Interview
Igor Bleischwitz
Igor Bleischwitz was born in1981 in Shesqasghan Kazakhstan. He is based in Berlin, Germany. He studied Drawing and Graphic Design from 2005 until 2007, in Darmstadt. He received a Diploma with Honors. From 2007 until 2011, he studies at the University of HKDM in Freiburg in Breisgau, Germany, where he received a Diploma with Honors Graduation in 2011.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I was born and grew up in Kazakhstan. My family moved to Germany in the 90’s and currently, I am living and working in Berlin. When I was a kid, I draw a lot and loved to make collages. The idea to work with fragments of something came very early, in my childhood, and is still an essential part of my work. At some point in my life, I had to make a decision to become a professional artist and I decided to do it. Over the years, I studied graphic design, drawing and fine arts with focus on painting. Now, I am an active painter and really enjoy my work.”
What does your work aim to say? Does it comment on any current social or political issues?
“In my work, I am trying to capture my state of mind, feelings, moments, impulses - a reaction to the world around me. It is more about to show a kind of a methaphysical, poetical part of this connection. There is no political element in my art but often a relation to nature, it's force, beaty and mystery - somethimes destructive like in my "Tsunami" work.”
Do you plan your work in advance, or is it improvisation?
“It is both. There is a blurry picture in my mind before I start to work “out of head.” After a few sketches, I can clarify some part of it, but the final result is happening on the canvas. Another part of my work is more defined - I mean the live portrait sessions. It is a completely different way of thinking, planning, working on the canvas. A big challenge, because there is a stronger improvisation element with the painting, even if you clearly see the model. It is about to find the right composition, to make decisions about size, light, room in the painting, abstraction and many more. The model is never static and can not sit forever. So I must work faster and more precise to catch the moment, that I want to paint. All the decisions are happening at the same time.”
Are there any art world trends you are following?
“Well, I am trying not to follow any trends or styles, but of course there is always some influence from life around. So it's hard to stay completely "clean," nevertheless my focus is mainly on exploring my own resources, if it comes to creativity. I love works from the Renaissance period a lot, cave painting, or religious icons for example - this all inspires me too.”
What process, materials and techniques do you use to create your artwork?
“I like to use a lot of oil paint on canvas. The thickness of layers, its consistency, visual effect are very attractive and powerful. I prefer to work very intense with the canvas, expressive. I apply the paint on canvas, scratch, paint over, again and again until it starts having a "conversation" with me. At this point, it is a finished work. I started to paint in a realistic manner. At some point I went over to multi layering. Short - I covered finished realistic works with an abstract layer of paint, so that in the end I had only fragment from the previous, realistic layer. Now it is a mix between realistic elements, smooth abstract color fields and expressive, raw parts in one. Additionally, I am including drawing technique as a new element in my work.”
“I like to use a lot of oil paint on canvas. The thickness of layers, its consistency, visual effect are very attractive and powerful.”
What does your art mean to you?
“Painting is just a part of me. It is hard to imagine not to paint.”
What’s your favorite artwork and why?
“My favorite artwork is definetely Sandro Botticelli's "Primavera". The atmosphere, composition, the details, all the plants, and facial expression of depicted figures are incredible and very inspiring.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“My most noteworthy exhibitions are soloshows "Pars Pro Toto," Subject Object Gallery Berlin, Deutschland (2016), and "Heilige Pausen," Kunstraum Foth Freiburg im Breisgau, Deutschland (2018).”
Website: www.saatchiart.com/bleischwitz
Instagram: @igorbleischwitz
Brush Bio: www.brush.bio/igor-bleischwitz
