Artquake-12: Do not loose your hope

This year I’ll participate again in an Artquake-exhibition in Anatolia in Turkey. Now the thema is: Do not loose your hope. A Turkish newspaper wrote about it and about my photography. Here you can read the questions and answers in English. It is great to participate again, and also to give words to how I experience creating.

Who do you think is the artist?
As I see it, I’m part of the creating process, I do my own things with what already exists. I transform the existing into something new and in that sense it’s original.

Why do you think it is important to produce original artwork?
I think originality is relative. A lot of things exist, but the artist, with his or her personality and social and cultural environment, creates something authentic. It’s comparable to writing stories or making a movie: every plot has been told a thousand times, it’s about the way it’s being told.

What do you think about works copied from someone else?
When work is just copied, without personal expression, for me it’s not art.

Is an artist’s worldview reflected in his works?
Yes, I think the artist’s view is always reflected in his creations, hidden or as the subject of the creations.

Should an artist be inside or outside the public?
I think both ways are possible. I like to create on my own, but of course I’m always influenced by everything and everyone around me. When the art work has quality for me, I share it with people whose judgement is important for me. From those opinions I take what’s right for me. Than the art work is ready to go into the world on its own feet, and it’s up to the public how they experience it. I really like the conversations that pop up with my art work and hear all the different associations of the viewers. The associations of viewers with this photograph are for example that this is like a match, firework or a view to eternity. 

Should art education be a must?
Well,  education can be gained in different ways. I never went to art school. I took individual lessons from professionals and exchanges with other artists. In this way I developed my own style and abilities. This is a life-time process.
I think it’s very important that children get the chance to discover art and their own appreciations.

When does fame come to an artist?
At my last exhibition here in the Netherlands there were a few visitors who were also at my first exhibition. They told me they followed me since then. It’s a great, fulfilling pleasure when people enjoy my work, when it is meaning something to them. For me that’s fame.

What are your thoughts on an artist’s early works?
Every art work has a value in itself. When I see my earlier work, sometimes I still like it very much, sometimes it does not appeal any more. It does not matter what my experience now is, my early work had a function when it was created. It was a step worthwhile in the process. Maybe it’s like the first steps of a child, it’s nothing compared to the walking of an adult, but every parent is very excited.

I wish you lots of luck with art and the sharing of art!