Interview

Aug 2

Andreas Angleitner

Andreas Angleitner is an artist born in 1988 in Linz, Austria. He started his career in 2019. He lives and works in Wels, Austria. His main goal is the creation of multi-layered artworks by mixing harmonic looking combinations of colors on two different groundings - canvas and limestone. As an introvert, creating art is a type of revealing secrets of his personality as he is much more into listening to others than talking about himself in groups. He has had numerous group exhibitions including Connections, Museum Crocetti, Rome, Italy (2023); Tokyo Tower Art Fair, Tokyo, Japan (2023); The Current Obsession, Monat Gallery, Madrid, Spain (2023); Without Words, Arte Borgo Gallery, Rome, Italy (2023); among others. He is the recipient of the 2023 Collectors Art Prize, awarded to him in Barcelona, Spain.

What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?

“I studied a few years at university and worked in my father’s machine factory which builds sheet forming machines. One day, in my leisure time, I attended a painting room in my hometown which is established following Arno Stern’s philosophy of creativity. There were several young children and their mothers around too and the noise was very loud; I could not concentrate on my own paintings very well. So, I decided to quit the lessons and installed my private studio in our factory. From that time on, I could raise my artistic know-how perfectly and it gave me the space to nurture my artistic blossom in full.”

What inspires you?

“One key experience was my visit of Museum Brandhorst in Munich in 2022. I wanted to see the collection of Cy Twombly and it was the ignition to create large-scale artworks of dimensions up to ten meters width. Viewing his large single artworks and the series “Lepanto” stimulated me that much, I started to create triptychs of six meters width soon afterwards. As I am an introvert it is useful and sort of “healing” to create large-scaled attentive paintings. It is just a good psychic hygiene and supports my personality in becoming more out-going. Furthermore, I am a watchful person and recognize many wonderful color combinations in everyday-life. I take a photo and when the time is right and I still like the combination a new project is born.”

What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?

“Painting is my personal way of telling about myself. Due to my childhood, it is hard to talk about my personal problems and life because I am insecure whether I am accepted the way I am or not. Creating artworks is my comfortable style to express my thoughts and goals - with the anchor of security that I do not have to fear personal rejection from others.”

“Creating artworks is my comfortable style to express my thoughts and goals - with the anchor of security that I not have to fear personal rejection from others.”

How would you describe your work?

“Modern, fresh, of high-quality and multi-layered.”

Which artists influence you most?

“Cy Twombly and Gerhard Richter.”

What is your creative process like?

“First, I look for a color combination I like - in my books, in the studio or by chance in every-day life. Second, I take one color and wipe it by brushes over the canvas. After the color is dry, the second is taken and wiped over the canvas too. This procedure is made several times and when no field of the canvas “needs” any further coloring, the artwork is finished. It takes between a few weeks and months to finish an artwork like the reflected ones.”

What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?

“To me, there is no duty or social responsibility for artists at all. In relation to many other professions an artist has much more freedom concerning self-realization and he/she should take this opportunity to do what he/she likes to do.”