Sunday, September 5, 2010

Wolfgang Laib: returning to what is.

During the course of the interview with Darren James Jorgensen, Laib describes the unique way he views art and life.

The word naive is mentioned a number of times; how he believes people might view his work and how he was when he began his career in art. Phrases he uses such as " my life is my work, I have nothing else" seem so simple and yet insightful. This simplicity as well as notions that art "could change the world" are why Laib thinks his practice could be seen as naive. His casual conversational tone throughout the interview gives the reader a sense of his humble attitude.

Jorgensen questions the assumptions made regarding Laibs use of natural materials such as the idea that what he is engaging in by creating work out of natural materials such as beeswax and milk is environmental. Laib explains that above all his motive is to display the material as it is without the distractions of the environment which the materials normally exist in, which may alter the impression of the material. The questions addressing the preconceived notions of his work, its relation to spirituality, and his background help get to the core of what his art is about conceptually, aswell as giving insight to what Laib is like as a person.

Jorgensen asks Laib questions like what he thinks of the word artist, adopting Laibs inquisitive attitude toward art. Laib questions the contemporary art world, liking some of the work being produced to a 'fashion show' in that the pace of new types of art are changing rapidly in response to popular culture. During the interview he questions the art world so thoroughly it is as if he has no involvement in it, he wonders about the commercial feel aboriginal paintings take on when mass produced with acrylic paint. Jorgensen wraps all this up with his Perth exhibition that was taking place. Overall Jorgensen’s interview is informative and gives a strong sense of what it is Laib wants the viewer to see in his work.

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