Juan Rosenfeldt
Tradewind Lullabye
Assemblage 21 x 10"
Where did you grow up? Does where you grew up have an influence on your art making today?
I was born and raised in Venezuela; being first generation born American from a northern European family, my influences were strong and contrasted. At home I was influenced by all things from the old world. My father was a big fan of classical music, old engravings and so on. Outside of home it was the opposite, color and rhythm, bright and loud, from a culture of a nation on the tropical caribbean region. Both worlds were prominent and influential, I think this is why I chose later on to live in Spain. It's exactly the mid point geographically between Venezuela and Estonia.
When did you realize that you wanted to be an artist?
I don't recall the when. The creative itch has always been there, since day one.
Does your own life experience play a role in your imagery?
Absolutely, there's no separation. it's like alchemy and the alchemist. I'm my own laboratory, and whatever the current pressing issue, concern or quest, becomes the end result in the art piece. Or the other way around, the creative process assists me in figuring "it" out.
Juan Rosenfeldt
3
Watercolor 17 x 12"
What is the process that you use for your work? Take us through the steps taken that lead to what we see?
It's basically two-fold. A seed idea/vision that expands through sketching, planning and producing. And a random encounter with an object/element that inspires the final artwork. Going to beaches, for example, after a storm, on the Pacific coast, is a treasure throve of driftwood and distressed debris.
A "casting" process between found objects is a big part of my workflow, how disparate objects and ideas come together come together and create a new reality.
What art historical art movement would you choose as identifying most with your work?
If I could narrow down, it would be early to mid 20th century: Gauguin, Klee, Miro, Cornell, Beuys, etc. The art in this particular era was deeply involved in inner-self exploration, along with symbolism as well as drawing from the well of primitive art, from cultures and times where the notion of art didn't even exist.
Juan Rosenfeldt's exhibition opens February 28, 2012.
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