Interview: Boehm Thorsten
Luca Curci talks with Boehm Thorsten during CONTEMPORARY VENICE 2019 at Palazzo Ca’ Zanardi.

Boehm Thorsten was born 1974 in Hamburg, Germany. According to his own statement, he lives “born in the zodiac sign of the fish – since the beginning rather in the dimensions of dreams, Intuition and ‘Anti-Reality’ “. In his early childhood, drawing and painting were his favorite pastimes. Traveling in silence fantasy worlds and fictional places of longing and expressing them visually on paper led to one deep happiness. Later, the profession of the artist – his heart’s desire – reinforced to take. After successfully completing his studies as a communication designer at the BILDKUNST AKADEMIE HAMBURG in 2000, today he works as a freelance visual artist and illustrator for renowned clients, specialist magazines and agencies. He favors classic painting and graphics and their divers
mixed techniques and forms of expression, especially the work with the airbrush. His main artistic work deals with people with all their facets of the question of existence, the mystery of being human. He also like to be
allowed to do so inspire by myths and fairy tales or ideological or pseudo-religious ideas of the different cultures and epochs of human history. The strongest driving force for his work are the blatant discrepancy between his dream image of a world worth striving for harmony, beauty and innocence and often found reality in the form of violence, alienation and abuse. Boehm’s works have been shown in numerous, well-regarded art exhibitions and international events in recent years presented to a broad public. These often polarizing and provocative works and exhibitions have also been in the past few years several art prizes have already been awarded for their quality and issue.

Luca Curci – What is art for you?
Boehm Thorsten – For me, art is possibly the room in which real life takes place on you, very directly, in the here and now. Beyond conditioned, socially-expected behaviors, patterns of thought and masquerade, identifications, distracting ideological ideas, wrong thoughts, and religious beliefs. Artistic forms of expression such as visual and performing arts, dance and music open up to you as an artist incomparably unique opportunity to step on the stage of genuine, original feeling and experience and even to share it with others. The artistic expression is the attempt to transform the phenomenon of experience into a native language and to make it visible and understandable for oneself and it’s enviroment. This manifestation of the work of art allows the viewer the space for discussion and a mirror surface for self-reflection. The electrical tension that arises between the artwork and the viewer – that is art for me!

LC – What’s your background? What is the experience that has influenced your work the most?
BT – Completely spiritually involved in the creative process, gates open to worlds and spheres that are not commonplace, which enable me to experience the spiritual and mystical with greater intensity and depth and new insights from it. If a work is also particularly successful, is of course actually the artist’s reward. If the recipient of this work later understands the underlying message or resonating message and thus succeeds in communicating with me as an artist, my goal has been achieved. But even in the objectively rather unfavorable case of rejection and provocation, the work of art fully fulfills it’s service. My main artistic work deals with people with all their facets of the question of existence, the mystery of being human. I also like to be allowed to do so inspire by myths and fairy tales or ideological or pseudo-religious ideas of the different cultures and epochs of human history. The strongest driving force for my work are the blatant discrepancy between my dream image of a world worth striving for harmony, beauty and innocence and often found reality in the form of violence, alienation and abuse.

LC – What is your creative process like?
BT – My work are created in a process of intuition and rational silence. I rely entirely on my own feeling for aesthetics and coordination in my pictures, without disturbing thoughts of correctness or censorship. As in blind flight, this always works very reliably and accurately. I try to always do self-made topics to let my mood flow into my work. The specifically portrayed protagonist in my works often represents only a certain mind or state of mind, quasi as an allegory.

LC – Are your artworks focused on a specific theme?
BT – My artworks are primarily about the mystery of being human.

LC – Which is the role the artist plays in the society? And the contemporary art?
BT – I see my role as an artist in society clearly as an anti-realist, opponent and reflector of the current situation. Everyone can decide for themselves what role artists and contemporary art generally have to play in society.

LC – What do you think about the concept of this festival? In which way did it inspire you?
BT – I think the concept of this festival and the presented, extraordinary locations in Venice are a very good stage for presenting current international art to visitors. In my opinion, this traditional Venetian dance group, whose unique, accompanying spectacle in this traditional Venetian setting, should be particularly emphasized offered an absolute highlight and enjoyment of art.

LC – Do you think ITSLIQUID GROUP can represent an opportunity for artists? Would you suggest a collaboration with us?
BT – The extraordinary concept of ITSLIQUID GROUP offers to us artists the fantastic oppurtunity to present contemporary art to the worldwide public present in exhibitions and festivals. The interaction of the various forms of art expressions make this an impressive and eventful event thrive. On the occasion CONTEMPORARY VENICE 2019, I was only allowed to have positive experiences with your services and I will be happy to recommend your organization and future events. Of course, every stage on offer also offers a very good one opportunity for artists, interested parties, gallery owners, art collectors to draw attention to our art or to make further contacts.