experienced person becomes a stamp. They successfully create their own favorite words and create a stamp. Then wearing a uniform of stamp, they stamp by jumping. This work and the potential fun of jumping make them a creative time and viewers always see the appearance of the work’s change.
Experienced person are core in my Art. I don’t think I would like to assert my identity by my Art. I just making opportunity, and I continue to create my Art with them who people meet it. Another interesting project of yours that has particularly impressed me and on which I would like to spend some words is Hanko!: I would go as far as to state that with this work you have created such a bridge between the inner real feature of an image and the abstract feature of Language that comes from human manipulation and I think that this brings a new level of significance to the surroundings on which you focus the viewers' attention...
I was surprised by your comments that you said my Art is new level. I was look for every possible way to result for experienced people get
anything Now, I think that the distance between Art and people are getting shorter, day by day. From appreciation of Art to experience of Art, then I think that my Art move on to “center of Art”, and I would like to serve as an intermediate between their. I think My Art may be not able to recognize when experiences people is not there. That's because they are core in my Art, but some people might think not that it’s Art when they meet my Art. However, it’s ok, because I think that my Art is their heart that they were impressed by experience. I wouldn't think I would like to assert my identity by my Art. I just making opportunity, and I continue to create my Art with them who people meet it. #196 Winter
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Hanko!(2014) Experienced person wearing a uniform of stamp, and they stamp by jumping. 6
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And I couldn't do without mentioning Raybox: I have highly appreciated the way you explore the way the viewer can in particular, I'm sort of convinced that some information & ideas are hidden, or even "encrypted" in the environment we live in, so we need -in a way- to decipher them. Maybe that one of the roles of an artist could be to reveal unexpected sides of Nature,especially of our inner Nature... what's your opinion about this?
Yes,Raybox has function that experienced person notices themselves , and they are able to shine with it. Raybox has function that transform experienced person's objects into a kaleidoscope by they put objects to inside Raybox. Then, If they look from above, they are able to see the beautiful kaleidoscope. It give glorious and evolution for people, and it give praise for people. I think that sometimes people lose themselves mind. Especially, I think strongly in the country where I live. I would like to prove that every people is different and it's wonderful, by Raybox. I think that experienced person are able to feel beautiful when they see their kaleidoscope that their objects transformed by Raybox. I hope they notice that their choice is wonderful, also they are able to get the results by themselves, only. During these years your works have exhibited several time. Could you tell us something about the impressions that you have received in these occasions? By the way, how much important is for you the feedback of your audience? Do you ever think to whom will enjoy your Art when you conceive your pieces?
I was exhibited “Human Sushi”, ”Raybox”, “Hanko!”, in Japan,Korea and France. It was so interesting exhibition each. Especially Paris was so good! Because, I tried to guerrilla performance, and it was the first time in my life. Experienced person's feedback was difference each, but they enjoyed my Art. It was so wonderful for me. Especially, “Human Sushi”’s feedback was so interesting, because they feedback was different each country more than other my works. Japan and Korea’s feedback was so friendly, because Sushi is 7
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Raybox(2011) This work change experienced personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s effects for kaleidoscope. They put their effects that they usually have into a drawer of work. Then they can see a beautiful kaleidoscope by looking from above of it and also rotate the contents of the drawer by the handle on the left side of it. They can change lens and filter by a lever at the top. Making their effects beautifully by using kaleidoscope is that work represents experienced person themselves.
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Raybox(2011) The view from the Raybox. (1) A kaleidoscope made by some stationeries.
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Raybox(2011) The view from the Raybox. (2). A kaleidoscope made by some 6
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very popular in each country, they understood the Art system before experience already. However, in compared to that, Paris’s experienced person were able to understand after watched another experienced person. The different feedback was so interesting me. The feedback was so important for me, because, I was able to understand them from it. Then, feedback is so important for me, because. one of the concepts of my art there is experienced person enjoy by my Art. Especially, “Hanko!”’s feedback is most important for improve, because the Art is to play by themselves. I pay care to their feedback that.“ First meeting with my Art.”,“The way of contact with Art.”, and ”The point of their impressed.” My Art must be always ready that people are able to enjoy, I have goal that they feel “What’s this!?”,”What’s fun!”. Then, I imagine myself that I'm experience my Art every time, and I ask myself that “The idea is fun?”, before other people experience my Art. My Art start point is so subjective, and it’s like a form of question to people “ I think that My Art is so exciting! What do you think?” Then, I think that my Art is able to transform from objective into subjective by to make Art with experienced person. Thanks a lot for your time and your thoughts, Satsuki. My last question deals with your future plans: what's next for you? Anything coming up for you professionally that you would like readers to be aware of?
The pleasure was mine. Thank you for inviting me. My future plan is to share and to create my Art with many people of various countries. Then, I would like to continue that I make a smile of many people, and I would like to go abroad for it. Especially, I would like to go to Germany, UK, U.S.A and Taipei. I'm looking forward to create Art with them when I went to there. Then, I would like to create and to study Art in other countries. Right now, my Art is influenced by japan. If I go to other countries, I think that I'm able to create Art that influenced by the countries. I think that I try to create in Korea, when I will stay about 3 weeks for my solo exhibition. Then, I would like to meet many artists that they have some concepts about experienced person. I think that it will be a new creation for Art. For readers, thank you for reading. I think that I will continue to create and exhibit. If you like it, please visit my homepage, and you are able to get some news about my Art and exhibition. Then, I would like to meet you, and I hope that you get fun by my Art. Thank you for everything.
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Raybox(2011) The view from the Raybox. (3). A kaleidoscope made by Captions packages of some snacks. 8
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Heidi NeubauerI'm an artistâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; I've been labeled a post-conceptualistâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; writer, and creative director. I've been working for myself since 2008 and started my own company in 2011. I typically work with small business clients on their brand development, design projects, and marketing strategy. Since 2007, my creative work has been part of several exhibitions and screenings in the US and the EU. After over a decade of travel and several years in Chicago and Paris, I now make my home in Denver and I am a full member of Spark Gallery. I like growing orchids and my adopted black lab, Athena, and pharaoh hound, Isis. I've been described as a Swiss Army Knife. 1
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An interview with
Heidi Neubauer-Winterburn Hello Heidi, and a warm welcome to LandEscape. I would start this interview with my usual introductory question: what does in your opinion define a work of Art? By the way, what could be in your opinion the features that mark an artworks as a piece of Contemporary Art? Do you think that there's a dichotomy between tradition and contemporariness?
Thanks for the nice welcome and the invitation to participate. I wonder if the question of ‘what is art’ is one of those questions that has already taken up too much time and space. My focus as an undergraduate in philosophy was aesthetics, and from a certain perspective I know there are many ways of answering that question. But most of those answers an interview with seem to be lacking, or constructed to take in one particular movement or artist that, perhaps at the time, was seen as pushing boundaries or doing something supposedly unique. I think art works through movement and breaks, that art is more on the level of a gut punch or a ‘you know it when you see it’ sort of thing. Some of the art I’ve liked the most over the years I’ve found to be things that, initially, I hated or made me wonder ‘what is this doing’ or ‘how is this working.’ Art evolves and changes as it learns new languages, learns to use new tools. For me, art is how we open towards new forms, ideas, possibilities. It makes something you couldn’t see visible, creates a sort of parallax vision for multiple perspectives. As for contemporary art, contemporary art reminds me a bit of a hydra, going in lots of directions at once, heads being cut off again and again only to reappear. I think there is a desire to bring everything from the past to the present into some sort of huge, inedible peanut butter and jelly
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A still from The Cutter-off of Water (2009)
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sandwich. If there is one big split between the past and present of art, I would say it’s technology. The tools— video, LEDs, electronics, apps, iphones, 3d printing and prototyping— allow things to be done now that simply weren’t possible up until now. Would you like to tell us something about your background? You have solid formal training and besides a M.A. of Visual and Critical Studies that you have received from the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago, you also hold a B.A. in Philosophy and Politics... How have these different experiences influenced your development as an artist and on the way you currently produce your artworks?
