Interview
Nicole Jutka
Nicole Jutka impresses in every way. For Jutka, it is very clear that the form and content of her work matters as much as how, why and for whom she makes it. With very deep ethical convictions as a premise, her visually stunning, highly chromatic and laborious drawings and paintings are inspired by and observe cultural, social and political developments that shape her visual world working in concepts and exhibition projects. In over 12 years as an art teacher, she has been very active, with over 200 educational art projects in her own art school or different institutions and over 2000 participating students. Nicole Jutka has the courage and talent to use the range of strong colors, specializing in this with the fluorescent ones which she installs in black light thus creating a double existence of the artwork, in light and dark. A double existence of the work, the parallel life or so-called "soul" of the painting that takes on a 3 D, like a sculptural painting, in a political and aesthetic language that ethically serves the audience interactively.
Since 2013, Nicole Jutka has explored the relationship between light and darkness in the concept "light penetrates darkness", two powerful themes about our existence, a philosophical and spiritual Pandora's box. She uses fluorescent pigments to allow the viewer to enter another dimension, creating a universe of brightness and vivid chromatic. Each composition transforms according to its surroundings, like a moving image sculpture. The black light installation can be perceived as a new creation, the so-called soul of the painting, like two parallel lives in the light and darkness of the paintings. He experiments with different media and techniques, discovers new ones and combines them: painting, printmaking, graphic design, art book, digital technology, artificial intelligence, sculpture, installation, performance. The artist loves interdisciplinary working in series such as La vie en rose, The ant's journey, Love no war, Dove of peace, New people, Hanging gardens. The year 2020 brings a new and well-deserved international recognition for the talented and visionary German/ Romanian artist Nicole Jutka. At the third edition of the prestigious Global Art Awards in Shanghai, China, the jury was convinced by the depth and complexity of her work "Start to beginning again" and awarded her first place in the "Abstract Painting" category. Her composition is a 420×120 cm oil painting with fluorescent interventions, a technique the artist has developed over the years, Jutka uses acrylic, oil and chalk to evoke new and extraordinary forms of nature in an abstracted, almost fantastical mirroring, installed in black light, the work having a depth and depth of 3 D, thus creating in a single work of art, different worlds: in light, in dark, reality and mirroring. Common themes are addressed in the search for the trials and tribulations of the essence of the creator of beauty, of the human being behind the work of art, of life through the prism of love as transcendence. Light and dark are not dichotomous, but reveal states of mind, experiences from a self-analytical perspective. The extravagant chromatic palette contrasts with the luminous accents that accompany the shapes placed on the canvas, like a statement of the artist in dialogue with the viewer. Nicoleta Jutka approaches abstract or figurative, pictorial, sculptural or performative works with the same enthusiasm in elaborate constructions. We look forward to more of her work, which is sure to surprise us with its originality, vision and perspective." Start to beginning again - 2015, 420 x 120 cm, oil, acrylic fluorescent on canvas, unique, in private collection Germany, sold 28000 € (2016) Multiculturalism amazes and inspires her. With the broad concept suggestively titled "Light penetrates darkness (Pandora box of human existence) in 2o14, Nicole Jutka starts her international career, and opens it with a solo exhibition in the Löffler Muzeum Slovakia 2015 then in the National Museum of the Romanian Peasant, Bucharest 2015. Jutka's broader practice is equally praiseworthy, combining, as she does, a commitment to pedagogy, collaboration, social justice and community engagement emphasizing here "it is irrelevant what ethnicity you belong to, what you own or what you are, what is important is the inner light and love of neighbor. To be human." says the artist. Nicole Jutka is an exceptional artist who does excellent artistic and social work wherever she is. The year 2016 brings her PREMIO INTERNATIONALE D ÁRTE, "PREMIO SPECIALE DELLA GIURA", San Crispino, Italy, for the paintings "Wings" and "Pain".
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“From the very young age of one and a half, I loved creativity, I started doodling papers, walls and books. Then, I specialized and worked in art as a multimedia graphic and fashion designer. Since 2002, I worked as a freelance visual artist, then as an art teacher with over 200 art projects and 2000 students, I feel enormously the need to be creative no matter what form or technique, and here I quote Thomas Merton: "Art gives you the opportunity to find yourself and lose yourself at the same time." With loss of self you are creative, finding yourself is in what you love.”
What does your work aim to say? Does it comment on any current social or political issues?
“I observe cultural, social and political developments that shape my visual world, working in exhibition concepts. My work is a journey towards unrestricted freedom of expression and a form of enlightenment through imagination. The overall concept light penetrates darkness speaks through colour, composition, message. Whether it is a brush or a spray, I become one with the medium at hand. I am a storyteller and love to document human, ethical and political issues. This continues to fuel my practice today. Whether fantastical or rooted in our current reality, my work reflects the myriad dimensions and experiences that people and myself go through. I work with fluorescent colours and pigments to create a bright and chromatically vivid world. In each work, I emphasize the essence of nature through subtle contrasts and raw colors highlighted by modulated matter, almost like an alchemical practice. The works represent a code of my perspective from which I can choose passions or be led to revelations of infinite transmissions of light. They turn into rational analyses and solutions that lead me along unknown paths, which in turn are guided by free will and firmly anchored in a universal plan.
