Interview -Michael Kaphengst

How did your journey as an artist begin? 

My interest in art began with a television report about the death of Salvador Dali. I got literature about Salvador Dali and surrealism and that fascinated me so much. Then I got some drawing materials and just started working. Then I started taking lessons from regionally known artists. It was a lot of fun for me, I never expected that I would develop it like this. I pursued this on the side for many years without any intention of making a career.

What different forms of artwork do you make?

It is a combination of surrealism and POPART, which I call "CONSUMPTIVE SURREALISM"

My "LINEARISM" is characterized by the fact that I break down my motifs into colored lines.

My abstract works are created with a rapier to which I have attached a brush to the tip, which I call "FENCING PICTURES - ABSOLUTE LINEARISM"

My drawings are drawn with uncontrolled circular movements, which gives the drawing a moving dynamic, which I call "EXTREME LINEARISM"

Can you tell more about metaphysical art? Q)What is idea behind it and what does it signifies from a layman perspective? 

I don't believe that my art is metaphysical, I don't believe in a higher power, I live in the here and now. My art has philosophical elements. It is enough for me if the layperson understands that we are exposed to everyday actions, haptic, intellectual, whether in our free time or at work. I call these actions processes. The actions (processes) are individually different and therefore progressive, but each of us is exposed to these processes and it is linear.

Which quote is important to you in your life or should serve as an example for others?

My most important quote is

"I CAN'T PAINT BEAUTIFUL PICTURES, ONLY INTERESTING ONES"

 Please tell us something about one of your works of art that you like best.

The Duel, from 1992, shows a western setting in which a Coke bottle and a Pepsi bottle face each other in a duel.

A symbol of the daily struggle of consumption and the competition between companies

How did you survive the pandemic and what new things did you start?

I survived the pandemic well, but I didn't have any health problems with Corona, it was harmless for me.

I took the opportunity and painted some new pictures and reworked older ones, revised and sorted out drawings, some ended up in the trash.

What challenges do you face when working on a work of art?

The biggest challenge for me is to create harmony between motif and color.

You can tell from a motif whether it harmonizes or not.

I wouldn't describe myself as a great draftsman, so another challenge is to make my motifs simple but interesting, for example, to create my abstract motifs with a brush attached on the top of a rapier.

Which resources helped you the most?

When I talk about resources, I mean my creativity. Creativity cannot be learned, it is a skill that you either have or you don't, no school or university can teach you that.

What advice would you give to a young artist who follows in your footsteps?

Patience is probably the most important thing. A career as an artist cannot be planned and financial success is not guaranteed. A lot of initiative is required; if you are not prepared to do that, you should go a different route.

Who is your inspiration?

My inspiration is probably my own difficult life story,

I grew up in a children's home, my mother didn't earn much money.

There was a lot of lack in the family, I needed an outlet. I did a lot of sport, badminton, football, table tennis and karate, an escape from my everyday life, I can immerse myself in art.

Art gives me the opportunity to express myself, I'm not interested in perfection, I want others to do that, authenticity is important to me and you can see that in my art.

Would you like to tell us about your successes?

I always got press coverage during my early days in the 90s.

Although I wasn't yet a professional artist, I invited the local media to my exhibitions to report on my art.

This ensured that I reached many readers and sold a painting now and then. I did this for years.

My art has now been published worldwide, my name can be found in many encyclopedias and interviews, and I have also received awards.

Can you briefly describe the process of creating your artwork?

I have my images in my head, they just need to be put on the canvas. As I start painting, other inspirations naturally come to me about how I can improve my idea, and I then start to experiment without losing the basic idea from my head.

What are you planning, what are you working on? Thank you

I have received invitations to an exhibition in Milan and Bremen, I am thinking about which works I will exhibit, I already have ideas for new works for these exhibitions and there is a request for a new lexicon.