German born artist, Mevlana Lipp, takes inspiration from nature which has surrounded him from a young age growing up in a small village. From the study of flora, fauna and psychology within biology, Mevlana uses her knowledge to create great art pieces. Technically the pieces are structurally challenging to make as they are formed out of wooden cut outs made by Mevlana himself. The biomorphic ‘sculpture’ like works of art beautifully encapsulate Mevlana’s vision. You can catch his upcoming exhibition in collaboration with Vivian Greven and Lenz Geerk at the Tick Tack Gallery in Antwerp this December.

You were born in Cologne - how did your upbringing in Germany influence your work as an artist?

I was born in Cologne but moved away from the city to a small village when I was 3 years old. For this reason nature played a big role in my life since I can remember. This fascination of nature in all its facets has shaped me until today and is also reflected in my work. The fact that I was born in Germany is probably the greatest privilege I have to be able to go my way as an artist.

What is your artistic process when creating a new piece?

I have a special liking for biology, especially flora and fauna and psychology. I listen to many podcasts, read books and search the internet to dive into these topics and learn more about them. From this pool of information and impressions ideas for new works emerge. As soon as these ideas are present in a vague form I start to explore and elaborate them by drawing.

How do you technically create your pieces?

My technical process is divided into several steps. Starting with drawings I create a wooden relief. To do so I transfer my drawings onto a wooden plate and work with several machines to generate the planned shapes.

After that the most time consuming part of my work begins where I try out different colour combinations and add structure to the cut-out. For that I use different techniques to prime the wood and paint directly onto the shapes. The last step is to combine these with a velvet background and fuse the materials together.

What three words would you use to best describe your style?

Emotional, Transformative, Biomorphic

Your work draws inspiration from natural essences - what draws you towards this concept?

The plant beings in my work are in a kind of primordial state on the threshold of their own consciousness. For me they embody emotions and fundamental human experiences. This essence of nature fascinates me because it extends from the most basic form of life to the human being.

Where do you wish to progress your work in the future?

I have no definite goal in mind and learned to trust that my work will evolve alongside me.

Do you have any upcoming exhibitions we should look out for?

My next exhibition, which I am looking forward to, will take place in December together with Vivian Greven and Lenz Geerk. It is curated by Vincent Vanden Bogaard at Tick Tack Gallery in Antwerp.