I use fluorescent pigments to allow the viewer to enter another dimension. In this game for the supremacy of light and shadow, perception becomes the deciding factor. Each composition transforms according to its surroundings, like a sculpture of moving images. The installation of black light can be perceived as a new creation, the so-called soul of painting, as a parallel life in light and dark. From the general conceptual work "Light penetrates darkness", it is part of the series: "prayer for love and peace." To have or to be." Here the current political situation is mirrored, I as an artist try to participate with this project to this. This is how I feel I can do, help this wonderful earth that has been given to us as a gift from God. "La vie en rose," here is my pink period, in which I humorously describe a part of society. Here I mention the works "beautiful and rich," and "old and poor."
"Journey of the ant" is about the story of an ant humorously described in the artbook, now collection in India, who lives in a foreign country and on her way she is looking for friends and true issues, I would say it is an interaction of her with mentalities, socio-political issues. Like in a fable, the ant meets different animals, different characters and visions. Here I advocate the need for love for a better society, I mean love between people. I mention here so that it is not forgotten. "New people, new landscape," is about multiculturalism, of each one of us, maybe we wonder if there is a pure race, well there is not, by ancestry we are all a mixture given the global movement. Works are fluorescent so they have an inner light, this is important in society. Deep within each of us we find consciousness, the connection to God. In a few words, it doesn't matter what race, what social and political affiliation, what is important is the consciousness, the inner light that is carried outwards to fellow human beings and society. During the pandemic we started the series "Hanging Gardens." Let's not forget this time of total restrictions, for an artist a terrible time. My refuge where I had unrestricted free horizons was my garden, during this period I painted gardens, gardens, nature; as if someone wanted to steal these, this wonderful earth. In the series, "Idyllic Landscape," I mirror different countries and political and ideological states in genuine context.”
Do you plan your work in advance, or is it improvisation?
“Compositing oil and acrylic paintings with fluorescent interventions is a technique I have developed over the years, it evokes extraordinary new forms of nature and humans in an abstracted, almost fantastical mirroring, installed in black light, the work having a 3D depth and profundity, thus creating, in a single work of art, different worlds in light, dark, reality and mirroring. Common themes are addressed in the search for the trials and tribulations of the essence of the creator of beauty, the human being behind the work of art, life through the prism of love as transcendence. Light and dark are not dichotomous, but reveal states of mind, experiences from a self-analytical perspective. The extravagant chromatic palette contrasts with the luminous accents that accompany the shapes laid on the canvas, like a statement between me and the viewer; a dialogue I would say. I approach abstract or figurative, pictorial, sculptural or performative works with the same enthusiasm in elaborate constructions. I plan the series beforehand having the idea of the concept then I work freely, improvising and developing, searching and discovering.”
Are there any art world trends you are following?
“I follow new trends with pleasure, I apply in my art, that's why each series has somehow different style, dominated by the idea of concept, combined with traditional ones thus having an interesting mix being for me somehow convenient, essential, a comfort zone. It didn't bind me to any trend but I felt free to experiment and combine everything I learned over time. Pablo Picasso says something very true: "Learn the rules like a professional to be able to break them later like an artist". I experiment with different media and techniques, discovering new ones and mixing them: painting, digital, algorithmic intelligence, Photoshop, pigment painting, graphic design, writing, sculpture, installation, performance. I love interdisciplinary.”
What process, materials and techniques do you use to create your artwork?
“From the overall conceptual work "Light penetrates the darkness," part of the series: "Pray for love and peace. To have or to be," "La vie en rose," "The journey of the ant," "Love. Not War," "New People, New Landscape," "Hanging Gardens," "Idyllic Landscape." Each series includes different technicians expressing the idea of the concept. I experiment with different media and techniques, discovering new ones and mixing them: painting, digital, algorithmic intelligence, Photoshop, pigment painting, graphics, writing, sculpture, installation, video-installation, performance. I love interdisciplinary. Art has no rules. For example, the most current project "Pray for love and peace. To have or to be," is a messenger of peace, a mission of the world peace prayer movement, from the vision of an artist. Here, I explore the limits of imagination and use the latest technology (immersive performance) to build a dynamic perception of time and space. The works are an interaction between art, science and technology. Transforming artworks, visible data become new creations and offer a new and comprehensive experience of the analogue and digital world. The differences between digitization and real paintings will be presented here. The series consists of: AI, projection and animation, immersive performance.”
“The extravagant chromatic palette contrasts with the luminous accents that accompany the shapes laid on the canvas, like a statement between me and the viewer; a dialogue I would say.”
What does your art mean to you?
“Art is undoubtedly one of the purest and highest elements of human happiness.”
What’s your favorite artwork and why?
“Each work has its own story and mood, they are made in the concept that gives me an intensity of feelings and a particular thing, in that moment of artistic trance. Inside, there are codes that you can't repeat, that's why each work, each line, is a unique, intense experience. Including those in the new series Peace Dove, AI works; over which I intervene manually with oil, acryl, fluorescent pigments. Artificial intelligence helps artists but cannot replace them; they decide in the end what needs to be done.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“For me, it is a great joy to exhibit and I put a lot of heart into it. I plan in detail and install according to the space. Here are just a few of my exhibitions: BASEL 2.0, Artbox proiects, Basel/Swiss (2023); Galerie Johanna Dürig, Glarus/Suisse (2023) and Peace Dove, Romanian Design Week (Satelit location), Nicole Jutka Gallery, Bucharest/Romania (2023); among others.”
