Interview
Edin Mustafic
Edin Mustafic was born on August 25th, 1975 in Salzburg, Austria. Before moving to Lagenfurt am Wörthersee in 2020, he lived in seclusion somewhere in the Innviertel (Upper Austria) for 15 years, where he isolated himself from the world at large.
In 2015, Edin appeared for the first time as an autodidact in the field of art, with exhibitions in Berlin and Vienna. He mainly deals with art photography and since 2018, also with everyday object art. At the end of 2017, after years of preparation, Edin started the art project: offspace | gallery panoptikum, a gallery which he has been taking care of on a voluntary basis with his wife, Patricia.
After his first steps as an artist in Berlin and Vienna (Galerie, MAF, photo::vienna) and exhibitions in his own gallery panoptikum, he made the leap to international art fairs. In 2019, he took part in the Contemporary Art Fair JUSTMAD (X Edition), and in 2020 in the ART MADRID 2020 (solo exhibition) in Spain.
In 2022, Edin moved to Vienna where he currently resides.
What is your background and how did you start your journey?
“I started playing the guitar when I was around 6. As my visual art career took up more of my time, I found myself playing less. But over the last few years, I’ve found myself playing again—mostly because I would get some art projects which I would combine with music.
In 2015, I decided to start an art career with no idea how to actually do it. For some reason, I was fascinated with everything related to art. I had worked as an advertising and studio photographer, so it seemed logical to start off as an art photographer. I don’t have a classical art education, but I’ve studied communication science. Everything is communication. Our whole society wouldn’t be as it is without communication, and that is my communicative approach to art.”
What inspires you most?
“I don’t really have anything special that inspires me. My surroundings and the people I get in contact with are my greatest inspiration source. I’m also very interested in philosophy and science. That’s why a lot of my works have plenty of text describing them.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“I’ve got lots of themes, all somehow concerned with society, culture, and mankind in general. They’re topics which we all relate to, such as emotions, and how symbols are communicating. You can read more in my artist statement.”
“I’m trying to catch not only the loud and screaming situations in our world, but I also try to find the silent and calm moments as well. Those moments that seem to exist detached from space and time—or not.”
How would you describe your work?
“In general, my works are auto reflexive. I’m interested in the common ground of our world, especially focusing on my own personal aesthetic style. I work in my photography studio, where I’m able to extract my motifs from their social and cultural context and experience them in a condition of isolation. Generally I’m trying to find the connecting ‘something’ that is common to all of us.
Another great chapter of my works concentrates on the term ‘beauty’ in all its forms and contrasts. In all of my artworks, this beauty and aesthetic style play an important role.
I’m experimenting with visual designs, perception traditions and symbols. I’d like the observer to take a closer look at our world, to question it, and to gain a sensual experience. My works are mostly black and white.”
Which artists influence you most?
“I don’t have any specific artist as there are so many. I could mention Irving Penn for his minimalist style and bright backgrounds. And then there’s Pollock as well. I also love Rubens with his sujets. But none of them really influence me.”
What is your creative process like?
“I’m interested in many topics in our society. When I find a topic, I start by researching heavily and then I try to find the perfect conclusion that fits my photographic concept. After that, I start working with the camera. I don’t shooting chronologically, but rather I build several setups. Then I forget about the series for several weeks, after which I get back to them, assess the images once more, and then finalize the images. Then I shift my focus to their production, which entails deciding on the size, frame, glass, and so on. The frame is essential for my artworks. They create a sort of ‘own space’ for the piece.
I’m constantly experimenting with photographic equipment: analog and digital, scans, repro, and much more.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“I’d like to answer this through several quotes which can also be found on my website:
We have the art so that we do not perish because of the truth - F.W. Nietzsche.
One becomes an artist out of desperation - Ernst Ludwig Kirchner.
An artist should be fit for the best company, but stay away from it - John Ruskin.
Art has nothing to do with taste - Max Ernst.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“My upcoming art exhibition is JUSTMAD – Contemporary Art Fair, from 23 -26 February 2023. It will be held at the Palacio Neptuno, Madrid (ES).
You can read about it here.”
Website: www.mustaficedin.com
Instagram: @edinmustafic_
