Between weight and form

What pieces or projects have you been working on lately?
Recently I produced several photographic series that I am very content with. I prefer to keep an ongoing practice rather than set projects and intuitively search for scenes and structures that have something immediate, concentrated, and weighty about them. For me, photography is more like creating an anchor memory of my experience with a disarming scene: a light trace of encountering another presence and seeing it consciously.

In my studio, I am continuously working on figurative vase pieces that are at the heart of my practice. My way of throwing on the wheel and my intuitive preferences in rhythm, body, and proportions lead me to search for verticality and a particular distribution of weight, volume, and traces along the surface. Lately, however, I have been exploring other forms of storage vessels and hand-built structures that may find their way into my practice at some point.

What did you learn (or unlearn) while working on it?
To continuously fine-tune my intuition and to focus more and more on the intensity I am searching for. Excluding more, honing my strictness, choosing only what I agree with. It is an ongoing, explorative process that requires discipline. I see my work deepening, and it feels gratifying.

What words, ideas, or emotions were running through your head while working on it?
A strong sense of tenacity and dedication rooted in me when I care about something. The joy of using my senses and working actively. Always a deep gratitude to witness something pure and genuine revealing itself when encountering material, surroundings, or another living being.

Was there any conversation, film, music, or book that found its way into your work?
It is not one conversation but rather spending time with people and feeling the repercussions of those encounters that flow into my practice, especially while working on the wheel. The process is very physical and immediate, and I want to see what comes out of the direct encounter between me and the material on the day. If I feel stronger about something emotionally, it flows into my work, and the vessels contain physical-emotional traces of my experiences.

Sound and music is something I am extremely sensitive to. I could not and do not want to name one artist or genre. I oscillate between old preferences and discovering the most random records all the time. Sound, whether recorded or environmental, deeply influences my movement, emotions, and imagination.

What was the most difficult thing you faced this month in your creative process?
Making time to rest and recover more. I have a part-time job and use the rest of my time to be present and consistent with my artistic practice and the people I cherish in my life. Often, time runs short to have unstructured hours for myself to regenerate mentally and physically.

What is your favourite coffee shop and why do you like going there?
I live in Vienna, so there is a nice coffee place at every corner. I prefer to have coffee outside, but during cold months I sometimes go to Café Schopenhauer or Jonas Reindl. They make good strong coffee and have generally kind, attentive staff.

Have you collaborated with any studios, labs, or workshops recently, or would you like to in the future?
I would be curious to exhibit either in studios or stores that focus on unique objects and are accessible to everyday passersby, or in spaces that research material and cultural production.

Recommend us one or several artists you follow, who inspire you, and tell us what you like most about their work or their way of working.
I was about to write down some names and then thought: the best thing I can recommend is for everybody to search for local artists’ studios, markets, friends, local exhibitions, and non-profit magazines (also like this one) to discover people who are dedicated to their work and may not be represented by big galleries. A personal comment or message about one’s work can mean a lot.