I spent lots of time moving, and have only recently started to put down roots. By the time I was 12, I was living in France and had spent years in South Africa and the US. Every time we moved I was given tests, and they tried to figure out what I had or hadn’t been taught at the last school, and how I could be placed into their system. It wasn’t always an easy transition— learning French in the Alps may sound romantic, but at the time, they hadn’t seen Americans since WWII, no one spoke English, and beating the students was considered fairly normal— but I think it taught me a certain resilience. Reading, too, became important to me because I could do it on my own, without being told what to think. So, to me, it is a bit funny that I ended up with ‘formal training’ because my formative experiences left me with a rather complicated perspective on education. I knew how flexible or arbitrary things could be. At some point, I was even told I was ‘too creative’— this was in Texas—because I hadn’t given ‘real’ names to some little creatures I’d been asked to draw for a test. The names, at the time, were influenced by Russian and Polish, but I didn’t yet know how to explain that to an adult, who just thought I didn’t know how to write or use vowels. But, because of those sorts of experiences, I learned that most people aren’t paying attention, or that
they have certain expectations that may or may not make sense. For that reason, I think I became more interested in ideas but, also, now what would now be called a multidisciplinary approach. Boundaries have always struck me as rather arbitrary and permeable. Any student of history can watch maps being redrawn so easily. But I also think its very important to have a solid base of knowledge, to immerse yourself in the subjects that are relevant or that speak to you. It is easier to challenge and critique when you have tools and a vocabulary and a context for understanding. Tho, of course, understanding is still rather elusive. People seem to have a dominant tendency to decide before they think, which is rather unfortunate and causes many mis-seeings and mis-understandings. Before starting to elaborate about your production, would you like to tell to our readers something about your process and set up for making your artworks? In particular, what technical aspects do you mainly focus on your work? And how much preparation and time do you put in before and during the process of creating a piece?
I wouldn’t say that I have a specific process, it’s more of an ongoing conversation with objects and ideas along multiple threads. There are themes, things I gravitate towards or tend to prefer, but It never really stops. Sometimes pieces take a few moments after an afternoon visit to a hardware store and other times there are years between an idea and it finding its place in an object or video. There are certain things, too, that I tend to gravitate towards and collect: bones, cameras, clocks and other odds and ends. Books. I’m rather deadline driven, tho, so right now I’m working on a few different pieces for a shows in January and September at SPARK Gallery in Denver. My studio office right now has piles of bones in it and rows of painted cattle teeth. The bones I’ve had for a few years, and they were all #196 Winter
Heidi Neubauer-Winterburn
A still from The Cutter-off of Water (2009)
found on land out in Colorado, and the teeth were picked up a few weeks ago but are from India. Mostly, I think of myself as rather slow and then there are these bursts of getting pieces done or ready. I see things, I take notes, and I spin all the threads around in my head. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a matter of pulling things together, finding balance, discarding the items or pieces that donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fit. It just depends. Knowing where a piece will go speeds things up, too, because I know it needs to be done. Now let's focus on your art production: I would start from The Cutter-off of Water, an extremely interesting work that our readers have already started to get to know in the
introductory pages of this article and that can be admired directly at http://vimeo.com/5644119. This video is a adaptation of the homonymous Margurite Duras' story: would you tell us something about the genesis of this project? What was your initial inspiration?
Thank you. M.D. is one of my favorite authors, and I wanted to craft a longer, film length project around her and her work using nonactors and mothers, but at the time I was looking for funding the financial crisis was going on and things were just a mess. Maybe it will still happen at some point. But what I did end up doing was making this piece, a sort of
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Heidi Neubauer-Winterburn
shorter vignette with one of her stories that spoke to one theme that had been on my mind: the way that the law and justice can slip, the way they can miscarry or fail to align. So, the idea was there and in the text, and then came the visual component, the video. We were coming back from the UK, and I’d never seen the ocean so still before, like glass, the calm before a storm. I filmed it. Cutting up the text and pulling out the meaning was the next step. I’ve always enjoyed working with text and it’s a component of nearly all my video pieces. The cutting in the video, tho, ends up being rather important on several levels, so there’s a layering, too, to that piece. Sounds plays a crucial role in The Cutter-off of Water: the juxtaposition of different layers upon a looped background communicates a multitude of contrasting feelings, which in its entirely creates an effective symbiosis between the initial serenity and such a deep anguish suggested by the monotonous tune in the ending of the video which has suggested me a delicate mantra... By the way, would you like to tell our readers something about the relation between sound and images in your video?
Sound is very important to me. I think I often find sounds more interesting than music. In that video, some of the sounds I made myself and some were found. There is the lullaby that I cut up and then, say, other sounds that were made using the metal frame of a child’s bed. I think sound is probably the component for me that comes last in my projects, possibly because I have never had training in music, but I do have a deep love of sound and sounds, so I like using it to create links and layers between the text and images. By the end of that piece, there’s an idea of being caught, or of a record skipping, of a break in understanding that can only be understood through being heard, repeated. So the sound goes along with that, I think. In some of my video pieces sound is just something to make the looking less boring, but in other cases it ties very deeply into the components of the piece. The best example— easier to explain, at least, than the M.D. piece— was my Guantanamo Bay piece which has two hands and a styrofoam cup being turned inside out in one take. In that piece, there’s a 20 minute soundtrack that is entirely sounds made only with Styrofoam cups.
Heidi Neubauer-Winterburn
The Factory - Nantes - France
A still from The Cutter-off of Water (2009)
Eduardo: icic c´est ailleurs (Series: You are here)
Heidi Neubauer-Winterburn
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A still from e.e.'s sky (2013)
Another interesting project of yours that has particularly impressed me and on which I would like to spend some words is e.e.'s sky, an adaptarion of e.e. cummings V from Etcetera: I would go as far as to state that with this work you have created such a bridge between the inner real feature of an image and the abstract feature of Language that comes from human manipulation and I think that this brings a new level of significance to the surroundings on which you focus the viewers' attention...
