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The editor is not responsible for the texts, photos, illustrations and drawings published herein, which are the sole responsibility of the authors. Unco magazine cannot accept responsibility for submitted material. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. Curated and edited by Lita Poliakova Feel free to contact mail@unco.info All rights reserved Cover photo by Andreas Nitschke
Editorial
COVER It conceals the content. Probably, protects against external. But also prevents the internal from getting outside, impedes interaction and propagation. Everything has it, or almost everything. A cloud does not have it in any form. Bright, sticky or furry, it is often in someone’s eyes or sticks to hands. At times, we encounter it and immediately rip off, and sometimes we pick it leaving traces on its surface. We are often disappointed by what is inside, if there is something at all. Another time, the wraparound is more valuable, useful or memorable than something being wrapped. Having different service life, it keeps watch continuously until the inner or outer destructs it.
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Contributing artists in order of appearance: Florian Tenk www.floriantenk.tumblr.com
Astrid Jahns www.astridjahns.de
Klaus Pinter www.klaus-pinter.net
Andreas Nitschke www.andreasnitschke.com
Adriana Lacko www.behance.net/adrianalacko
Stephan Gross www.stephangross.net
Adam Niklewicz www.adamniklewicz.com
Piotr Bockowski www.neofung.info
Yan Fong http://www.decoartpiece.com
Riedstra www.riedstra.eu Anna Tea www.anna-tea.com
Carlo Speranza www.works.io/carlo-speranza
Anne Woelk www.annewoelk.de
Ashley Littlejohn www.ashleylittlejohn.co.uk
Stefan Malicky www.stefanmalicky.at
Florian Tenk “Never Naked”, 2014 Analogue photographs, acryl paint www.floriantenk.tumblr.com
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Astrid Jahns “Wandering about”, 2013 Collage (12,1x20 cm) www.astridjahns.de
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Klaus Pinter “Untitled�, 2014 Collage www.klaus-pinter.net
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SPEECH
Direct speech
aNDREAS nitschke 1. Let`s start with the major idea! What are you aims? Do you have an intention to change the world with your art or at least move it? First of all my aim is to express myself in a way which is unique, visual, without any words or saying something. That presupposes an own visual language that evolved itself from image to image. To this development process I submit myself. It’s a form of commitment. I feel addicted to bring my Collages to a point. And if I try to touch a sore spot of my beholders, it requires that I examine every Collage and ask myself whether this Collage coherent enough or not to express myself. Therefore I will not change or save the world in the first line but me.
www.andreasnitschke.com
2. Having chosen the direct and quick way of expression by means of a collage, do you have some kind of fear or feel that you have to rise above yourself when creating your works? Do you have any doubts about the result you get? No fear, no doubts, no limits, if you mean mental or internal censorship. The more, the better! It’s a contradiction, a No-Go: artists who are anxious to avoid any trouble. Artists have to evoke trouble! 3. What is your starting point? Experience? Philosophy? My starting point is biographical and a reflection to what I have seen
in my life. Both in my life as well as in the contemporary art scene. Philosophically spoken: I want to produce food for thoughts! My aim is not the recalling of a preconception of someone else, for example, of other artists aims, but the thinking through of an idea.
with their noble goals. They will be objects of my ridicule.
4. What the “form” means to you? How do you construct it? I don’t want to say: form is void, but I don’t want to over-emphasize formal. At best I construct the form by using series. I compose and assemble my Collages by putting together what doesn’t belong together. From this way of looking, from this perspective, it is a form of deconstruction. 5. Have you ever been influenced or impressed by your own images for a long time after their creation? Sometimes my Collages foreshadow and anticipate something which I live out afterwards. Diseases, separations, divorces... It is like a light bulb then and I feel very impressed that my subconscious seemingly guides me to confront myself with my primal fears by looking through my older Collages. 6. Do you consider any of your works as “self-portraits”? Perhaps this one. I stick out my tongue to those who want to intimidate me by saying: guard your tongue! It’s a big “Fuck off” to those who want to disparage my work
From the series “Black Beauties”, 2011
7. Have you ever experienced social criticism or negative judgments of your work? And how to deal with a situation where the viewer is not so advanced to be ready to perceive your message? Not until now. Judgments belong to art! In my work I intend controversial topics and that, of course, implicate dissonance. I think that my Collages also work on a meta level. And often my artwork is embedded in humorous connotations that facilitate a connection to the viewer. 8. The dog frequently appears in you series? Does it mean something special to you?
