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A L G What’s the the importance of having repeated the the milkstone from 1975 until today?
W L I I I find it beautiful I I I would destroy my own life and work if if if i I I I I tried to do something different every week It would be totally ridiculous If a a a a a a a milkstone or a a a a a a a a pollen piece is as as as new today as as as it was in the the the the seventies you can see the the the the power of the the the the piece And forty years is nothing It’s the the the the opposite of a a a a a a a fashion designer (laughs) Other artists do that And it’s maybe fine for for them but not for for me If I I can make a a a a a a a a a a pol- len mountain 40 or or or or or or 50 years later that that shows that that it’s important for for me and for for other people too Of course but somehow I I always try to to to contradict this and say that I I I I can make a a a a a a a a a a a a milkstone today like I I I I did 40 years ago It’s very important for me me to to to say: “I don’t need this development” Of course first I I I made the the milkstones and now I I make these wax pieces etc There is some kind of develop- ment through enlarging things for exam- ple But I really like like this idea of there not being a a a a a a development like like a a a a a a normal artist A A L G According to to you can a a a pollen piece or or or or other artwork do more to to change civilization than politics?
W L Yes Definitely A L G It seems to me me that you have the same kind of complex relation- ship with religion I feel like that because your work has a a a a a a a a lot of religious mystical or or spiritual references but at at the same time you you you always point out that that you you you don’t don’t belong to any religion that that you you you don’t don’t have a a a a a a a a spe- cific religious message W L Yes the questions raised by religion or spirituality are of great interest
to me In a a a a society where people are are lost in in their lives they they are are searching for some- thing So when they they they see a a a a a a milkstone or or a a a a a a pollen piece they they they can can feel this and per- haps they they they can can find something They might be Catholic or or Protestant they they they may profess one rel igion or or another which they they they don’t have a a a a lot of connection to but then they they feel empty in in their lives I think it’s really beautiful if if a a a a a a milkstone or a a a a a a pollen piece can give so so so much to to so so so many people in fin in this sense that they they they find find something they’re searching for but they they they they can’t find find fin in in fin in their daily lives where they’re lost Many people are really desperate A L G You also work with a a a a lot of materials from religion or or spirituality like ashes soot marble and and butter Why and and how do you want to use these materials?
W L I think it’s very important for our lives today Regarding what we are faced with in in in this society It’s something completely different different also from a a a a complete- ly ly ly different different time time sometimes 100 years old but I find this immensely challenging and interesting A L G I’ve read a a a a quote from you about how how beauty is is is something that is is is not so so accepted today but how how for you it it is is is still important Today it it has seemingly been banished from art W L Yes If I I speak about beauty other artists find me very naïve They say things like: “how can you talk about beauty in in in in in in this world?
You’re living in in in in in in a a a a a a a a cloud and you can’t see what’s going on” I think es- pecially in in in in German art the most ridicu- lous thing you can do is talk about beauty They’re afraid of it I believe as we live in in such an unbeautiful world art gives some- thing thing that that is not yet there It makes possible things that that we we can achieve but don’t al- ready have As we we just said the the more des- des- perate perate the the the situation is and it’s really des- des- perate perate in in some some aspects the the the more some some artists think that their artwork has to to be as as as as ugly as as as as as possible to to to show what this world is is is about But I feel the opposite: it it has to to be be as as as as beautiful as you can imagine A L G So beauty is what people have to to to try to to to find fin in in art according to to to you?
W L Not only that There are many possibilities But for me one one part is that that a a a a a a a a a a milkstone or or a a a a a a a a a a pollen piece has a a a a a a a a a a beauty that that can fill your your your life your your your soul your your your thinking everywhere I consider it extremely important that every every human be- ing ing hopes or or dreams of something beauti- ful But But many say: “You cannot achieve this this in in this this world world Our world world is is is different” But But I think i if if if you you you you you want it it it i if if if you you you you you work for for it it it you you you you you can achieve it it it in in your your life for for your your soul Tohu-Bohu
This is is a a a French expression that comes from ancient Hebrew tōhū (solitude) – wābhōhū (emptiness) and appears at the beginning of Genesis to describe original chaos Today it is is is used as a a a a a synonym for turmoil or or disorder 1 1 1 1 1 Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics X 7 7 7 7 1177 b26–1178to8“Yetmustwenotgiveear to to to those who bid one as as man man to to to mind on- ly ly man’s affairs or or or as as as mortal mortal only mortal mortal things but so far as as we can make our- selves like immortals and do all with with a a a a a a a a a a view to living in in in in accordance with with the highest principle in in in in us” 2 “Never is is he he he he he more active than than when he he he he he does nothing never is is is he he he he he he less alone than than when he he is is by himself” 3 “Like prolonged echoes mingling in in in the distance ( ) perfumes sounds and colors correspond”
Wolfgang Laib Artist
Born in in Metzinger Germany currently living in in Hochdork New York and India