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Victoria Mayer: How would you describe the main themes of your recent artworks? |
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High Concept Kitsch – Victoria Mayer
Victoria Mayer: How would you describe the main themes of your recent artworks?
Tom Schmelzer: My art is about topics that are somewhat important to all of us: life and death, love and violence, truth, politics, religion, the environment. You’ve heard all of that before? It bores you? Well, this is why, in my work, you usually won’t see this depth at first glance. Let me explain this: I used to paint a lot. I used to paint impeaching, direct and sometimes shocking figurative paintings on major social issues. Despite their relevance, these works would only reach a small audience, since most people do not want to deal with critical topics head on; they are fed up by the coverage on TV and in newspapers.
Thus, I came up with a different approach to get the issues delivered. It’s about taking people by the hand. Looking at the new works, you will first see something nice or attractive, even kitsch. Things you can relate to due to your personal preferences, your biography or simply because of their beauty. But there is an edge to every piece I do. And, as soon as you are attracted to one of them, you will find these different layers of perception.
You have to entertain people in order to get them interested. The feedback at the exhibits is great. Visitors smile, talk to one another, discuss issues and usually stay for much longer than planned.
VM: Tell me about your choice of medium for the “Disabled Animals” series. I am very fond of The Croco has a Bowl and Gorillakaempfer. What was your inspiration, and why animals?
TS: I came up with this series in looking at the history of porcelain. It started when I was still in art school in Germany. In former times, porcelain manufacturers used to put, let’s say, a sculptured turkey on top of a bowl and the buyer would then eat a real turkey from within the bowl, which is bizarre, when you think about it. First, you glorify the creature—then you roast it. My animals show that they suffer. Again, not on first site—on first sight you will just see the pretty porcelain. But then, things start becoming edgy. You feel it before you actually recognize it. All animals are cut into pieces and put back together, re-arranged.
Looking at the concept as well as the materials I used, these works fit very well into the category of illusion. This is a meta-topic I’ve been pursuing for the last two years. The animals are not made from porcelain, they are all made from rubber and carved to fit, then they are sprayed with different shades and layers of white lacquer to perfectly match their porcelain fundaments. You couldn’t tell the difference. I have used about 12 different shades of white as well as a transparent finishing coat.
Titles have always been important to me. They can provoke a completely new approach to an artwork. The titles I have chosen for the porcelain pieces give you an idea of the double standard we use when it comes to animals. We love them and we eat them.
VM: Can you tell me a little bit about the idea behind and function of works such as Mein Traumprinz (My Dream Prince)?
TS: Ideally, works must move you, in a metaphoric sense. And actual movement within a piece of art is sometimes a first step to get you there. Mein Traumprinz deals with the idea of love. It dissects this abstract term and shows you what love is made out of: The frog obviously stands for the right person—the prince or princess—that you have to find and kiss. The rose stands for the romanticism attached to togetherness—the butterflies in your stomach, the overwhelming emotion, the impregnable hormones. And the vibrator? Well, you‘ve guessed it. As soon as you turn the vibrator on and put it on the glass table, it will start turning around on its vertical axis while a humming, barking sound evolves. And, whether you like it or not, romance and sex are the main components of love. For some, it might seem kitschy and, for some, shortsighted or abbreviated. But nevermind. In the end, that’s it.
VM: Your works are very diverse. What are the major common components that can be found in your art?
TS: I am glad you ask. I am a concept artist, which is important to understand. The viewer does not have to like my works from an aesthetic point of view and he does not have to recognize the artist behind them either. The works must do just one thing: they must make a point. A relevant point. I understand the profession of an artist as being a translator, of bringing things together which don’t belong together, of creating new experiences and of aiding the viewer in gaining insights. Thus, almost all of my works are models of reality for the illusory worlds we dream of (idylls) or the darker parts we do not want to see—both being somewhat ignorant.
Having had a good number of jobs and travelling quite intensely, I picked up things on the way, which affected, concerned and touched me. These were things worth talking about—but all very inhomogeneous. In order to make these topics communicable, you have to find the best medium, the best material and the best expression for each individual idea. The results may differ from piece to piece, yet every single work is aimed at perfection. To explore the possibilities, I usually do series of five to 15 works in a certain style.
The recall factor, the brand recognition—or whatever you want to call it—of my works does not come from their surface appearance, but from the underlying idea—the concept of bringing diverse things together to create something new, which makes you see the world from a different angle. Hopefully. The sculptor and graphic artist Al Taylor once said: “The artist should allow the art to choose all possible options.“
This brings me to another thought. I believe it to be utterly important to know the world not only through the artist’s eye, but through the eye of the average person going to work every day. Only thus you can find out what people are really affected by and detect the problems surrounding us all. Which means, as an artist, you should work in at least in two professions: art and something else.
VM: Can you tell me a little bit about the idea behind “Illusionary Installations“?
TS: That is a good question and a reason to also answer what “illusion“ means to me. People—including myself—use up most of their spare time collecting things, playing Second Life, watching TV, drinking, reading, believing and so on. What they are in fact doing is trying to escape reality. They are creating their own, tiny parallel universes, which they can perfectly handle, which do not confront them with unsolvable problems and which, ideally, make them somehow godlike. You define the rules. You are the final authority.
What a great illusion. We are all mortal and the world is a complex place with uncountable problems to solve. If people would accept that and handle appropriately, things would be better. But, we usually choose to run. And fail. Looking at my “Illusionary Installations“ you will find examples of perfect little worlds—meticulous built Arcadian landscapes, Alpine, heath- and park-like paradises, covered by plexiglas, put into a baroque frame and hung on the wall, all accompanied by a sound installation that pulls you even deeper into this rose-tinted illusion. That is until you hear things, which will open your eyes (www.tomschmelzer.com), revealing what you really see: mockups for and gateways from reality. Sadly, we are no gods who can create their own little worlds. The sooner we realize that, the better.
VM: Where do you think your artistic mind will take you from here on?
TS: Further. Yet without a layed-out plan. This being the state of mind I’ve been searching for for a long time: To be free to decide what to do and how to do it best, whenever a topic of interest comes along. Being without prejudice, traveling with open eyes, reacting when appropriate and necessary. There are far to many people, who know exactly what to do for years to come. How can you possibly? Whenever you are asked that question, you can only look back in time to answer it. In fact you should look ahead, welcoming the new and readjusting constantly. Just have your tools and experiences ready.
