Page 8 - SMCK Magazine - Issue #01

WeltraumatRathausgalerie Photo:FrankvonSchönfels
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Polly - Photo: Christoph Ziegler
independent artists will fare in the fu- ture. It’s definitely not an easy situation.
CZ: There is a strong division in Ger- many between art, handicraft, and de- sign. How do you feel about this way of perceiving creative work?
RMB: Munich is a city that favors design sales, though I think design sells better everywhere. Tradition and handicraft are very important in Munich and this also affects design. Twenty or 30 years ago, Bavarian handicraft followed in- credibly strict rules.
There was a big change, 10 to 15 years ago, resulting in the production of rat- her insignificant work that all looks al- most the same, as if it were made on an assembly line. Most people in Munich prefer visually pleasing glossy art to hang nicely above their couches.
There is definitely a jewellery audience in Munich. But there’s no broad aware- ness of how to appreciate this highly in- teresting art medium. Art lovers know almost nothing about jewellery. There’s still a lot to be done to strengthen the dialogue between fine art and jewel- lery.
CZ: How do you think coronavirus will affect art?
RMB: For me personally, time has stop- ped, my vision is frozen. And of course, as far as artists and art projects are con- cerned, city funding is also frozen. The corona crisis has an extreme im- pact on our social structures. What’s special about it is that it affects all le- vels, politics, social life, market, finance, and, of course, culture. I am very exci- ted to see how artists react. The eco- nomy will have a big influence on how things develop. Nobody is thinking of buying art now.
Even if exhibitions open, they won’t at- tract a large number of visitors, and I don’t think the crisis will be over by 2021. This means that a decisive mental shift has to take place.
I’m a positive person by nature and convinced that the crisis also has great potential: for example, to develop a more profound awareness. People are finally starting to reflect upon their si- tuations. The fundaments of our social structures are being questioned.
“We live
in fascinating” times. Artists should not be intimidated by current conditions but should
keep working
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