藝術家介紹
Volker Hermes
來自德國杜塞道夫的視覺藝術家Volker Hermes，擁有學院完整而扎實的藝術訓練與繪畫基礎。過去十年來，以古典的油畫肖像為素材，在Photoshop後製「畫蛇添足」之後，搖身一變，成為具有批判性的搶眼當代詮釋，更在疫情期間風靡全球。明年春天將在德國亞琛的蘇爾蒙特博物館舉辦個展。
With formal training and a foundation in painting, Dusseldorfian artist Volker Hermes possesses a comprehensive and solid artistic background. Over the past decade, he has utilized classical oil painting portraits as his subject matter, transforming them into striking contemporary interpretations with a critical edge, often enhanced through Photoshop post-production. His art has gained widespread popularity globally, particularly during the pandemic. In the upcoming spring, he will hold a solo exhibition at the Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum in Aachen, Germany.
Q：這是我們第一次訪問你，想請你談談藝術、插畫與平面設計的教育或學習；我們是否有機會一窺你的工作室？
A：感謝你邀請我接受訪問。我是一名視覺藝術家，畢業於杜塞道夫藝術學院，專攻繪畫，在我作畫時會大量參照藝術史料，並反觀其對於我，作為一名當代藝術家，還有對現今觀眾的意義。我工作中有一部份在翻玩歷史肖像畫，重新審視這些肖像對於當代人的意義：我並不想要仿效，或者重新畫一遍，所以我轉向數位後製，也因此我從一名畫家，轉而成為Photoshop的重度使用者。
Q: Hi! This is the first time we interview you. Can you talk a bit about yourself and your background in art? (From Düsseldorf Academy to self-taught digital painting) Can we get a glimpse of your atelier?
A:Thank you very much for the invitation to the interview. Well, I am a visual artist, I studied painting at the academy of art in Düsseldorf and in my work I think a lot about art history and its meaning for me as a contemporary artist and for us all as viewer. In one part of my work I modify historical portraits, try to re-evaluate their meaning for us. And because I don't want to copy or repaint them, I do this with the help of digital image processing. This is how a painter comes to Photoshop.
Q：對你來說，真的有所謂的「過度裝飾」嗎？之前讀Alessandrini的報導，他說你透過布料與首飾「埋沒」並「嘲諷」畫中的角色；你又曾經透露自己一開始用類似的手法，從身邊的朋友畫起，兩者的用意是否不同？
A：我愛裝飾物！不過有時候它們見證了時下權貴奢靡鋪張、自我膨脹的行跡——這也是我刻意以「過度裝飾」來反諷這些人的緣故。我並不嘲諷藝術本身，而是那些在自己身上插滿他人羽毛者。我對朋友也會有說反話的時候，不過當然出發點並不一樣。
Q: Is there such thing as too much decoration in your opinion? Mr. Alessandrini from the Met interpreted the fabrics and accessories on the sitters in your portraiture as “mocking” and “drowning,” but you also revealed the initial foray in painting your close ones with the same method, which I assume did not come from criticism and judgement?
A: I love decorations! But they are sometimes witnesses of vanity of social elites who promote themselves and their position. That's why I use irony to point this out (by “over-decorating”). I don't make fun of the art, but of the people who adorn themselves with these feathers. Irony is an important tool for me that I even use with friends, but of course in a different way.
Source: Volker Hermes
完整文章收錄於 Excerpt from vol.266
