Artist Q&A’s

Johannes Schramm

You are known for always painting water in various ways. Why are you so fascinated with water?

The optical appearance of water varies widely. When I am painting water, I create a surface, which varies infinitely depending on the perspective, water depth and light. Sometimes blurred tiles are to be seen on the bottom of the pool, sometimes the surrounding environment is mirrored or light reflexes create patterns.

What is the difference between the water of the pool and the water of the ocean and what challenges lie in painting, respectively, one and another?

In a swimming pool, architecture gets broken up, blurred or mirrored. The appeal lies in the contrast of the rigid architectural geometry and its transformation in water. In my paintings with natural waters there is always a buoy, which functions as a geometrical element and a chief motive. Sea view paintings are a different genre, which other artists brilliantly deal with. I am fascinated by nature in my spare time.

Does the element water have any symbolic meaning for you? If yes, then what is the symbolic meaning of land?

There is no symbolic meaning in water or land for me. But I associate water with coldness, calmness and diving down.

There is something very calm about your art and it has an almost meditative effect. Is it the intention of your artworks to create peace in space and in the viewer’s mind?

Yes, I don’t want to tell stories in my paintings or create emotions. I want to establish a calm and cold atmosphere, unspectacular but yet decorative.

What would you like people to achieve by looking at your art works?

I would like to create a kind of calm atmosphere in my work, which will be remembered by the viewers. Friends told me that they have my paintings on their mind while swimming. That’s fine with me, as well.

You seem to be drawn by the borderline between land and water. In your art this borderline separates abstraction from figuration. What are your thoughts about that.

In a catalogue text on my work Martin Stather writes about „the change of the secure and indeterminable”. I quite like that.

Where does your inspiration to make fascinating and meditative patterns come from?

My inspiration comes from the observation of my real environment. Media pictures don’t play a role in my work. I have been drawn to swimming pool motives since I have started to do sports on a regular basis.

How would you describe a successful work of art?

A good piece of art is a work that you look upon once and still remember after years.

Can you try to describe your working process from idea to finished artwork?

On a possibly bright and sunny day I go to a swimming pool. There, I swim lanes and walk around looking for the most interesting view of the water and its environment. Then I grab my camera and make some shots. I usually do this rather quickly and without attracting attention as taking photographs is often frowned upon. In my studio I search for the best photographs and choose a detail regarding the most interesting picture composition. After that I draw the motif on canvas omitting people or other “disturbing” elements, if any. Then I color the drawing using acrylic paint and afterwards I paint everything using oil paint.

Questions made by Amalie Frederiksen

Johannes Schramms værker afslører en dedikeret fascination af vand samt et personligt kendskab til alle dets smukke og mystiske  aspekter.  Som elitesvømmer lever Johannes Schramm på grænsen mellem de to elementer: Jord og Vand. De visuelle oplevelser, tilværelsen i vandet byder på, omdanner Schramm til kunstneriske mesterværker, som bringer beskueren ind i et fantastisk og apokalyptisk univers. I grænselandet mellem den flydende og faste verden flyder alting sammen og danner et ukonkret og evigt foranderligt billede af virkeligheden. Schramms malerier ændrer karakter og form afhængig af, om de ses på afstand, på nært hold eller fra siden. I det ene øjeblik fremstår de kaotisk abstrakte, hvorimod motivet i det næste sekund står lysende klart.

I Schramms univers er vandet det magiske element, der udfordrer menneskets realitetssans og synets uovertrufne evne til at genkende og kategorisere former og figurer – fliser, trappestiger, træer og kroppe forvandles til smukke, abstrakte og mystiske mønstre. Værkerne udforsker virkelighedens strenge geometri og dekonstruerer den velkendte orden, som opløses og bliver udefinerbar, når den betragtes gennem vand eller spejles i vandets blanke overflade.

Schramms fortællinger virker dragende kaotiske, fordi alle faste former forvrænges af vandoverfladens bølgende bevægelser og uhåndgribelige konturer. Konfrontationen med kunstnerens komplekse univers er en fascinerende optisk rejse gennem en verden, som skildres med en blanding af fotografisk realisme, illusionistisk farvesammensætning og et symbolistisk blik for de eventyrlige og gådefulde detaljer. Trods den lettere kalejdoskopiske stemning drives beskueren ind i en behagelig tilstand af meditativ ro, hvor tid og sted midlertidigt ophører. En tilstand som i følge Schramm kan minde om den, svømmeren rammes af i gode øjeblikke. En tilstand af ekstrem sanselig tilstedeværelse og dyb koncentration.

Schramms beretninger fra swimmingpools og søer indkapsler på beundringsværdig vis de sindsstemninger og sanseindtryk, der på forskellige måder knytter sig til vand: Lugten af klor, svømmehallens rungende larm eller lyden af vandets ’skvulpen’ mod bassinkanten. Med klare farver og originale synsvinkler giver værkerne et øjebliksbetonet billede af en formløs og usystematisk virkelighed, der selv i den momentant fastfrosne repræsentation synes at være i bevægelse.

Amalie Frederiksen

Bachelor in Art History