Marianne Mettler & Tibor Foeldes, Standstill

Interview: Marianne Mettler & Tibor Foeldes

Director Luca Curci talks with artists Marianne Mettler and Tibor Foeldes during LIQUID ROOMS – THE LABYRINTH exhibition in Venice.

Tibor Foeldes is based in Zurich, Switzerland. He studied architecture in Pressburg, Prague and Budapest. In recent years he has done freelance work in production and set design. He’s winner of numerous awards, including the Budapest Art Award. Furthermore he is an Europe-wide locations manager for internationally known photographers, advertising agencies and affiliated groups such as Daimler Chrysler, Scania and Microsoft. He worked many years together with conceptual artist Marianne Mettler in technical and design areas for opera, thbeater, musical productions and conceptual Art projects.

Tibor Foeldes, Obscuro

The origins of Tibor Foeldes’ creative journey lies in analog photography. Experimenting with techniques and materials in his own laboratories, his fascination lays in the documentary. Growing up behind the Iron Curtain he traced with his photographic eye the development and life in former parts of the monarchy of Bohemia to the Ukraine and from Poland to Croatia. In his Artwok he is merging his interdisciplinary skills as architect, photographer and set designer.

Marianne Mettler, Exodus

Marianne Mettler is based in Zurich, Switzerland. She did painting and sculpture studies at Cambridge. Than masterstudy at Academy for Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. She won the Swiss Art Prize. Moreover she was head arts organizer for Swiss contribution at the Prague Quadrenniale. Marianne is active as stage designer for opera, musical and theater. She is the designer for “Ring der Nibelungen” by Richard Wagner for the Sydney Opera House and  worked on Richard Wagner led to a series of paintings on the subject. She has done several group and solo exhibitions such as Kornhaus, Bern; Design Museum, Zurich; Center for Digital Art, L.A; Palazzo Ca’Zanardi, Venice; Venice ArtHouse; Palazzo Radetzky, Milan and more.

Marianne Mettler, Sunset

The short film “Also gut es reicht” co-produced with Massimo Della Monica was shown at filmfestival in Munich and Paris. Gallery Widmer & Theodoridis Contemporary Art in Zurich included the video in an installation on the theme ‘Heaven and Hell’. Her short films have been shown successfully in Munich, Rome, Freiburg im Breisgau, Graz, Zurich and Downtown Filmfestival Los Angeles among other places. Main interests lie in the genres art-video, digital painting and conceptual Art in cooperation with Tibor Foeldes.

Marianne Mettler & Tibor Foeldes, Standstill

Luca Curci – Your work has just been exhibited during LIQUID ROOMS – THE LABYRINTH exhibition in Venice: can you talk about your personal experience in Venice with International ArtExpo?

Marianne Mettler & Tibor Foeldes – The idea of international ArtExpo to connect artists, collector and gallery owners around the world through this platform was, beside the exhibition topic,  the main purpose for us to become involved into this event. Unfortunately we could not take place personally at the whole event. Therefore we had to organize everything from abroad. This was a new experience for us. Finally we are satisfied to have engaged with ArtExpo. Everything was organized in a professional manner.

Marianne Mettler, Pink cloud

L. C. – Can you talk about the artwork you presented in Venice? How is it linked with the festival’s theme?

M. M. & T. F. –  At Liquid Rooms – The Labyrinth exhibition we presented three pictures out of 19 from our project “In the mirror of Narcissus”. The project transport both, old sculpture and new selfie in the same posed nature. They create the illusion of the real by appearing unnatural. The viewer becomes a voyeur, the observing entity of a world in which he participates time and time again in a more or less voluntary fashion. To conclude, in each of us there lives a Narcissus. Narcissism manifests itself on different levels. That is exactly where our project gains its foothold. Our imaginative worlds allow for different interpretations that will hold a mirror up to whoever takes a look. The inner labyrinth of Narcissus identity meets exactly the dual-layered format of the exhibition.

Marianne Mettler & Tibor Foeldes, Standstill

L. C. – What are you currently working on?

M. M. & T. F. – A longer shooting trip to the Middle East two months ago, has led us to our latest project. I was traveling in my green raincoat in a partially dark and monochromatic world. The idea for our project “Searching for color” was born in this environment. It will be shown end of October as a photo and video installation in Paris.

Image courtesy of Tibor Foeldes

L. C. – What is art for you?

M. M. & T. F. – Love; hate; passion; communication; silence; orgasm; depression; suffer; freedom; prison; doubt; fire; water; earth; vision; disappointment; rage; life experience; hologram; illusion; self-destruction; dream; awareness – shouting for joy and dying of sorrow.

Marianne Mettler & Tibor Foeldes, Searching for Color

L. C. – What do you think about International ArtExpo organization?

M. M. & T. F. – Only the digital revolution with its new technologies enables us to get more information about Art Styles with different cultural backgrounds. We find this development very inspiring. International ArtExpo encourages and supports with its concept this pioneering artist promotion.

Tibor Foeldes, Leopard Lady

L. C. – Do you think International ArtExpo organization can represent an opportunity for artists?

M. M. & T. F. – In a networked world it is increasingly complicated for artists, which are not tied to a gallery, to be present in different places simultaneously. In this sense, ArtExpo can be an important support for artists.