Bartholomaus Traubeck is a German artist born in 1987. He explores patterns within nature and creates inspiring installations. In this exclusive interview Bartholomaus talks all about his beautiful artwork – specifically the musical piece, “Years”.
Bartholomaus spoke to Stuart Russell B.E.M in February 2015.
Can you describe your work, what interests you creatively? I look into the inner workings of things, be it media, music or natural phenomena. Trying to understand patterns, concepts, ideas and how things are formed through their contexts is what interests me most.
Your work seems to mix technology and nature perfectly, what is it about this mix that captivates you? I think this dichotomy we tend to use is not the only model to think about the concepts of nature and technology. The lines blur the closer you look at them. How much of the human is natural anymore? Which parts of ‘nature’ are technology-influenced? We tend to think of people herding cattle in some alpine sheds as archaic and natural. But cows are actually a very recent introduction to the alpine landscape. I like how everything is evolving all the time and how you can easily break apart these concepts of what is natural, and what is labelled technology.
There is almost a scientific element to your work, do you enjoy experimentation? Yes I do. It is an integral part of my practice. First I develop a sort of thesis for my works and then I try to prove them through experiments.
The process is kind of scientific but the outcome is not. I aim to make artworks after all. But to actually materialize a concept and try it in different approaches usually opens up new ideas which, for me, are not graspable in a purely theoretical stage.
What inspired you to create “Years”? The thought that every single year-ring pattern on this planet is very probably different to the next. They are not all completely random but made from ever evolving codes (DNA) carried out in different environments and influences over time. I thought it would be interesting to use that as a base for musical composition.
Does “Years” allows us to hear the ageing process? Not really. Years lets us hear music based on patterns that form through an ageing process in different environments.
What is it about installation that attracts you? To distil an idea by making an installation of tangible objects is often a challenge. I like that. It makes you think about how to communicate a concept to somebody else by means of objects.
Your work displays great curiosity. Are you a very curious person? Yes. (Sorry. It’s just a big YES)
Where did you learn your techniques? Some of it at school, some at university but a lot by watching and helping others. I’m glad I have quite a few friends who are obsessed with many different topics. There’s always something to learn from them.
Where do you see your work taking you? What do you hope people gain from your work? For me it is something I try to learn from. There is no great plan. I often need to think about things that interest me in a more physical way, like an experiment as you said before. For those who engage with the results, I hope they take something interesting from it. One way or the other, like it or hate it, think about it or think about how you don’t want to think about it. Not being touched by it at all, that’s probably when a work has failed to communicate and that’s what I don’t want to do.
"...Every single year-ring pattern on this planet is very probably different to the next. They are not all completely random but made from ever evolving codes (DNA) carried out in different environments and influences over time..." – Bartholomaus Traubeck What is the next big project you are working towards? I am trying to do a sonification on a much larger scale. It is still not clear if it will work so I think it is too early to talk too much about the concept.
WWW.TRAUBECK.COM