 when did you have the idea for "public painting session"?
neil curtis: the idea of a
bodypainting session in public space was on my brain since a long time; but it is quite
difficult to organize a place where you can do something like that. when the people of the
galery Clexx asked me if I want to do a public painting session during the opening
vernissage of their new exhibition, it still took me some while to make my decission.
no spontanous "yes"?
neil curtis: no, no
spontanous "yes", because I have - apart from my performance for the
"KunstStücke" never ever done a session infront of an audience. I also didn't
want to make any compromises: it should be clear that the painted male model also needs to
be nude. in the normal cases, the problems start here, but on the location of the
"protected" public space of the gallery we decidet to see it as protected by
"the freedom of art".
why does the male model have to be nude?
neil curtis: when I do a
session, the body is my surface to paint on, the canvas. underpants would be an illogical
part of the canvas. usually a painting canvas also only consists of a white surface,
nothing else is on that surface.
after the "Sofa Session" exhibition in the villa last year, it
went a bit silent around you...
neil curtis: this is only
half true: ok, I haven't done a "propper" exhibition since then, but several
other projects developed. for example: I did a photoproject in the cablewerk meidling, or
together with my partner I appeared as "media mafia" on several
"in"-events, where we filmed a lot for this "media mafia" project
(which I will put out next year or so). I also focussed myself on working on a CD: 12
tracks are nearly finished. maybe I will play some tracks from this project at the public
painting session on 13th of december. unfortunately making music is quite
frustrating in vienna, because the chances for a propper record deal (and the publication
of a CD) are very, very low.
neil eurtis as musician?
neil curtis: not musician,
but multimedia-artist. for me, the music is also media like film or photography, to
connect all that is just logical to me, don't you think? the painting session can also be
part of the music and vice versa. one of my current goals for the future is an art film
about bodypainting, and the soundtrack of this film is also written by me. at the same
time, the film could also work as the videoclip to one of the songs. btw: I write the
songs entirely on my PC, pure vitual; I'm one of the first musicians that only use digital
software and no hardware to compose music - but I know very sure that this reduction is
the future of making music. BTW: you will be able to hear one of the tracks soon on the
FM4 soundpark homepage. who knows, maybe FM4 will also play my music regularly one day ;-)
how do you prepare yourself for the session?
neil curtis: apart from one
session I did with my model I don't prepare myself for the session. I want to let
everything open. I just know that the model will be standing on white sheets. that are
elements I also used in the bodypainting film. to me one thing is clear: the session also
has to be fun for me, if the reaction to it is positive, I will do more bodypainting
sessions in public.
we hope that the session is going to be a sucess and also hope to see
more neil curtis XTRA! covers in the future! |
the article is printed in the XTRA 12/2001 issue. XTRA! also dedicated their
cover sujet to the project. it shows a picture which has been shot during on location at
the XPS film.
