Mathias Vef on identity und reality
“I find my inspiration through meeting people who shape their bodies. As an artist, I am fascinated by the artistic-creative creation of identity and personality. For me, the construction of realities by controlling one’s own body is a response to the rapid change of the world. In all its complexity, disruptiveness and irregularity, mastering one’s self is like focusing on what one can control with one’s own will and action. With the progression of globalization and digitization and because we all live in filter bubbles, we are experiencing the disappearance of reality. The discomfort associated with this experience can manifest itself in indifference, passivity and resignation – or people decide “I take it into my own hands”. This results in a real-perfect, physical appearance, which contradicts to the inner reality and perceived insecurity. We no longer experience this associated shift between the natural and the artificial only in the underground scene. This development has long arrived in the mainstream in form of self-optimization and -perfection.”
Mathias Vef on artists and crative minds
“My work and the projects of dan pearlman overlap. My artwork deals with the creation of one’s own identity, with self-creation. I photograph and portray people who have extremely changed their bodies through bodybuilding, tattoos or playing with different identities, for example as a transgender person. In addition to artistic-creative ideas and manual-artistic work, I introduce independent and free thinking to the joint projects with the creative minds of dan pearlman through my way of working. Art asks questions. Design gives answers. Art must experiment more radically than design and must explore shoals. The artist residency was developed to provide the space for this purpose and to encourage new expressions for identities, experiences und multi-sensuality through friction and dialogue with the creative minds.”
Mathias Vef on space and residency
“Above all, the artist residency creates space. Space means a physical place for my work. But space also means an identity-creating connection to a wider context. A space creates a physical and temporal framework for one’s own doing, provides a place for action and activity, and helps to focus artistic creation beyond the daily grind. In a way, a space like this can also be used as a regular meeting point for exchanges between creators, gallery owners, and journalists. Every artist residency and every new space influences my work. For example, my pictures become more experimental or conceptual. It is a process of confrontation: I as an artist take possession of the space and the space takes possession of me and shapes my work.”
www.mathiasvef.com
