Wolfang Laib: Returning to What Is

The article is essentially an interview by Darren James Jorgense and German artist Wolfang Laib. Which describes Laib’s understanding and opinion of “arts” function in the grand scheme of things, as well as Laib’s understanding and explanation of his own artistic practice.

Laib believes art that is, good art, can encompass more power than medicine. Laib feels that medicine can only go so far, it can only cure or aid the physical body. Whereas art exceeds the physical body and can influence not only the body but also the spiritual or psychological state of an individual. This is Liab’s reasoning as to why, he did not pursue his medical discipline and instead became an artist. It is clear that Laib is a true artist, as he adjusts his lifestyle to suit his practice.

Liab has repeatedly been characterized and referred as a nature artist, with minimalistic conceptual grounding by critics and scholars. However Laib sates in the interview, that neither of these are true of by any means intentional. Laib is considered to be a “nature artist” because his use of organic materials witch he uses (pollen, beeswax, and milk) and the ritualistic process that he conducts to collect these materials. Despite varied interpretation and categorisation of his artistic practice, Laib explains his intention as simply to alter and heighten perception. Much consideration and focus is placed upon “position and placement” within Laib’s practice, also the “individual qualities” of pure or singular material.

Laib’s work is created, to intensify our sensitivity of materials whether they are pollen, beeswax, or milk. Through displacing organic or pure materials, within the neutral environment of a gallery or museum Laib is removing all pre-existing connotations. The material is perceived singularly and its unique qualities that are normally overlooked are exposed. Within this practice Laib is interested in the audience’s observation, what it is they see within the material as each interpretation is different.

The closing ideas mentioned within the interview, expose Laib’s disappointment in contemporary art. That is the quick pass and popularisation of art as if it were a “fashion show”, whereby various stylistic approaches go in and out of fashion at a rapid pace. Laib believes that the function of art is to create something ‘new’ and ephemeral for society to experience, and he considers today’s rapid pace stopping artists to be able to achieve this.