Language, to me, is abstract. Significance is hard to pin down. This is probably where I can see my non-art background most coming into focus: philosophy led me to psychoanalysis— something, I feel, very misunderstood to this day in the US— and Jacques Lacan. For over a decade now, Lacan has been someone I
regularly return to in my reading and thinking. Lacan has his idea of the real and that sort of non-space place is very important to me. But not because the real is the real, but because the Lacanian real is that which pre-dates language and cannot be spoken. It’s what you leave behind when you move into language and learn to speak as a child. So most of what I do is trying to re-connect things to the space before they explicitly became language, which, too also has something to do with why I enjoy cutting up and reconfiguring text so much in my pieces. Once you enter language, you no longer have access to the real, but I think we can still get a glimpse here and there. Language is very abstract, and anyone that speaks a few or more languages knows how different it can be to say something in one versus another and how it changes the way you interact with people and view the world. #196 Winter
Heidi Neubauer-Winterburn
Portland (2010), From the City Skin series
I couldn't do without mentioning your City Skin series: I have highly appreciated the way you explore the concept of landscape: in particular, I'm sort of convinced that some information & ideas are hidden, or even "encrypted" in the environment we live in, so we need -in a way- to decipher them. Maybe that one of the roles of an artist could be to reveal unexpected sides of Nature, especially of our inner Nature... what's your opinion about this?
Trees in cities have always struck me as unhappy. Something about being in that ground and surrounded by those squares of concrete and such little light. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s this paradox between what we want in the city and what maybe should be there and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something oddly selfish that strikes me about wanting trees in cities. Urban planners are now trying to
design cities that are more about balancing nature and city, but it seems to me that the plants we'll have in our cities tell us more about the people than the city. Which is what drew me to the trees in the first series of City Skin in Paris. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re across from the Louvre, all that famous art, and with so many eyes pointed towards those artifacts and canvases and sculptures, I just kept imagining how few people saw the trees. If you ever go, take a look at the trees, especially down by the river, many of them are so carved with hearts and layers and layers of humans professing love in so many different languages that the trees are sick. So, yes, when I go to new cities, I always look at the trees and like to visit cemeteries too. The marks of nature and death have different textures in different spaces, there is, to use your language, a different sort of code
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Heidi Neubauer-Winterburn
encrypted. Tho now I’m just thinking about bad puns, crypts, encrypted. The place where nature and death seemed most aligned was in India, especially Varanasi, down by the ghats where there are trees growing out of the ground and into buildings, taking over spaces, while people burn further down and the dogs chew on the bones. By the way, I would go as far as to state that this series also questions the cultural disconnect that lies between understanding our relationship with the natural environment and our drive toward economic prosperity... do you agree with this analysis?
I think that there are so many disconnects, especially with the drive towards economic prosperity as defined by a sort of dominant US idea over the past 20 years or so. I think, tho, within the mainstream of US culture we are finally starting to see a split away from defining prosperity as purely economic. There’s a baseline that all people deserve— access to affordable, healthy food, health care, education and employment opportunities, due process in the justice system— and then there’s flourishing, which is closer to a sort of all around prosperity. But we’re still working towards that baseline in the US and globally. I hope there will be significant strides in that direction during my lifetime. If we can do so much with technology, surely we should be able to realign ourselves culturally, ideologically. Many of your creations are strictly connected what we use to define real world... I would like to ask you if in your opinion personal experience from real world is an absolutely indespensable part of a creative process, both for creating a work of Art as well as for enjoying it: do you think that a creative process could be disconnected from direct experience?
My definition of the real world is rather Lacanian. The real is always what is escaping being seen or said, at the edges of experience, the tip of the tongue. But without experience and wandering around the world and bumping into things, things would be very boring and, probably, impossible…! But perhaps that could be its own conceptual art project: Invite people to make something without personal experience.
Heidi Neubauer-Winterburn
Paris (2009) From the City Skin series
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Heidi Neubauer-Winterburn
Multidisciplinarity is a crucial aspect of your approach and I have highly appreciate the way you are capable of creating such an effective synergy between elements from different techniques, re-contextualizing the idea of landscape, with a lively -I daresay performative feature- as in the extremely stimulating installation entitled The Cloud which has particularly impressed me: while crossing the borders of different artistic fields have you ever happened to realize that a synergy between different disciplines is the only way to achieve some results, to express some concepts?
For me it is the only way. I have been very influenced by the Fluxists, among others, and many Feminist artists— especially those who work with ‘non-traditional’ or craft materials, like bubble gum, or yarn. To me, the important thing is that you find a way to express it. But there are better or worse ways to go about it, so, for instance I discovered that certain contexts aren’t good for certain places. The Cloud worked well in the mountains when I installed it the first time but its sister, which I made for Burning Man, really just wasn’t a good fit. Too much wind! So, there are better and worse combinations and you learn. You have to be comfortable expressing concepts but, also, failing. Getting comfortable with failure is important, especially when you are working across disciplines. Certain combinations just end up being more successful than others. During these years your works have exhibited in several occasions and I think it's important to mention that you have been awarded as well... Could you tell us something about the impressions that you have received in these occasions? By the way, how much important is for you the feedback of your audience? Do you ever think to whom will enjoy your Art when you conceive your pieces?
There’s a quote above the doorway to my studio office from Oscar Wilde “Indeed, the moment #196 Winter
Heidi Neubauer-Winterburn
Portland (2010), From the City Skin series
Heidi Neubauer-Winterburn
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Do Your Teeth Miss The Taste of the Sky?" (2014)
that an artist takes notice of what other people want, and tries to supply the demand, he ceases to be an artist.” I don’t create for any one person or viewer or public. Plus, with the internet, it’s hard to know where things will find a home. I get good feedback now on a fairly regular basis, which means I tend to be skeptical. That, however, is just my overly critical side. But, probably, that critical side is what enables me to keep making work. I try to push things from multiple perspectives, since I have no idea what will speak to someone or get seen. It is all an experiment! It’s certainly nice when people come up to me and seem to get it.
Besides your career as an artist, about three years ago you started your own company involved in brand development, design projects, and marketing strategy: what are in your opinion some of the challenges for a sustainable relationship between the business and arts?
Creatives are now being brought in to many different industries as problem solvers. It’s nice to see creative work being seen as work, not just as decorative or pleasure seeking. But the key is balance and fair pay for work. I often see creatives selling themselves very short. You don’t help anyone when you do that…! I’m organized and I have a varied skill set, so running my own company and helping other
Heidi Neubauer-Winterburn
SPARK
people run their businesses, well, it just made sense for me. It’s expanded over the years and I work on a variety of projects and, also, feel very fortunate to have a flexible lifestyle. I also enjoy it most days. I like seeing how different industries and brands and people work and I like making things happen and knowing what works and being able to facilitate. I think having non-art making time makes me more productive, because I focus and set goals. So, I think it provides a balance that allows me to be creative, not only in the sense that I can afford it but also in the sense that I make time for my own projects the way I make time for my clients: project time is scheduled, things are worked on, and they get finished.
Thanks a lot for your time and your thoughts, Heidi. My last question deals with your future plans: what's next for you? Anything coming up for you professionally that you would like readers to be aware of?
Thank you for the invitation to participate. It’s been wonderful. As for shows, this year I’m in the SPARK Gallery Annual members’ show in January, there are some ideas for installation and performance projects mid-Summer, and I’ll be having my own show in September at SPARK Gallery. So far, this year is off to a good start…!
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Heidi Neubauer-Winterburn
Multidisciplinarity is a crucial aspect of your approach and I have highly appreciate the way you are capable of creating such an effective synergy between elements from different techniques, re-contextualizing the idea of landscape, with a lively -I daresay performative feature- as in the extremely stimulating installation entitled The Cloud which has particularly impressed me: while crossing the borders of different artistic fields have you ever happened to realize that a synergy between different disciplines is the only way to achieve some results, to express some concepts?
