Interview
Patrick Mallee
Patrick was born in 1986 in Celle, near Hannover, Germany. He had his formal education from 1993 to 2003, after which he studied to be a dentist and a chemical technical assistant (CTA).
He started work as a CTA in 2009, but in 2018 decided to indulge his artistic skills by studying art history. Patrick further enriched himself by studying psychology. He has been active as a self-taught painter since 2011.
Like many other artists, Patrick started painting for the sake of pure experience and knowledge. Shapes and the interplay of colors resulted in impressionistic landscapes and fantasies with pencils on plain paper.
From 2012 to 2020, Patrick was a member of Kunstkreis 2012 Lüneburg, and member of Kulturraum Bardowick e.V.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“To do something out of passion and let my head take the lead is my way! But it started long after school, after visiting a museum in my hometown of Celle. In 2011, there was an expressionist exhibition with paintings from the post-war period that addressed the horrors of the Second World War. Strongly impressed by the techniques, I decided to take the brushes in my hand and just try it, and that is how my journey into the world of art began.
Since I had a few questions in the course of my work, I sought the help of teachers and artists, and so many of my questions were resolved. As an autodidact, I still like to try out new materials and techniques, but not as often as I used to. My passion for creating new works nowadays goes hand in hand with considerations about the meaning of the work, and how I can achieve it technically.”
What does your work aim to say? Does it comment on any current social or political issues?
“With the statement of my art, I would like to enable the viewer to rediscover beauty in detail. I want people to take the time to open themselves to beauty and look through it, and to be touched inside by thinking about what is depicted, so that they then see the world with different eyes.
I occasionally use contemporary themes in my art, but I have mostly decided against it in order to give more space to timeless themes, which I package in a modern guise.”
"By introducing a structured surface, the work gains more depth. And by touching it, you can understand the work through the use of more than one sense.”
Which current art world trends are you following?
“I used to see myself as a person who doesn’t follow trends, but in my latest works I break with this ‘tradition’ and use the acrylic pouring technique in combination with alcohol inks. In fact nowadays, I think the artist can play an active part in setting trends.”
Do you plan your work in advance, or is it improvisation?
“My work is the result of careful consideration. It has always been important to me to proceed in an orderly manner, and this body of thought supports my profession—through which I still like to practice presenting new motifs. But where some artists put their hearts in the foreground for use, I follow Piet Mondrian's views on creating a work with much more. With such a logically thought-out way of working, my heart melts.”
What process, materials and techniques do you use to create your artwork?
“Nowadays, I mainly use oil paint and acrylic as underpainting. I also often use alcohol inks, especially with metallic colors—I love their appearance, especially gold leaf. However, I also like to give the surface a structure using sand, paper, coffee grounds, tea or lime.”
What does your art mean to you?
“My art means the realization of my own ideas, the physical representation of things that I enjoy myself. I use the act of creating as a means of relaxation and can empathize with this mental state when looking at the works.”
What’s your favorite artwork and why?
“Oh, difficult question - it makes me smile. There are so many works that I like. Of course, works by Piet Mondrian and futuristic fantastic works by Roberto Matta top the list.
Art Nouveau and Art Deco paintings also appeal to me for their dreaminess, soft shapes and noble sheen.
But I also like the quiet, noble, antiquated works from the classicism period because of their detailed depth and symbolism.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“Oh yes, there have been quite a few. One, for example, took place in Hamburg Nord. It was in a large insurance building and a joint exhibition with other artists in other buildings for that purpose. In addition to the excellent catering, there was this moment when a woman was interested in a mini painting and when I pointed out information on the back, she laughed heartily because I had done it on her wedding day. She bought it and is still very happy with it today.
Another nice experience was the very first exhibition of the organizer Hamburg zeigt Kunst, which took place in Hamburg's Hafencity as an open-air event. It inspired me, because we presented our works directly among the people, it was a wonderfully lively event.”
Website: www.artfrompm.de
Instagram: @artfrompm
