_{Image courtesy of David Meran}

Interview: David Meran

 

Luca Curci talks with David Meran during BODYSPACES | HUMANS+HYBRIDS event in Rome.

David Meran is a Vienna based visual artist who works with a variety of media, chiefly object art, installations and photography. He was born 1991 in a small city in upper Austria. Since 2011 he studies at the University of applied Arts Vienna and in 2016 in Tokyo University of the Arts in Japan.

 

_{Image courtesy of David Meran}

 

Luca Curci – Can you talk about your artistic work? Which are your inspirations?  

David Meran – After years in art school, where the ability of reflecting about art was highly appreciated, I think I learned talking about my work. Through these years I started to explore my skills in different forms of media. Working with one single media, such as video, was never satisfying enough for me to continue. Therefore I would say my artistic process – I mean, I hate this word, but anyway – starts with topics, ideas, inspirations from films, exhibitions and so on. I have to admit that the term inspiration is very strange me. The question would be what is it exactly and where and when does it start? I feel the deep inner need to express something and I start to think intensively. Then there is this super interesting moment when you have the illusion of a concrete idea. Usually the idea pops up in my dreams, or in the state before I fell asleep. I learned to use these moments of creative potential for my work. I read a lot of things, talk with people or analyze my dreams.

 

_{Image courtesy of David Meran}

 

L.C. – Are your artworks focused on a specific theme?

D.M. – Well, formally I would say it explores the tension between two parts. This could be flatness vs. dimensionality, gender identities vs. traditional gender roles or control vs. spontaneity. One of my main aims is the initial experience of seeing the work for the first time. Is it possible to touch, is it „real“? Does space create art and what position and influence do I have as the participating artist in it? I
Even though I won’t minimize my options concerning the media, my work is based on photography, video and objects. I also like to think of the variety of media and materials as a metaphor for the issues of cultural hybridity that my work addresses. I see it as my duty as an artist to understand and reflect ongoing struggles in our society and ask abstract materialized questions.

 

_{Image courtesy of David Meran}

 

L.C. – What is the message linked to the artwork you have shown in this exhibition? How is it connected to the theme of BODYSPACES | HUMANS+HYBRIDS?

D.M. – In the BODYSPACES | HUMANS+HYBRIDS exhibition I showed my video work called „GRANDFATHER / ME / 3RD PERSON“ from 2013. The video deals with the idea of my own identity in general. My grandfather had to flee in the 1920s from the north of Italy to Austria, escaping from the Italian fascists. Ever since then, this traumatic experience has been a struggle in our family. Therefore, the topics of affiliation, assimilation and identity have been on my mind since I was little. He died when I was a little boy, but my family keeps telling me that we have a lot in common, not only the visual appearance. Where do we come from and how can we deal with your roots? I tried using my personal memories (followed by research) to explore current incidents of cultural stereotyping and to further reflect on them. This resulted in a unique focus on contemporary observations of our society. I do this not on a superficial cultural level but in fact go deeper and always explore actual intellectual struggles.

 

_{Image courtesy of David Meran}

 

L.C. – Did you style change over the years? How?

D.M. – I started very early at the age around 14 years to produce more or less art. I did a lot of painting and photography but my concept of art was a very limited one and was basically two dimensional. After studying art I began to open up and change drastically. I started to work with three-dimensional objects and was interested in the space around art.
I realized every form has an aesthetic character, even though you don’t want to be too „artsy – stylish“ or whatever. So this simple perception was important for me to find my own artistic handwriting.

 

_{Image courtesy of David Meran}

 

L.C. – What do you think about the concept of this event? In which way did inspire you?

D.M. – I really like the idea of the international character written in in the event. I think its a necessary move in the art world to be more international in this already very connected world. BODYSPACES | HUMANS+HYBRIDS was a great and concrete title for the exhibition but with a lot of room of interpretations, which I liked.

 

L.C. – Do you think It’s LIQUID Group can represent an opportunity for artists?

D.M. – I hope so! I think it is a great opportunity to take part in international exhibitions and to get in contact with different artists all around the world. But from my point of view, there should be no entry fee at all to take part in art exhibitions.

 

L.C. – Are you interested in future collaborations with our organization?

D.M. – Of course, I am always open for interesting projects.

 

_{Image courtesy of David Meran}