Which topic turns up again and again in your artistic activities?
One recurrent aspect of my work as an artist is “patience”. Over the past 20 years, technology has seen profound developments. Within a matter of seconds, we receive information based on algorithms, which means we need not do so much thinking anymore. For example, there are mathematical calculations determining how music is supposed to sound or what the contents of a film should be. We activate our brains too little and become impatient as soon as we have to think things out for ourselves and find answers to questions. In my work, I try to give the audience much room to rouse their information and motivate them to make a description of their own.
What do you seek to achieve with your arts education activities?
The new generation have a lot to offer, and we ought to take advantage of the opportunity to get to know them. As an artist, my focus is on collaborations and interdisciplinary exchange, and this is how I can also describe the process with young people. We meet up to experiment and share ideas, without actually “learning” anything. As an artist, it is up to me to recognise where an artistic potential lies hidden, and to develop it together with individuals. Very often, the topics of my artistic work and the projects of the youths overlap. I feel that this is very valuable, because it can open up far more perspectives for us. Such processes also promote the self-awareness and creativity of pupils.
What, in your view, is the essence of an artistic intervention in arts education?
History has taught us that art is one of the most important elements in the development of a society. Although nowadays, it is an area which we devote our recreational time to, art surrounds us subconsciously; it can be found everywhere, in every profession and every subject area. Art develops our way of thinking and supports our personal development. I am also convinced that encountering art brings our society more together.