For me it is the only way. I have been very influenced by the Fluxists, among others, and many Feminist artists— especially those who work with ‘non-traditional’ or craft materials, like bubble gum, or yarn. To me, the important thing is that you find a way to express it. But there are better or worse ways to go about it, so, for instance I discovered that certain contexts aren’t good for certain places. The Cloud worked well in the mountains when I installed it the first time but its sister, which I made for Burning Man, really just wasn’t a good fit. Too much wind! So, there are better and worse combinations and you learn. You have to be comfortable expressing concepts but, also, failing. Getting comfortable with failure is important, especially when you are working across disciplines. Certain combinations just end up being more successful than others. During these years your works have exhibited in several occasions and I think it's important to mention that you have been awarded as well... Could you tell us something about the impressions that you have received in these occasions? By the way, how much important is for you the feedback of your audience? Do you ever think to whom will enjoy your Art when you conceive your pieces?
There’s a quote above the doorway to my studio office from Oscar Wilde “Indeed, the moment #196 Winter
Heidi Neubauer-Winterburn
Portland (2010), From the City Skin series
Heidi Neubauer-Winterburn
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SPARK
that an artist takes notice of what other people want, and tries to supply the demand, he ceases to be an artist.” I don’t create for any one person or viewer or public. Plus, with the internet, it’s hard to know where things will find a home. I get good feedback now on a fairly regular basis, which means I tend to be skeptical. That, however, is just my overly critical side. But, probably, that critical side is what enables me to keep making work. I try to push things from multiple perspectives, since I have no idea what will speak to someone or get seen. It is all an experiment! It’s certainly nice when people come up to me and seem to get it.
Besides your career as an artist, about three years ago you started your own company involved in brand development, design projects, and marketing strategy: what are in your opinion some of the challenges for a sustainable relationship between the business and arts?
Creatives are now being brought in to many different industries as problem solvers. It’s nice to see creative work being seen as work, not just as decorative or pleasure seeking. But the key is balance and fair pay for work. I often see creatives selling themselves very short. You don’t help anyone when you do that…! I’m organized and I have a varied skill set, so running my own company and helping other
Heidi Neubauer-Winterburn
SPARK
people run their businesses, well, it just made sense for me. It’s expanded over the years and I work on a variety of projects and, also, feel very fortunate to have a flexible lifestyle. I also enjoy it most days. I like seeing how different industries and brands and people work and I like making things happen and knowing what works and being able to facilitate. I think having non-art making time makes me more productive, because I focus and set goals. So, I think it provides a balance that allows me to be creative, not only in the sense that I can afford it but also in the sense that I make time for my own projects the way I make time for my clients: project time is scheduled, things are worked on, and they get finished.
Thanks a lot for your time and your thoughts, Heidi. My last question deals with your future plans: what's next for you? Anything coming up for you professionally that you would like readers to be aware of?
Thank you for the invitation to participate. It’s been wonderful. As for shows, this year I’m in the SPARK Gallery Annual members’ show in January, there are some ideas for installation and performance projects mid-Summer, and I’ll be having my own show in September at SPARK Gallery. So far, this year is off to a good start…!
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Jacqueline Sim (Singapore)
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Jacqueline Sim
An interview with
Jacqueline Sim Hello Jacqueline and welcome to LandEscape. To start this interview would you like to tell us something about your background? You hold a Bachelor in Fine Arts that you have recently received from the Lasalle College of the Arts: how has this experience impacted on the way you currently produce your Art? By the way, what's your point on formal training? I often ask to myself if a certain kind of training could even stifle a young artist's creativity...
Hello, thank you for having me. The description of a ‘starving artist’ strikes very close to my heart - I took a break of five years to save enough before pursuing the Bachelors of Fine Arts course and havewith since graduated in June an interview 2014. Formal training definitely has the capability to stifle or strengthen one’s creativity. It is the entrenched mentality of the “system” that we have forced onto ourselves, in that we need to perform well in term of grades or the benchmarks that we set upon ourselves to be as good, if not better, than the next person. And in that pursuit, one may lose his or her voice and ends up being a headless chicken, running in so many directions to please every single demand that is brought to the table. Yet I believe we are all born casual listeners with the ability to discern what is being fed to us, be it our mentors, peers, family or even well-meaning strangers. Over the two-year course, I have often asked myself, “is this worth five years of waiting and
Jacqueline Sim
saving for?” Despite the many obstacles and demands that I have faced from various parties, including the school, my answer is a YES! I see my two years as a form of residency in Lasalle, where it has allowed me to grow in the conceptual aspect and given me time to build on my works. The most stimulating moments in the course of my study and works are the interactions and conversations with some of my tutors and classmates. It is where like-minded individuals of the art community coming together, retaining the unfiltered openness to share, gossip, critic and bond like family; something which rarely come by when you are alone in the competitive art scene. Now I would like to start to focus on your artistic production: I would like to start with Outsider Information that our readers have already started to admire in the introductory
Jacqueline Sim
A still from Outsider Information pages of this article and I would suggest them to visit your website directly at https://vimeo.com/101514153 in order to get a wider idea of this stimulating video... in the meanwhile, would you tell us something about the genesis of this project? What was your initial inspiration?
It took me a good couple of months to search for an ideal subject that is able to capture the essence of being at the crossroad of modernism – in the process or on the verge of going through major uprooting and removing process. In particular, with the never-ceasing demands due to the limited land space in Singapore, nothing is ever permanently stationary, and searching for something representative was not easy. The search came to an end when I came across the press article dated 12th March 2013, which
the Housing and Development Board (HDB) sent letters to Ubin residents requesting to vacate their homes for the development of an ‘adventure park on Pulau Ubin’. After the uproar in the social media by many Singaporeans, HDB subsequently explained that the letter is a ‘resettlement’ benefits and ‘clearance’ scheme and they have no plan for an adventure park. The article was removed, akin to destroying evidence. Till date, the fate of Ubin is still unknown. Hence for Outsider Information, it simply began with a press article. My inspiration are often inspired and derived from theoretical interests or emotional attachments towards certain issues that are close to heart. The environments we live in influence us whether we like it or not, and there is always a touch of nostalgia element in my works.
Jacqueline Sim
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A still from Outsider Information
An unattributed quote that best describes nostalgia as being “never been about the past but about something lacking in the present and the attempt to use the past to fill it in.” ( Pulau Ubin is a small island situated north-east of Singapore, the last natural flora and fauna place.) Dealing with Outsider Information, you have once stated that the defining line between mediated and real is erased this has reminded me the well-known Picasso's quote "Everything you can imagine is real" I would like to ask you if in your opinion personal experience from real world is an absolutely indespensable part of a creative process... Do you think that a
creative process could be disconnected from direct experience?
