FAQ

In July 2023, I’ll be introducing myself and my work as an artist at the “Zeichenclub” in the Kulturzentrum Schlachthof in Kassel. Naturally, we’ll also be drawing together. To prepare for this, I asked the community on Facebook and Instagram: “If you could be there, what would you like to see or hear from me? What would you be curious about?” Here are some of the questions – and my answers:

How do you come up with these wild ideas?
My own theory is: I don’t come up with the ideas – the ideas come to me. They "occur" to me, which is why they’re often called inspirations or Einfälle (in German, literally “something that falls in”). How that works exactly, I don’t really know...

Many ideas arise from outside influences, sometimes just by chance.

An example: A few days ago, I made a drawing of a headless figure wearing a coat, with the word “Ruhezone” (“quiet zone”) above it. But actually, that wasn’t really an “idea” in the usual sense – it kind of just happened.

Some time ago, I saw a photo that caught my eye, showing a person in just such a coat. I made a sketch of it. For reasons I no longer remember, I started the drawing not with the head, but with the coat and the feet (which is unusual for me). When it came time to draw the head, I paused – and decided the drawing already had its punchline and was complete. I even posted that version (without text) on Instagram and Facebook.

Then, a few days ago, coincidence struck. I’ve been thinking a lot about the word “zone” lately because an upcoming exhibition in Kassel’s Hugenottenhaus divides the space into different zones. So words related to “zone” keep popping into my head – this time it was “quiet zone”. I liked that one. I quickly grabbed a notebook to write it down – and as I flipped it open, I came across the drawing again. In that moment, I knew what to do.

It might be a bit of a disappointing example, but it’s not an unusual one :-)

Welche Themen speisen Deine Arbeit? 

Ich zeichne fast immer realistisch, deshalb kann man wohl auch von "Themen" sprechen, obwohl ich mich ein wenig gegen diesen Begriff sträube, ohne genau erklären zu können, warum :-) Also, mein großes Thema ist der Mensch, das ist meiner Meinung nach sowieso das Thema der Kunst. Seit ein, zwei Jahren wird dies "flankiert" vom Thema "Natur", da ich seitdem regelmäßig in einer Zeichengruppe zeichne, die gemeinsam in der Natur (im weitesten Sinne) zeichnet.

Haben Sie ein Thema, vielleicht sogar ein Lieblingsthema? Und falls ja, warum dieses?

Hier dazu ein Text aus dem "Lager", den ich manchmal nutze, wenn ich meine Arbeit irgendwo kurz charakterisieren soll:

"Seit einigen Jahren widme ich mich als Künstler fast ausschließlich der Zeichnung. Ihr Gegenstand ist zumeist der Mensch: "Ein Zeichen sind wir, deutungslos." (Hölderlin)

Bilder und Gedanken, die mir in irgendeiner Weise zufliegen, sind in der Regel ihr Ausgangspunkt. Von da aus gehen die Blätter ihre eigenen Wege. Was geschieht, folgt, wenn es gelingt, der Eigenlogik des Bildes. Irgendetwas ist "da draußen", was aufs Papier drängt. Die Zeichnungen sind fertig, wenn sie etwas zeigen und erzählen, was sich nicht anders nacherzählen lässt. Die Idee der Poesie und der Schönheit sind ihr heimliches Gravitationszentrum."

Ihre Inspirationen, Ihr vielschichtiges Storytelling

Ich lese viel, vor allem philosophische Texte, und ich denke, das spiegelt sich in gewissem Maße in meiner Arbeit wider. Aber ich habe kein System. Glück und Zufall sind ein Teil davon.

What themes feed your work?
I almost always draw in a realistic style, so I guess one could speak of “themes,” although I have a bit of an aversion to that word – I’m not sure why :-)
In any case, my big theme is the human being. I think that’s the theme of art in general. Over the past year or two, this has been accompanied by the theme of “nature”, especially since I’ve started drawing regularly with a group that meets outdoors or in natural environments (broadly defined).

Do you have a favorite subject? And if so, why this one?
Here’s a short text I sometimes use to describe my work:

“For several years now, I have devoted myself almost exclusively to drawing. The human figure is usually at its center: ‘We are a sign, meaningless’ (Hölderlin).

