Frank Maria
Inspired by street art from many countries he has visited, Austrian artist Frank Maria’s art is reflective of himself and the way he perceives the world. Being fearless in the pursuit of his creative mind, authenticity has always been the main priority for Frank. Finding it hard to focus and create on someone else’s terms in art school, Frank enjoys the freedom art gives him. Freedom to create when and whatever he pleases.
Your work is reminiscent of Warhol, Pamela Irving, and Haring! Do you like when your art is compared to other artists? is it stifling? Is it an easier way to describe your work to people who haven’t seen your work before but ask what sort of art you create?
I really like the work of the following artist, this is the direction I wanna go and this is what impresses me: + Sol Lewitt + Katharina Grosse + Peter Kogler + Otto Zitko + Or + Frank Stella just to name a few that have good concepts and that are relevant in art history. I think it’s always easier to understand if it relates to something that already happened. I would describe my work as a mix of contemporary drawing and public art maybe contemporary art fits the best to most of the stuff that I do.
How do you experience creativity? Is it a craving within yourself to paint? Is it second nature?
Making art whether it is to draw or to paint or building something is just in my nature, I don’t question it or force myself to do it, it just comes out …… sometimes its ugly, sometimes its not what I expect that it looks like, sometimes it flows better, sometimes there isn’t coming anything at all …. I just don’t stress myself about it. If I have a productive time i’m happy if i’m not able to get anything interesting out I just do something else like painting graffiti or hanging out with my friends. I'll try to stay in a loop without pushing it. I always make the worst things when I force myself or when I need to get something done…. :( :)
When did you start to take your art seriously?
Very early, like at 17 or something I knew that was my thing and I’m probably gonna do it until day X, that stressed me out though, in my early twenties during studying art I kinda lost interest in the fact that just only because I’m able to do it or anybody wants me to do it that I really have to actually do it…. Because when you’re starting to take it seriously other people do as well, but I'm not always in the mood for serious... Like I don’t give a fuck, nobody can tell me what to do if I feel like creating something its cool but if not then I just don’t want to. I wanna stay independent and free with my decisions. Making art for me is something that is a personal expression and free and not possible to put in regular boxes or make silly imaginary rules for, or even make money with it….
The obvious questions; what are your biggest influences? and were you always painting, drawing, creating?
I guess my biggest influence is the things that happen around me, I love traveling and In some countries, you see the coolest shit on the streets. I walk through this world with open eyes and suck everything in…. I’ve always been doing stuff since I was a kid, I remember as a little kid I loved drawing with water-color, I might catch up with that again?????
I see a lot of snoopy references! What shows or films did you love as a child and teen?
Oh man I’m actually not a crazy nerd, ( but I’m still kind of a teen) I’m just a typical 90’s kid that watched and loved all the cartoons and films that were outta there back then, I'm still watching lots of cartoons :) one thing that I'm obsessed with is Space Jam, lol.
Does your city influence your art or your creative process?
I guess yes, Vienna is full of cultural history and it’s not dead yet, there is plenty of interesting stuff currently happening and I feel very inspired by it.
Is there any social commentary you convey through your art?
I hope so, I think anybody who makes art makes also a statement with it, how you see it or interpret it is up to your view then.
A little more controversial so to speak, do you think it is possible to separate the art from the artist? Thinking of Kevin Spacey and XXX when trying to find an answer myself.
It’s a tough question and I’m actually on a train to Italy answering the interview so I try to keep it short also because I want to start drinking beers... I personally think no, whatever you do is related to your personality, otherwise it would absolutely make no sense, even you make the biggest shit oder worst sellout it’s still all a decision you made deep down there in your brain and its 100% yours, Of course, your relations/connections, your past, and also your present state play a big role in this as well (not sure if I really got the question correct?)
Where do you get your ideas from? What does a typical time frame go like from getting an idea to seeing it out in the public whether that’s a gallery, outdoors, for sale, on social media or simply in your home?
With lots of my stuff it happens at the moment I create it, so when I work spontaneous or even draw or abstract things, I basically draw what I discover. I make the decision to do that at the moment I see the image I want to draw. So seeing something and drawing it can happen in the same time frame. Sometimes I collect ideas from different mediums and it takes me longer to put it together, It can happen that I connect things that are years apart to make something out of it.
courtesy FRANK MARIA
interview JULIANNA PERKOSZ
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