Land Escape
an interview with
What in your opinion defines a work of art?
As long as there is a concept embedding the work it can be called art. You have formal training, and you have studied Fine Arts in Germany: in your opinion how much training influences art?
That sure is a very difficult question especially because I am German. After having spend a lot of time working abroad I can say that in no other country people are more obsessed with the question whether or not an artist can be school. When I tell people abroad that I am an artist they always ask me WHAT I am doing, when you tell people in Germany their first question is: WHERE have you studied and WHO was your professor as if that was an unquestionable seal of approval for talent. But leaving the recognition issue aside – I think at one point or the other every artist has to ask himself how much of his work is genuine and to what degree the work is linked to something he was taught or he has seen in other artists work. To go to art school and/or University defines and shapes your perception of the world in a special way. You learn how to reflect but you are also fed with a lot of information what art should be and how the art world and the art market are functioning. And I think it can be very difficult sometimes to break down the inner world of images to the mere essence of what is truly YOURS despite a constant influence. 14