Besides Picasso’s quote you shared, Jean Baudrillard’s theory on simulation is closer to what my point of interest, where it is able to establish its own frame of reference; simulation creates the real by erasing the boundary between original and copy thus the hyperreal is realer than real. We have been subconsciously consuming the constant input of the hyperreality audiovisuals into our everyday lives. The malleability of our brain and its hunger for patterns has resulted in allowing the original to be replaced by the hyperreal simulation, and that it takes an intended effort of an individual to appreciate the reality. #196 Winter
Jacqueline Sim
A still from Outsider Information
Every artist’s creative process differs, and it is of my opinion that the physicality of experience is an indispensable aspect of my process. It allows me to get first-hand information on the topic, especially so for Outsider Information, as there is really very little information on Ubin. The art of narration / histories of Ubin seem to be completely controlled by the media. Hence, I embark my journey as an ‘Archaeologist’, which in turn, became the background to a few of works, such as Maybe the Tiger is true maybe is not? (Stratigraphy process) and Unrevealed the Reveal (Screening process) before joining the final dot for Outsider Information. (You can find them on my website)
that has mostly impacted on me is the way -by an effective usage of juxtapositions- you have been effectively capable of re-contextualizing the idea of landscape and of environment... so I would like to stop for a moment to consider the "function" of the landscape suggested by your work: most of the times it doesn't seem to be just a passive background... and I'm sort of convinced that some information & ideas are hidden, or even "encrypted" in the environment we live in, so we need -in a wayto decipher them. Maybe that one of the roles of an artist could be to reveal unexpected sides of Nature, especially of our inner Nature... what's your point about this?
One of the features of Outsider Information
You totally hit the spot. Outsider Information
Jacqueline Sim
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A still from Outsider Information
requires more than passive viewing; and when traversed, what that is under the surface is perhaps a more abstract space, a space less literal and anchored.
never judge another’s characters plainly even if we know him or her for a long time. The invisibility and intangibility of one can be scarier than having it all in plain sight.
The strange equilibrium between exterior and inner Nature - contradiction versus contamination, tangibility versus intangibility, visibility versus invisibility.
By the way, another interesting work of you that has particularly impacted on me is entitled Beautiful Exchange: in particular, I have appreciated the way it investigates about the concept of landscape and of environment, reminding us about the concept of non-place elaborated by French anthropologist Marc Augé and questioning the role of modern technology in our society...
Inner nature is a very abstract terms to me. Let me share a work by Teressa Margolles, ‘What Else Could We Talk About? Cleaning.’ Margolles used diluted blood from drug-related murder victims to mop the floors of the museum / gallery to the state that one is unable to see any traces of the blood with the naked eyes. We can
An interconnected network of images or
Brice Bourdet
Eduardo: icic c´est ailleurs (Series: You are here) 8
Jacqueline Sim
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I Think I Screwed Up My Research
receptive surfaces, all acting and reacting on one another, all appearing and disappearing at different speeds with different degree of intensity. – Bergson. I definitely love the subtle but effective humour of your installation I Think I Screwed Up My Research, an extremely stimulating piece that is one of my favourite one of your recent production... I daresay that your deep reflection about the questions of cause and effects of media on the life and reality of an artist suggests such a social criticism: even though I'm aware that this might sound a bit naÔf, I'm sort of convinced that Art in these days could play an effective role not only
making aware public opinion about socio political issues: I would go as far as to say that nowadays Art can even steer people's behavior... I would take this chance to ask your point about this. Do you think that it's an exaggeration? And what could be in your opinion the role that an artist could play in our society?
Thank you for your appreciation. I agree with you that Art can steer people’s behavior; I guess the best and up to date example is Paul McCarthy’s Tree (2014) which resembles a sex top that have angered many in Paris to cut the cables that is holding the artwork. The #196 Winter
Jacqueline Sim
Jacqueline Sim
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I Think I Screwed Up My Research
sculpture had to be eventually deflated, and the artist was attacked during the installation. Have people misunderstood McCarthy’s intention for his sculpture Tree, or was the violent reaction what he was hoping from the audience, or just a gimmick to get the attention of the world? I guess only the artist has the answer. Contemporary art like contemporary life is also a jumble of competing clues, philosophical puzzlers and hidden agendas. Theaster Gates shared: ‘As artists, we’re always given the opportunity or we make the opportunity to say what a thing means.’ To add on to his statement, there isn’t any role that artists can’t play. I guess it all lies in how much does one take away that the artists
intended, or to what degree do artists want to reveal to the audience? One may gets the meaning of some works almost immediately on the spot, whilst others may simply be undecipherable, and in all honestly, most are unable to grasp the intention of the artists and give up before trying. Besides producing your artworks you are an educator and you are a long-term volunteer with Singapore Association for the Visually Handicapped: art-making involves a series of inner and sometimes "mysterious" processes and during these years, while interviewing lots of artists, I have often been told of such therapeutic effects behind these processes... by the way, you are prolific artist, and your
Jacqueline Sim works seem to be filled with intense emotion: is painting like a release for you or is it emotionally draining?
I like to be distracted and get excited by everything. Knowledge is free. It is a continuous process of learning and unlearning for me. Sharing my knowledge with people and giving my tiny bit to the society allow me to take my eyes away from my self-indulgence with my works. During these years your works have been exhibited in several occasions and I think it's important to remark that you have recently received the Prudential Singapore Young Artist Award in the category of Installation. It goes without saying that feedbacks and especially awards are capable of supporting an artist, encouraging him: I was just wondering if an award -or even the expectation of positive feedbacks- could even influence the process of an artist... By the way, how much important is for you the feedback of your audience? Do you ever think to whom will enjoy your Art when you conceive your pieces? I sometimes wonder if it could ever exist a genuine relationship between business and Art...
I am terrible at socializing, you will hardly find me during opening. Despite knowing the process and concept of my works at the fingertips; but once I am in the public, I am totally lost of words. So during my opening, I prefer to stand at a distance to eavesdrop at what others think of my work; personally I think that is a more genuine feedback instead of a patronizing remark.
process of working. I do hope that everyone who comes by takes something away with them about my works, but I don’t conceive my works for any particular audience. Sadly I think the probability of a genuine relationship between business and Art is really very low. It also calls to mind how awards are used to spur competition and judgment, galvanizing the artist, yet the intangibility and appreciation of art is very much subjective and open to interpretation that it makes one contemplate what is exactly deemed superior to another. In a world highly driven by climbing up the hierarchy, the chase for awards and qualifications serves as a need to draw distinction when there is so much ambiguity to differentiate what is defined as a good artist or artwork. Thanks for your time, Jacqueline: what's next for you? Any project on the horizon?
I hope to develop my research in the area of ‘Expanded and Liquefying field’, where, human and landscape meet, seeking fluidity in both time and space. As for now, there is no concrete direction of where my research is leading. But I like it this way; the things that I don’t know intrigue me. I plan to go for more residencies; embark on a journey with a wide spectrum of routes, which I will not consciously orchestrate. And file my experience closer to how time is experience through a college of continuous space. This is random but I want to learn tap dancing!!! Hah
There is still so much for me to improve on and learn. I appreciate every single positive or negative feedbacks that is given to me. However just as sound can magically invade a space or dissipate without a trace, in the same line I receive the feedbacks, only partial of the feedbacks are retained. Till date, I don’t think there is anyone’s feedback that has altered my Eduardo: icic c´est ailleurs (Series: You are here)
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(Korea/USA)
" Have you ever lived in different country? Would you move to a different country for a better life? "
My work tells the story of the two sides of my life. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been using both photography and painting to convey imagery that consists of true and false, reality and fiction. I express opposite ideals (North and South Korea, Apple and Samsung, Korea and America). My artwork shows the utopia of different ideas coexisting together for a better good. In my work two different images are connected by one. For example, my imaginary animation charactor with real humans or a sculpture of bear highlight issues of communication. My work is based on things I love like a bears, family, friends, and my national identity. Taking the bear as an example, I made a story which about an American bear. I talk about the American bear and Jenny which is my fantasy character. They are strangers that become friends. I like telling a story using a character in short stop motion format as inspired by Charlie Chaplin movies. Blond Jenny
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Blond Jenny
An interview with
Blond Jenny Hello Jenny, and a warm welcome to LandEscape. I would start this interview with my usual introductory question: what does in your opinion define a work of Art?
