feral: what are the origins of your interest in bodypainting and what are your influences?
when I was younger, I always liked finger painting and doing arts with my hands. but after a while I drifted away from it. then when I was 22, I saw some of Keith Harings work with the simple concept of standing in a room being painted. it was then that I realised that it was possible to do this kind of work. from then on I did it more and more. there is this kind of taboo about bodypainting and a lot of it that you see hast models still wearing underwear or swimming costumes. When you see it done nude, it is often for sex shows with for example woman having their nipples painted as dogs eyes or such things. it is a shame about all this, because bodypainting is a really ancient tribal practice with roots in aboriginal and african cultures.

feral: how long have you been doing bodypainting and has the type of thing you’re doing canged much?
since about six years ago, I have been doing it seriously and it takes from 1 to 3 hours or so to paint a body. I rarely paint other than abstract works. what I do has changed a little in the way I cover the body with paint. that is now I cover the whole body – all over the skin, first blue, then another colour layer over the top. it is a progressive change in the work. I am also working with other materials now. I have done some recent work with clay at a clay mine in this summer. I am putting together a book and video, featuring my work and music I have composed.

feral: beside your website, is there anywehre in the next few months that your work can be seen?
yes, at the Clexx gallery in vienna. they are holding an event called Body on 13^th december 2001. I shall be doing a live body painting there for about 2 hours. this will be a new experience for me and it will be interesting to see the reaction of the people.

feral: If someone wants to experiment with decorating their own body, what advice or suggestion would you give?
first: there are no rules! you can do it for art, fun or sex, alone, or with a partner or in a group. the only things you need are colors and a bath or shower! it’s important that the paints you use are not harmful or toxic. I have used the childrens finger paints from Ikea, but watercolour paints are also good. those can last for hours – long enough to go to a club or disco. there are also professional make-up pigments around, particularly kryolan aquacolor, which is available from theatrical suppliers. it’s best not to use make-up which is fat or grease based. some non-toxic marker pens are also suitable but these can last for 1-2 weeks until they disappear. you can also do japanese tattoo style designs with these.