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He was born in Geneva and has Q: Some people consider your is our mental consciousness. I do
lived most of his life here. He is artworks to be in the sphere of not want to make the physical
perhaps the modern Swiss artist surrealism. What do you think? likeness of a man today, but his
who is most well-known after Hans mental portrait, the one which
[mi. He was the first one to make Compared to surrealism there are is composed of lots of bits and
body paintings, and has travelled other elements that have been pieces of knowledge and where
all over the world exhibiting his added to my art. Today, we are everything is permitted. This is
work. He has been particularly well aware that we are just a grain the reason why I do not think that
attracted to primitive and tradi- of dust in the universe, so I think it can be compared to surrealism.
tional art in Asia. Throughout his that's part of it. The artist today Of course, I was influenced by
artistic career there is the constant is highly influenced by these surrealism, but there is far more
theme of fascination with the hu- ideas. In fact, I see that I am very to it. I have acquired a way of
man being. He has been commis- influenced by all these ideas that I expressing myself, and the aim is
sioned to do many theatre decors, acquire in bulk through journals, to show not the human being him-
paintings and sculptures. We met newspapers and what I see on TV. self but the consciousness of the
him here in Geneva lust after his I know that it has been stored in modern man.
eightieth birthday. Now we will let my subconscious.
Mr Diakonoff speak, who, des- Q: In your long career, what is
pite his age, still has a lot on his When I draw or paint or work on the event that has given you the
palate an artwork, the crux of my work, most personal satisfaction?
either the portraits or sculptures
and other things that I do, is the I have one great capacity and that
human being. When I represent is the ability to forget. Obviously,
people, it sometimes might look I have lived through many hun-
as if they are inhabitants from dreds of events that could be
another world -- from outer considered as important in my life,
space. This is not really what I and it is perhaps easiest to draw
am trying to represent. What I attention to the most recent ones.
really want to express through As I always to live in the present,
these characters, these mutations, and possibly in the future, and

30 Genève