Hi LandEscape and thank you for the interview. For me, art is the emotional representation of the Zeitgeist. By the way, what could be in your opinion the features that mark an artworks as a piece of Contemporary Art?
Contemporary Art is intentional ideas that explain feelings through any material or method. Do you think that there's a dichotomy between tradition and contemporariness?
an interview with
Yes, there is a dichotomy. In the past the skill of an artist was as important as their ideas. With Contemporary Art unique ideas need to represent the Zeitgeist more than the artist needs to have a particular skill set. Would you like to tell us something about your background? You hold a Master of Arts in Painting that you received from the Gachon University and then you moved to New York, where you attended the prestigious Berkeley College, graduating on Fashion Business: how have these experiences impacted on your development as an artist and on the way you currently produce your artworks?
I was born in Korea. My mom loves fashion and my father was an architect. I studied art since I was young. After I graduated with a Master of Fine Arts degree, I started my own art institute. I also taught art classes at Gachon University. Eventually, I opened a gallery in Seoul that
Blond Jenny
gained coverage from the media for being unique but was not profitable. Overall the concept of the gallery did not have mass appeal. After that I wanted to seek out a more open-minded community where I could share my art.
Blond Jenny express the story of my art. In New York, fashion is a part of my artistic inspiration. In my opinion fashion goes with the trend of society. I studied Fashion Business as a way to better understand people's likes and needs in hopes to develop a range of skills that are consistent with pop culture instead of just expressing my artistry through paintings. Changing my perspective (both location and artistic focus) was a way of seeing Korea as an outsider instead of only focusing on my skillset as an artist. Before starting to elaborate about your production, would you like to tell to our readers something about your process and set up for making your artworks? In particular, what technical aspects do you mainly focus on your work? And how much preparation and time do you put in before and during the process of creating a piece?
For photographs I usually focus on my character Blond Jenny. After I create a story, I decide on a costume and location for the shoot. I check on the weather and if there might be an issue with crowds of people depending on the location. The photo shoot is only the beginning. I retouch my photos and usually pick a few to print. I use the prints as a canvas to apply a variety of media depending on the project. A photo series usually takes 2-4 months and results in 2 or 3 final works. When painting, I prepare a main idea and images for inspiration. If it is a large painting, my idea may take 3-6 months to evolve and grow on the canvas.
I do not believe in setting limits. I felt I needed to move to New York to find myself and discover what I really want as an artist. By avoiding negative ideas and prejudice that society puts on artists, I would be able to Marinda Scaramanga
Now let's focus on your art production: I would start from Nostalgia and Happy Father's Day that our readers have already started to admire in the introductory pages of this article: and I would suggest to visit your website directly at http://blondjenny.com in order to get a wider idea of your current artistic production.
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American Bear and Jenny
In the meanwhile, would you tell us something about the genesis of this project? What was your initial inspiration?
even more. To help deal with being without my parents, I found surrogate parents here in the United States and Nostalgia is my manifestation of that experience.
I was inspired by my loneliness. Living alone in New York, I missed the importance of my family in Korea. I learned on my first Thanksgiving that everyone spent time with their families but I had no one and it made me miss everyone back home
As you have remarked once, American Bear and Jenny is inspired with your desire of talking about your nostalgia for Korea and your life in New York: I have been impressed #196 Winter 5
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an interview with
Bed of Flag
with the way you have re-contextualized the idea of a place you are familiar with, bringing a new level of significance and challenging the viewers' perception... So I would like to ask you if in your opinion personal experience from real world is an absolutely indispensable part of a creative process... Do you think that a creative process could be disconnected from direct experience?
My art is a reflection of my life. While I think it's possible to create art without direct experience, for me it is a necessity. Another interesting pieces of yours that have impressed on me and on which I would like to spend some words are from your Untitled (2004) series: by the way, If I have been asked to choose an adjective that could sum
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Unison #2 Acrylic 13 Size 48 H x 36 W x 1 in
up in a single word your art, I would say that it's "kaleidoscopic": as you have stated once, your work straddles the grey area between different disciplines... while crossing the borders of different disciplines have you ever happened to realize that a synergy between different disciplines is the only way to achieve some results, to express some concepts?
I think this is definitely the case. I don't like limiting myself to a single discipline. I like pulling inspiration from a variety of styles and mediums
Unison Acrylic 2013 Size 60 H x 36 W x 1 in
and expanding the limits of my expression with multiple layers. And I couldn't do without mentioning your Unison series: I have been struck with the intensely thoughtful nuances of blue that suggest me a sense of dramatic -and I would daresay "oniric"- luminosity that seems to flow out of the darkness around, and as in Life, the dark tones seems to be a prelude to light... by the way, any comments on your choice of "palette" and how it has changed over time? #196 Winter
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The Unison series was born out of Superstorm Sandy. The storm left NYC without power and in the dark so Unison represented that darkness. It also exposed my sadness and isolation. The bridge in Unison 1 was my connection back to Korea. In Unison 2, I was inspired to combine landmarks and symbols of Korea and NYC in the hope that part of me can exist in both places at the same time. Unison 3 (New York Bear) expresses new life and creation from the inside with the outside of the bear's skin as granite and
ancient style construction. That's why it is bright green on the inside with a dark and rigid outside. Finally, Unison 4 (Blond Jenny) has vision of her two cities; New York and Seoul. Her dress is the color of the Korean flag, her surrounding has a firework display of American flag stars while she enjoys a New York ice cream cone. The bright colors and simplicity show that she finally feels comfortable in her new environment but hasn't lost touch with the old one.
Brice Bourdet
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Super Hero 2
Fashion cinema is a new genre gaining popularity in these years: while the partnership between fashion world and contemporary art is a matter of fact since the Sixties, contemporary works often blur the boundary between narrative and non-narrative approach. I would go as far as to state that the winning formula of the contemporary generation of fashion artists, is the fact that they have
assimilated the lessons of the great experimentators of the last decades, like William Klein What is fashion art for you?
Fashion art is the synergy between design and creative inspiration. Some of my favorite examples are collaborations between Louis Vuitton and Yayoi Kusama or H&M and Jeff Koons. As fashion and technology evolve the power of #196 Winter
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design is transitioning to the masses. With 3D printing people have the ability to insert their own creative ideas into wearable fashion. There are no limitations to visual arts. Artists have every tool at their disposal. The combination of fashion and art to me is just the combination of two mediums into a new art form. I see it as taking an inspiration or passion and expressing it through a new medium.
