Michael Kaul — ART PRESENCE

Which 3 words best define how you would like your art to be perceived?

AUTHENTIC / SELF-EVIDENT / AMBIGUOUS

What creative challenge have you faced and overcome that has transformed your art practice?

From a biographical point of view, artistic practice is an ongoing process. At some point came the confidence in the pictorial means which meant that when I looked at what I was doing I could usually deliver a sincere result. In that sense, it wasn't a challenge, but an insight at a point in time.

What tools do you use as part of the preliminary stages of your process?

Parallel to my paintings on canvas, I always work on paper. Smaller formats, mostly A4, are created in a constant flow. The results often provide the starting points for the way I approach light, color and space in my painting. However, one can never create an exact same image, and often something completely different develops, which corresponds to the laws of the canvas and takes into account chance.

How do you usually start an art session - any habits or rituals ?

The working day starts where the previous one ended. No tidying up, just looking at the results and then I “tiger” in between, start something new or work on images that have already started, preferably without any specific intent. At some point I “strike”: when the time and condition of the picture suggest it.

How do you deal with doubts and fears?

Doubts mean that something is not "right". If you can't do anything about this at the moment it is best to postpone it until later. A forced „this needs to get done“ does not create convincing solutions. Or you go on the “don't care” offensive, which often produces good pictures because you are no longer holding onto the respect you had fort he work.

With what intentions do you infuse your art making?

I create a screen or a surface onto which the observer can project his or her personal perceptions, emotions and thoughts.The picture should not allow only one interpretation, one perspective. That might also mean that someone cannot find access at all, which is ok. The ambiguity also goes hand in hand with the title: it can be ironic, deliberately off the mark or be absurd. Under no circumstances should it restrict the meaning of the work.

Where do you draw your color inspiration from ?

The colors can come from anywhere. Very often they are tones that are created by mixing colors together from a previous process or session. Or pure tones, depending on what is still there.

What do you tell yourself to keep you out of procrastination?

Nothing! Sometimes it is good to do something later.

What is something absurd that you love doing ?

From time to time I look through my photo archive and come across images that no longer exist. I often wonder then why I destroyed them as I think: they were actually good! Pity! But actually something must have been wrong to justify destroying this picture.

What do you like about your work and what do you dislike about it?

It is always nice to see how the process, including chance, find it’s own way, but also how you can intervene in between and find a solution in the end. I don’t like everything preparatory: buying materials, stretching the canvas and preparing everything for the act of painting. Also less enjoyable is the follow-up: cleaning the brushes, packing the pictures, tidying up.