Interview
Alex M. Wolff
Alex is a photographer who never leaves his camera behind. He finds art everywhere: in nature, homes, museums, and even left behind unknowingly by other artists, sometimes fully blossomed, and at other times just seeds.
The Forgotten Splatter JP Collection is Alex’s second Splatter series. In the first one, he photographed diesel fuel and oil stains as they reconstituted in the streets on rainy days.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“Growing up in New York, I had access to art in major museums like the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), Guggenheim, and Metropolitan Museum of Art. I also went to specialized museums like the International Center of Photography.
Later, I studied photography at the Florida Institute of Technology while pursuing a degree in oceanographic technology, which has led to a lifelong pursuit of underwater photography. I am equally driven by found art and abstracts, both in nature and those created by man.”
What inspires you?
“A major source of inspiration is my love of color, and my passion for seeing things in everyday life that most people miss. It supports my strong desire to share my vision and creations, to both inform and entertain.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“My interests are very varied, ranging from portraiture, to travel, to nature. I also have a deep appreciation for abstract art of all kinds.
I see a beautiful, interesting, and often complex world, and I hope to influence everyone to see what is before them, be it a mountain, the joy of a woman dancing in the sunset on a beach in Bali, sailboats being loved by the wind and sky, or even a squid swimming at night.”
How would you describe your work?
“My favorite and most popular works are the Forgotten Splatter ™ Collection, with the Jackson Pollock Studio ® being the most prominent.
Forgotten Splatter is the paint left on the floor that has missed the canvas. I find this leftover garbage and transform it into new art work.”
Which artists influence you most?
“There is no one artist that guides me more than others, as I draw my inspiration from all disciplines, depending on what calls to me in the moment.
Instead, I find myself drawn to Mother Nature, from beautiful fish, to interesting people, to mountains, flowers, sunsets and everyday people.”
What is your creative process like?
“In 2008, I had a revelation where I transformed myself from a capture mindset—where everything must be perfect in camera—to a create mindset where the capture is just the beginning. When I decide to press the shutter release, I’m thinking about the possibilities that can be derived from the original capture, and what steps I may take to create something interesting and beautiful that may not have been present at capture time.
During editing, I play a lot with different tools like Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, and many different add-ons that expand the creative possibilities.”
“I invite art enthusiasts and collectors to look at my various collections and describe the work in their own terms.
My describing the work will narrow what they see in each of the pieces.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“There’s no limit to the number of roles artists play in society, and to assign one would disrespect the artists that feel they have a different role. I see my roles as pursuing my creative vision in my fine art, wherever it may take me, staying true to my esthetic.
When it comes to my underwater and nature photography, my role is education and sharing the joy of creation.”
Please tell us about any previous exhibitions you found noteworthy and wish to share.
“My work has been shown in many places, with my favorite being the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square. I have found NY Art Expo and Hamptons Fine Art Fair to be great locally. Of course, the great museums throughout the world are worth visiting. I have enjoyed exhibitions in over 20 countries, from small galleries, street art fairs, right up to the Louvre in Paris.
You can see the 25 images in my Forgotten Splatter ™ Jackson Pollock Studio ® visit here.
While you are there, check out my Here There Everywhere and Underwater Dreaming collections. If you have questions, feel free to contact me.”
Jackson Pollock Studio is a registered trademark used under license from Stonybrook Foundation.
