Interview | Danny Gretscher by Artmerit
DANNY GRETSCHER BY ARTMERIT
Can you tell me a little about yourself, your background, and when you first started working full-time as an artist?
My spaceship landed a while ago on planet earth. I was surprised how beautiful it is here on earth, so I decided to stay. I was given a magic pill to wish what I want to be and I decided to become an artist. Et voilà, here I am and that’s what I do.
Can you tell me about your current studio and working routine?What are your habits? What music do you usually listen to?
I like mornings, so I try to give that time of the day space before going to the studio.
We would like to know more about your style, what meanings do you want to convey to the viewer?
I think real artists are channels to allow the energy of the universe to transform into arts, music or poems. The more open you are to that energy the more the energy flows and that’s where the magic happens. It’s about what you feel. So my process is very intuitive. I mostly just start painting and see how it goes. The painting itself tells me what it wants to be. I just have to listen to it.
Could you tell me about the works of yours that are currently in progress in your studio?
I just came back from the Southern hemisphere where I almost spent a year. The first thing I had to do was to move my studio. Luckily enough I found a new space and it literally feels like starting from zero. So things feel like new in a different way and even for me it will be a suprise what kind of paintings will happen next.
Is there a particular manner in how you plan your works? Do you begin with preparatory sketches of some form, or do you prefer to work in an improvised manner?
I always do a lot of drawings which sometimes I use as a guide for a painting, but usually I just jump into the water and see where I get out.
What future exhibitions/projects do you have scheduled?
I am going to have another solo exhibition at C.O.A gallery in Montreal next summer 2020 and some paintings will be displayed in a group show at Phyton gallery in Zürich.
In relation to social media and more specifically Instagram, what are your thoughts on this as a platform to engage with new audiences? Do you have a love/hate relationship with Instagram or other online social media platforms?
Well every coin has two sides and if something is good or bad is only because we like to judge things. But one big advantage nowadays is you just need a smartphone which is a very powerful tool. You can get every information you need and you are able to manage yourself.
Can you highlight some of your influences and discuss how your influences have made an impact on you and your practice?
There is a painting of Martin Kippenberger titled „This Painting Is Painted Under The Influence Of Spaghetti Nr. 7“. If you see it this way everything influences us in a way.
Any last points or thoughts you would like to share?
Appreciate what you already have and the rest will come when it is the right time for the things to come. Everything is connected and the universe never forgets.
To the collector that is interested, where do we tell him to go right now to buy your work?
Right now at Rhodes Contemporary in London, at C.O.A gallery in Montreal and at Studio Gallery and 19 Karen Gallery in Australia.
Your thoughts that you would like to share with our readers.
Love life and life loves you.