Images and thoughts that somehow come to me are usually the starting point. From there, the drawings follow their own paths. When successful, they follow the inner logic of the image. Something ‘out there’ wants to find its way onto paper. A drawing is complete when it reveals or tells something that cannot be retold any other way. The idea of poetry and beauty is its secret gravitational center.”

Your inspirations, your layered storytelling
I read a lot – especially philosophy – and I think that influences my work in some way. But I don’t have a system. Luck and coincidence are part of the process.

I find your method very interesting. What goes through your mind when choosing, imagining, and drawing your subjects? :)
Like many artists, I collect photos – images that somehow look back at me, that catch my attention.
What goes through my mind when I see these pictures? Honestly – not much. I’m just looking at the image :-)

When I draw, I’m usually very focused on what I’m doing. Mentally, there’s not much going on – everything is somewhere between the drawing, the paper, the pencil, the arm, and art history :-)
In the end, everything has to “fit.” Beauty is important – but so is the “content,” if we can call it that. It should also have a certain twist (insert suitable term here).

How do you know when a drawing is finished? When to stop? That’s something I find really difficult. I often feel I’ve ruined a drawing by either stopping too soon or going too far. Do you have any advice?
That’s one of the hardest questions in art! I don’t have a rule for it – it’s just the feeling that something is done. And even that can change: sometimes I return to drawings I thought were finished, days or even weeks later.

Where do you like to draw? What working conditions do you prefer?
Since I mostly create small-format work (around A4), I don’t need much space. I appreciate silence while drawing – I know some people like to work with music, but I rarely do. I usually draw alone, but I enjoy the company of others when I’m drawing with the group – especially for discussing the drawings afterwards.

What can your drawings do?
Tough question! I’m happy when people look at my drawings, like them, and feel inspired. As for what drawings can achieve in light of the big challenges we face – I don’t know. It’s best to stay humble. But I do believe that if many artists focus on a topic – like nature, for example – they can have a collective impact.

How do you see your own development as a draughtsman?
Last year, I had a relatively large solo exhibition in Saarbrücken, where I spent my childhood and youth. In that context, I revisited many of my early works – from when I was 17 or 18. There’s definitely a line of development to what I do today. What’s changed? I feel my recent work has become more poetic. But that’s hard for me to judge – others would have to say.

In many of your drawings, I see text. What usually inspires you to add text? Are there any rules – conscious or unconscious?
Maybe there are rules, but I’m not quite sure what they are.
What matters to me is that the relationship between image and text isn’t too obvious – it should be open-ended, maybe even a bit puzzling or funny. The drawing shouldn’t just illustrate the text. Nothing against illustration, of course – but my work takes a different path.

Almost always (I don’t keep stats) the drawing comes first, and the text comes later. And the text – this is important to me – is usually part of the image, not its title, even if I occasionally use it as a title.

Why are you a draughtsman?
Because I am one. I didn’t really choose it – it’s simply in my nature.

What do you want to “show,” and how do you do that?
Usually (there are always exceptions), I don’t want to show anything specific – I hope instead that something will reveal itself to me during the drawing process.

How do I go about it? One aspect is that I collect images – mostly photos that I like. These become starting points. I begin with the photo and hope it leads me somewhere. If I’m lucky, the drawing eventually takes the lead and I follow its inner logic. I look and draw and hope the right path will reveal itself.

But there are also drawings where I have a clearer idea in mind beforehand – that happens too :-)

Are you a full-time artist? How much time do you spend on your art? You must also read a lot – your drawings often reflect philosophy, psychology, current affairs, and science.
Drawing is my main profession – that’s how I see myself. But I also need a “bread job” to support myself. Of course, drawing takes up a lot of time, and it’s always present somehow. But I don’t manage to draw every day – very simply because I’m often too tired in the evenings :-)

I’m also involved in various initiatives – for example, the Hugenottenhaus exhibition space in Kassel, and the artist-run gallery kunstbalkon in Kassel. Those things take a lot of time, as anyone involved in such work will know.

What’s your day job?
My “bread job” is in marketing – which includes design, social media, writing, video, etc.