Darren James Jorgensen’s interview with German artist, Wolfgang Laib, entitled Returning to What Is provides an insight into Laib’s personal philosophy on his art and practice.
Jorgensen provides us with an overview of Laib’s work, which is embedded in the use of organic materials such as beeswax, milk and pollen. Simultaneously he probes out the motivations behind Laib’s practice, which is grounded in the rhetoric of abstract concepts like purity but also in the experience of process.
Having access to Laib’s direct transcribed voice allows readers a real sense of the artist behind the works. The often open-ended nature of Laib’s language in statements like “its about the pollen” or “how the milk is” provides a complete reflection of the simplicity of his works and his insistence on letting the materials speak for themselves. Both his language and his art allow their audiences to encode their own experiences when responding.
Jorgensen covers a number of the topical features of Laib’s work including the spiritual aspects of his practice, Laib’s connection to and understanding of the concept of art, his self-professed ‘non-european’ cultural influences and a description of his studio. He also goes into details of Laibs upcoming exhibition in Perth and queries his response to traditional indigenous Australian art practices in the contemporary art scene. It is interesting to note that again Laib’s primary focus is on materials, expressing concern over the move away from traditional natural paints to acrylics.
The article also includes a number of images of his work, including examples of his work with beeswax and pollen.
Overall, Jorgensen presents an insightful and personal account of the artists practice and beliefs about art.
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