During these years your works have been exhibited in several occasions and you recently had a solo at the Berkeley Gallery... it goes without saying that positive feedbacks are capable of providing an artist of a special support... I was just wondering if the expectation of a positive feedback- could even influence the process of an artist... By the way, how much important is for you the
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I don't make art with the intention to receive positive feedback but it definitely helps keep me motivated, especially when the feedback feels genuine or is from another artist. I mainly create art for myself but it is great when I get to showcase it to people that understand the inspiration that goes into my work; namely my Korean heritage. Lately, I have put more thought into creating art that I can be proud of and sell. I'm still true to my style but I would like to make art for a living so that means creating pieces that I think people will want to buy. However, it's important that I don't get lost in only trying to sell my art. Thanks a lot for your time and your thoughts, Jenny. My last question deals with your future plans: what's next for you? Anything coming up for you professionally that you would like readers to be aware of?
I'm starting work on a new photo series. I will use New York as my backdrop again and this time add an underwater theme. I'm also working on putting together a group show for Make a Better World by Public Art Foundation in New York. I'm the president of the group and right now we have more than ten people (not just artists but anyone with passion and talent) participating but are still working to lock in a location for our first show. Finally, I'm participating in an exhibit at the Fountain Art Fair 2015 and with an artist who makes candies. I will perform at the event in a candy dress.
Brice Bourdet
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We explore the landscapes of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Our cameras accompany us as we follow paths along train tracks and rivers, into the woods and over the sides of hills. We are searching for illegal dumpsites, and often times, they are not hard to come by. Tires, treated wood, household garbage, railroad ties and construction refuse all lead the way to these sites. The dumpsites we find and photograph are in a variety of states of existence. Some sites have been surveyed by a volunteer organization, some are in the process of being cleaned up, and many remain vulnerable to continued dumping practices.
50 of these sites. These include public parks, little clearly, we chose to begin the series by documenting 50 of these sites. These include public parks, little
After reading a story in the local newspaper, we were motivated to begin recording sites and to find a way of spreading awareness. The non-profit, Allegheny CleanWays (Pittsburgh, PA), granted us access to their statistical and GPS data, which has been integral to developing this project. The issue of dumping in Pittsburgh is widespread, reaching to the edges of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s limits; however, it is an ongoing problem that many locals are still unaware of. We quickly learned that the culture of dumping is boundless, affecting almost every neighborhood and socio-economic area in the city. We delved into the mass of data, mapping coordinates and categorizing dumpsites in relation to the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quadrants. There are more than 300 documented dumpsites, many exist on the sides of steep hills and in woodsy perimeters of residential neighborhoods. More disturbing, there are sites in extremely close proximity to green spaces often used for outdoor recreation. This aspect of the data stood out so clearly, we chose to begin the series by documenting
50 of these sites. These include public parks, little league fields, cemeteries and playgrounds. Evidence of people dumping different types of materials and waste varies from site to site; old shingles, construction waste, carpeting and tons of tires litter the scenes. The photographs appear to be landscapes of public spaces at first, but when coupled with relevant data about the space as a dumpsite, multiple layers of
information present viewers with a new perception of these places. By creating a bridge between the unsuspecting landscape image and the truth about what happens there, we are attempting to bring a new level of significance to these sites. A quick response (QR) code links users to a website with additional images of the dumpsite. Rather than seeing another formal, traditional landscape of the dumpsite, viewers see documentation of the dumping
itself and the surrounding areas. Although we were supplied with GPS coordinates, additional mapping and exploration is required. Often times, we must follow clues that show the cultural signs of dumping to find the site; this has become a type of field work. The use of the website and the inclusion of images that offer a different view, will allow for play between the beautiful and the ugly, the sublime and the underbelly.
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Christine Holtz and Lauren S. Zadikow
An interview with
Christine Holtz and Lauren S. Zadikow Hello Christine and Lauren, and a warm welcome to LandEscape. I would start this interview with my usual introductory question: what does in your opinion defines a work of Art? By the way, what could be in your opinion the features that mark an artworks as a piece of Contemporary Art? Do you think that there's a dichotomy between tradition and contemporariness?
Broadly speaking, “contemporary art” refers to art being made by artists living today. Artists today are working in a wide range of mediums, often reflecting and commenting on society, an thereinterview is more critical with thought generally happening in the contemporary arts. A lot of contemporary artists and art accepts and practices “pluralism” and with that a variety of styles and artistic intentions are combined to simultaneous create both meaning and art. This allows contemporary artists to express themselves and respond to social issues in a way that artists of the past were not able to. The dichotomy between traditional art and contemporary art can be defined by the questions the viewer has to ask themselves. In contemporary art the viewer sets aside century old questions like “Is the work aesthetically pleasing?” and instead may start to ask questions like “Is this work interesting?” or “Am I being challenged?” Would you like to tell us something about your background? You have formal training and both of you hold a MFA: how have these
experiences impacted on the way you currently produce your artworks? By the way, I sometimes I wonder if a certain kind of formal training could even stifle a young artist's creativity: since besides producing your artworks you are a Professor of Media Arts at Robert Morris University, I'm sure
Christine Holtz and Lauren S. Zadikow
that our readers will find iteresting your point...
We both come from somewhat formal academic training, but this has allowed us the opportunity to refine bodies of work and critique our intentions as image-makers. Academic/formal
training in art and photography helped us learn technical, conceptual, and aesthetic practice. This is where we learned how to make, present, and interpret the photograph. This is where we learned to use signifiers, symbols, and metaphor to create meaning. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think formal training stifled our creativity, it enhanced
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We have been extremely research geared with this project, so for us, that has been the starting point for most of the images. At first, we did a lot of fieldwork. We had to learn how to look for clues; we were often following vague directions or trying to locate a specific set of coordinates. The culture of illegal dumping leaves a certain kind of evidence, but you need to know what signs to look for. We spoke to volunteers that survey and clean up the sites, they became phenomenal resources. We began by photographing many sites together, but as our list expanded, and our opportunities to shoot together became more limited by our schedules, we began to venture out on our own. We would then come together to edit images, update spreadsheets, and make additions to maps we were keeping online. We would figure
out what neighborhoods we would each photograph before meeting the following week. By studying a map we compiled of all the known dumpsite locations, we were able to see which ones were in close proximity to one another or shared neighborhood territory. Going out to photograph usually meant being prepared to shoot anywhere from two to four sites, including the ones you may find just exploring the area.
Now let's focus on your artisitc production: I would start from 50 Greenspace Dumpsites that our readers have already started to get to know in the introductory pages of this article: and I would suggest our readers to visit your website directly at http://christineholtz.com and http://laurenzadikow.com in order to get a wider idea of this interesting project. In the meanwhile, would you tell us something about
the genesis of this work? What was your initial inspiration?
Our initial motivation was finding a small write up in a Pittsburgh newspaper one weekend. We had been actively brainstorming for a project to work on collaboratively because we were living near each other for the first time in several years. Once we read the short article, we started doing some basic research and learned about this
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Christine Holtz and Lauren S. Zadikow
major issue that unfortunately, doesn’t get a lot of media attention. We started liking volunteer groups on Facebook right away to stay up to date with articles and build connections with people. We emailed Allegheny CleanWays, a local nonprofit that helps to organize clean ups and advocate for the community; they made time to meet with us, and at that first meeting they handed over all of their survey data, this became the springboard that allowed us to begin mapping the sites and actually going out to photograph. I daresay that 50 Greenspace Dumpsites explores the cultural disconnect that lies between understanding our relationship with the natural environment and our drive toward economic prosperity: although I'm aware that this might sound a bit naive, I have to admit that I'm sort of convinced that Art -especially nowadays- could play an effective role in sociopolitical questions: not only just by offering to people a generic platform for expression... I would go as far as to state that Art could even steer people's behavior... what's your point about this? Does it sound a an interview with bit exaggerated?
