Interview

Oct 17

Walt Amerika

Walt Amerika (1958) is a photographer and painter, living in the 'Dutch Hamptons' of the Netherlands, a coastal aera close to Amsterdam. As a self-taught creative his career spans more than four decades, from advertising via design to art. During those years he traveled the world and broadened his horizon as much as he could, to keep developing professionally. His works balances between the conceptual and the abstract and is constantly evolving from one series of works to another.

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

“I'm a Dutch artist, living on the seaside of the Netherlands, close to the city of Amsterdam. It's an area one could describe as the Dutch Hamptons. My professional background is twofold. The first part of my creative path was in advertising. I worked as copywriter, art director and creative director for numerous national and international clients. For the second, part I was a design thinker and concept maker, connected to innovation centers and design schools like the renowned Design Academy Eindhoven. About ten years ago, I also started building up an autonomous art portfolio (photographs, paintings, drawings), which I am now ready to unveil parts of.”

What inspires you?

“Different things. For instance, gastronomy. I find the world of high level cooking fascinating. It's a highly competitive world, like sports, that shows no mercy if you don't perform. Three star chefs are under enormous pressure to create, not only in taste, but also in experience. It's almost an art form in itself. I am also very much into typography as a means of creative expression. Words itself can tell a story, but great use of fonts or imagery can uplift it to another dimension. On a more general level, I am emerging myself more and more in philosophy in order not to try to make sense of it all.”

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

“I am not into themes nor have I any messages to convey. However, I am very interested in the concept of time and particularly time gone by. Being aware of past moments makes me very aware of the present and future. In 'The Residue Series' that I am now releasing I try to capture some of those fading moments. Not as the main driver to make the work - that is still the serendipity of colors and shapes that triggers me - but as an underlying emotion that this registered image is now the only leftover of a gathering, a conversation, or a location.”

“I am very interested in the concept of time and particularly time gone by. Being aware of past moments makes me very aware of the present and future.”

How would you describe your work?

“For 'The Residue Series' I would say studies into accidental shades and shapes. It's the collision between color and form that catches my eye and my camera. It's landscaping without nature's elements. By cropping or enlarging I hide or add detailed information and transform something quite common into something unique. In general, it's a balancing act between the conceptual and the abstract. I like to start with a basic thought, that holds all the pieces together. At least for me personally. Obviously, I also search for a certain esthetics in each piece. I would rather see my work eventually blend in than stand out, so to speak.”

Which artists influence you most?

“I am not so much influenced by others in a direct creative way, but more in an inspiring way. There's for instance Jackson Pollock dripping his way out of Cubism. Or Andy Goldsworthy for stimulating my love for natural scenery, especially coastal. Ferran Adria for adding new dimensions to cooking. Herb Lubalin, the graphic artist, making his brilliant conceptual thinking work for everyone. And of course Mick Jagger, Keith Richard and Ronnie Wood for still being around and doing their thing. It's only rock 'n roll but I like it.”

What is your creative process like?

“It can be very snappy; take a pic and that's it. Or it can be mindboggling slow, getting lost in sketching or pre-production research. Hard to tell how the upcoming day will evolve. Main thing is to get to the studio and be 'at it' and 'in it' as much as much as I can.”

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

“In a world that is becoming more and more driven by effectivity an efficiency, art could add empathy and an ethical notion to what we do and why we do it.”