Oh… actually I’m afraid of dogs! For me dogs represent domesticate and servile creatures. But also danger and threat. I love the ambiguity. 9. Continuing the topic of animals, if you were an animal, which one would you want to be? You can’t train a cat! That says everything! 10. What are overwhelmingly important qualities for an artist? Do you have some advice that is better to stick to? Take no prisoners! Work alone! Don’t sell yourself short! 11. Unco questions. What regulations or rules are unnatural in your opinion? Or name some social standards which need to be reformed. There are also standards in galleries and art-exhibitions. My last group exhibition was for example in a funeral parlor. And, as an equivalent to this unusual place, one of my solo-shows was in a tattoo-studio. I love those offbeat and unconventional places to show my work, those clash of cultures. Perhaps… a butcher’s shop will be great and an obvious increase. 12. What things or items do you often use for a purpose other than intended use? I use the newspapers, the magazines, the books and catalogues, all the
images therein which often have another intended use than the Collages I make of them. I want to develop views of genuine-looking faces and bodies. It’s not only a destructive gesture…. I want to disturb the context, the harmony, the reception of images and what you might expect. Perhaps my Collages are more “knotted” together; it is a gesture of deconstruction, sometimes a brutal rearrangement… not an aesthetic finger exercise. The beholder recognizes and doesn’t recognize at the same time. That’s my goal! 13. What means “normal” and “common” to you? What are your little quirks and whims? Norms grade humans. I hate this form of leveling in this society and even in the art market. Egalitarianism break the people, if they live too adjusted they live a domestic life. And this is not the way an artist wants to go. My little quirks and whims… I am very peculiar and solitary. Sounds and noises annoy me. I often look the absolute peace and silence. Surprisingly, we have 13 questions. Does it mean something influential to you? Not influential, but if you look to one of my last Collages, which deals with a nursery rhyme of my childhood, there are 13 little pygmies with red lipsticks on their top. A Collage with many allusions and references.
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From the series “Pro Kopf”, 2011 Сollage
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From the series “Mesalliance”, 2010 Сollage
From the series “Mesalliance”, 2010 Сollage
From the series “Verkappte”, 2014 Сollage
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Adriana Lacko “Fashion Victim”, 2012 Mixed media (70x100x10 cm) www.behance.net/adrianalacko
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Stephan Gross “Skin It Back”, 2014 Photomontage, digital print (60x95 cm) www.stephangross.net
Adam Niklewicz “Structure Sculpture”, 2014 Video www.adamniklewicz.com
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Piotr Bockowski “Double Agent”, 2012 Collage on cardboard (49x37 cm) www.neofung.info
Yan Fong “Disappearing Memory Series”, 2014 Old wall, print on steel, wood collage, various sizes http://www.decoartpiece.com
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Riedstra “Drawing No. 66 on ‘Silence’ by Luc Tuymans”, 2014 Ink, gouache, acryl, scrap, lace on paper (65 x 50 cm) www.riedstra.eu
Anna Tea “Artists are Aliens”, 2013 www.anna-tea.com
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Carlo Speranza “Karlo’s unrealized works”, 2014 24K goldleaf on cardboard boxes. Different sizes, different variations, unlimited series
www.works.io/carlo-speranza
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Anne Woelk “Perfect Morning”, 2013 Oil, acrylic and aerosol on canvas (87 x 80 cm) www.annewoelk.de
Ashley Littlejohn “Nutbush, City Limits”, 2013 Acrylic paint reflective paper, duct tape www.ashleylittlejohn.co.uk
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Stefan Malicky “Fiat Lux”, 2013 Collage with colored and white paper www.stefanmalicky.at
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