We don’t think this is an exaggerated possibility, but we do think the work needs to push beyond the goal of aesthetic success as an art piece in order to do what you’re suggesting. A project or work must offer viewers access to more information about the topic being covered, resources about how to get involved, and employ interactive elements that will allow for a different experience to be had by the viewer. A project must impact the viewer so much more dynamically than their normal visit to a gallery for an artist to expect, or even hope, that a viewer will take what they were exposed to and apply their own time and energy to become further involved after that gallery visit. If the artist does this, and the viewer’s role is elevated from passive to active--I should specify that we are not talking about creating a participatory experience for an evening, but about creating an access point for people that offers the possibility
of becoming truly involved with an issue--then, the concept of projects and art actualizing substantial and sustainable change is a potential reality. As you have remarked, 50 Greenspace Dumpsites, by creating a bridge between the
Christine Holtz and Lauren S. Zadikow
unsuspecting landscape image and the truth about what happens there, you are attempting to bring a new level of significance to the sites on which you focus the viewers' attention... one of the features that has mostly impacted on me of this project is the way you have been capable of
re-contextualizing the idea of environment itself... I'm sort of convinced that some information & ideas are hidden, or even "encrypted" in the environment we live in, so we need -in a way- to decipher them. Maybe that one of the roles of an artist could be to reveal unexpected sides of Nature, especially
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of our inner Nature... what's your opinion about this?
This idea that there are environments that need to be deciphered in order to make them transparent so their true use is made visible, this is absolutely in line with our goals for the series. As far as extending the idea of unexpected sides of “nature” to the inner nature of artists, there are linkages between human behavior and use of place, and we do think that artists and photographers have the ability to capture a space or a place. Looking inward, we may see both the way the place was meant to be used, and then how it is actually being used. Ultimately, these two do not need to fall into alignment with one another. It is often this kind of critical thinking and inquiry that allows us to see beyond the façade. 50 Greenspace Dumpsites is far from being an abstract work and it's strictly connected what we use to define real world... I would like to ask you if in your opinion personal experience from real world is an absolutely indispensable an with both for creating a part interview of a creative process, work of Art as well as for enjoying it... Do you think that a creative process could be disconnected from direct experience?
One could say that we have a direct connection to the real world aspect of this work, but I would say that we actually approached this project from a place with zero personal experience with the issue. It was not something that we noticed and decided to do a project about; it wasn’t something people from Pittsburgh had told us about, many Pittsburgh natives don’t even know about the widespread and rampant dumping culture. But once we started learning about this practice, we couldn’t help but see dumpsites over the hills, tires on the sides of roads, garbage bags tossed into woodsy areas, and oddly enough, the NO DUMPING signs that we had never really paid much attention to. So, it may not be a question of personal experience as an indispensable part of the creative process, but
rather, how different work comes from different perspectives or varying points of identification. There are so many photography projects that would have been dramatically different had the photographer/artist come to the project without the advantages of insider access and an already familiar point of view, or other projects that would undoubtedly be altered if they didn’t have the naivete or distance from the subject that their outsider view recorded.An experience
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that appears to be a shared or universal one is not necessarily the same for two people. With that said, it wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be necessary for that personal experience to be integral to the viewer enjoying a creative act or process. at least not one that the artist can presuppose every viewer to have in response to their work in the same way. I believe that interdisciplinary collaboration -as the one that you have established
together in these years- today is an ever growing force in Art and that that most exciting things happen when creative minds from different fields of practice meet and collaborate on a project... could you tell us something about these effective synergies? By the way, the artist Peter Tabor once said that "collaboration is working together with another to create something as a synthesis of two practices, that alone one could not":
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what's your point about this? Can you explain how your work demonstrates communication between several artists?
LZ: I have worked in other collaborative efforts, and I totally agree that when you get an opportunity to build something with others, it is absolutely going to turn out as a hybrid concept, and something that nobody as a solo practitioner would have ended up with. Working in a collaborative effort comes with challenges, but there are also a lot of advantages. Sharing responsibilities, speaking up, and being open have been key to us creating a project that really does represent both of us as artists. CH: Working with Lauren on this project has been my first collaborative creative project in over a decade. The dialogue between the two of us that happened while being engaged in this project, really shaped this project. Ideas, concepts and direction came from discussion and working together creatively. So far your works have been exhibited in several occasions and you recently an interview with participated to the Three Rivers Art Festival, Pittsburgh: it goes without saying that feedbacks and especially awards are capable of supporting an artist I sometimes happen to wonder if an award -or better, the expectation of positive feedback- could even influence the process of an artist... By the way, how much important is for you the feedback of your audience? Do you ever think to whom will enjoy your Art when you conceive your pieces? I sometimes wonder if it could ever exist a genuine relationship between business and Artâ&#x20AC;Ś
When we started this project we werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t concerned with it being a financial success, that just wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t our priority for this series of images. What we were concerned with was raising awareness about a problem that was happening in our community. One of the things we discussed while working together was how to engage the viewers and interest them in learning
about the problem of illegal dumping in the city of Pittsburgh. It was only after researching the issue that we learned that there are more than 300 documented dumpsites and it is estimated that only one third of the existing dumpsites have been surveyed.
Christine Holtz and Lauren S. Zadikow
The issue of dumping in Pittsburgh is widespread, reaching to the edges of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s limits; however, it is a problem that many locals donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even know about. We quickly learned that the culture of dumping is boundless, affecting almost every neighborhood and socio-economic
area in the city. The problem became how to communicate this information effectively. It eventually lead us to focus our project on the many greenspace dumpsites that were made visible during the research stages. Making traditional landscape photographs of spaces
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that people know and use without considering their proximity to dumpsites could make this issue accessible for viewers. Presenting images with data and titles that reveal the siteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s status as an illegal dumpsite to the viewer could be a potentially shocking revelation to locals who have played soccer at Panther Hollow or families who take their children to the blue slide playground at Frick Park. This kind of reaction might act as a point of entry for viewers, and may encourage people to get involved with groups that are working to combat this ongoing threat to the region. We are not only interested in hearing from viewers, but also from people that are working to fight dumping, as well as people that are dealing with the consequences. Our inclusion in the Three Rivers Art Festival Juried Visual Art Exhibition was the first time that the project was brought to the attention of a larger segment of the local Pittsburgh population. The Juried Visual Art Exhibition is among the most-visited attractions at the Festival, welcoming thousands of visitors over the course of ten days. A write up about our project was also included in the Pittsburgh Post Gazetteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s review an witha story about the of theinterview exhibition. Recently, project was featured on Slate.com, this helped bring the work to the attention of many regional environmental organizations. Thanks a lot for your time and your thoughts: my last question deals with your future plans... what's next for you? Anything coming up for you professionally that you would like readers to be aware of?
Holtz and Zadikow currently have work from the project in GRIT: The Urban Landscape at the Copley Society of Art in Boston, MA and Looking Out. Sharon Arts Center, New Hampshire Institute of Art. Next year they will present the project at the Society for Photographic Education conference in New Orleans. Christine Holtz and Lauren S. Zadikow have been photographing together since 2001, when we met on a photography workshop in the desert southwest
Christine Holtz and Lauren S. Zadikow