Discover exclusive portrait and interview series featuring selected artists of all disciplines wearing pieces from current Art Jewellery exhibition – ‘jewellery // sculpture’ curated by AA-Collected. In charge of photography was Alan Bayer, with styling from Maya Chan, and production by AA-Collected.
DSCENE INTERVIEWS
For the part one of the story we talked with Alicia Kerryn Young, Ayman Al-jarbou, and Jean-Luc Armance. See more of the session + read our exclusive interviews below:
Alicia Kerryn Young
South African born ‘Young Alice’ creates Contemporary pop art & illustration featuring a menagerie of abstract creatures. She aims to create without focusing on the “how” of doing art. She indulges in moments free from complexities and societal expectations, painting brightly coloured yet simple depictions, each piece as a different animal in her “Zoo”. It is with a graphic, simple intention she aims to fully reveal what makes her the happiest.
Necklace: Susanne Hammer
Dress: Marcel Ostertag
Have you always wanted to be an artist?
I fell in love with art before I even knew what love was and since then I have been fighting for art. To be an artist and create has simply always been my driving force.
What inspires you?
Inspiration for me is a serendipitous occasion, the creatures I create often come from a “spark” during a conversation or the odd thought that pops into my head. Drawing comparisons to the pop art movement of the past, I am often inspired by the simple colour palettes within commercial goods and in advertising.
Could you describe your creative process to our readers?
Playing with color and geometric abstractions has resulted in a graphic approach to fine art.
With abstractions of color, form and geometry – I take the idea of a zoo and creating my own interpretation. In the process of creating I start with a simple sketch before I take it to the canvas. While painting I reflect on what art is to me, it is simple and extraordinarily uncomplicated. These simple depictions are seen through each piece as a different animal in my “Zoo”.
If you could describe your aesthetic in three words, what would they be?
Bright, minimal and graphic.
Earrings: FAINA
Necklace: Aloha Gaia
Dress: ANJA LAUERMANN
What kind of impact do you want to make with your art?
My art is happy art, happy depictions that break the pretensions and expectations the fine art community can trigger. I create my happy menagerie of animals, both in my capacity as a vegan and as a person who is grasping at simple moments of happiness. I would love for my art to show people that in a world with so much “bad”, simply creating something happy can make a difference.
How do you see the primary role of an artist in today’s society?
It’s an artist’s privilege to introduce new ways of seeing the world, their opinions and beliefs. Simply challenging people to think and imagine, freeing people from harsh expectations and saying “it’s okay to see the world differently”.
What makes you happy?
Creating, exploring and red wine.
What is the first artwork you ever sold?
The first piece of art I had ever sold was an illustration of a piece of cake.
What are you working on right now? Is there a project you are currently obsessed with?
I am currently creating a contemporary pop art zoo that I’ve called my Menagerie. I spend my time expanding my zoo and as I do so, I encounter conventions that I reimagine along the way.
What are your plans for the future? Where would you want your career to be in 10 years?
I hope I find myself in a brightly lit studio, picking up my paintbrush on a daily basis and selling my art on an open platform. In ten years, I should be well into the history of my own art and hopefully, have my creations making people a bit happier.
Who are some of your favourite artists? What work of art do you wish you owned?
My favourite great is Hieronymus Bosch and my favourite contemporary artist is Takashi Murakami. If I could own any piece of art between Hieronymus Bosch and Takashi Murakami I would have to go for “Flower Ball” by Takashi Murakami. Murakami tends to challenge what art is and is known to blur the line between high and low art movements. This specific piece just makes me really happy.
What advice would you give to young artists starting out?
Finding what moves you and makes you want to create is the first step.
Visit jewellery // sculpture II Exhibition in Vienna from 12.09 – 30.11
Ayman Al-jarbou
Ayman is a contemporary craftsman and designer specializing in leather goods. Under the label ‘Lerif Designs’, he produces hand-constructed minimalist leather goods from his atelier and showroom in Vienna. Being manifestations of craftsmanship and celebrations of material, the items he creates communicate values of durability, honesty and integrity of process.
Necklace: Neon Zinn
Cuffs: Rosivita Schmuckgesang
Ring: Mies Nobis
Head Scarf: Combinege
Shirt: FIN
Have you always wanted to be an artist?
I never thought this would be the case. I grew up in an environment where arts, and especially crafts as occupations were looked down upon. Therefore, I never had much exposure to arts and crafts and I never really knew or met any artists or craftsmen growing up. One does not know what is possible unless one is exposed to different possibilities.
What inspires you?
The work of others gives me inspiration. For me, ceramics are a big source of inspiration. As with leather workers, potters have a relationship to tradition that stretches back to the earliest days of civilization. I imagine ceramicists have a similar feeling as I have with my work when they mold clay in their hands. In addition, form and physical feeling of the object is the very important to how it is experienced.
Necklace: Claudia Steiner
Shirt: Marcel Ostertag
Ring: Mies Nobis
Could you describe your creative process to our readers?
It’s difficult to describe. I start with an idea I want to implement, chew it up in my mouth like a piece of gum, turning it around in my mind and looking at it from different angles. I then begin playing around with the general dimensions of the object on paper. Then, when I have enough dimensions to make an initial model, it becomes something tangible and I can see how it reacts to touch. From there, it is only a few more models and prototypes away from being a reality.
If you could describe your aesthetic in three words, what would they be?
Minimalism, honesty, integrity
Necklace: Neon Zinn
Cuffs: Rosivita Schmuckgesang
Ring: Mies Nobis
Shirt: FIN
What kind of an impact do you want to make with your art?
I want the items I produce to communicate to the respondent ‘look at me. feel me in your hands. I am a part of your life now. Don’t compromise. Fill your life with things like me.’
How do you see the primary role of an artist in today’s society?
I believe the primary role of an artist is to prompt the recipient to explore emotions. We go about our daily lives rarely experiencing the most of the wide range of human emotions. For me, art is a great facilitator for that.
What makes you happy?
Sharing moments with loved ones
What is the first artwork you ever sold?
A cardholder in natural vegan leather with a lining made from indigo fabric from Japan which was woven 90 years ago
Necklace: Neon Zinn
Cuffs: Rosivita Schmuckgesang
Ring: Mies Nobis
Head Scarf: Combinege
Shirt: FIN
What are you working on right now? Is there a project you are currently obsessed with?
I am currently obsessed with indigo dyeing. It is such a magical process with cannot be quantified so scientifically. The dyer must develop a feel for the indigo bath from smell and gut feeling. It has such variability and unpredictability. I love it.
What are your plans for the future? Where would you want your career to be in 10 years?
I would want to be in a position where I continue to explore new materials, designs, and techniques and therefore continue learning. I would also want the items I have already designed to be appreciated enough that people are willing to be waitlisted to receive them.
Who are some of your favorite artists? What work of art do you wish you owned?
Ooh, I am a huge fan of all Viennese young artists such as Angelika Loderer, Philip Mueller, Dejan Dukic, Maria Ritsch. I wish I owned a giant Rothko covering an entire wall. I could stare at it for hours.
What advice would you give to young artists starting out?
Never compromise your vision. Never.
Jean-Luc Armance
Jean-Luc is a self-taught German artist living in Vienna. Jean-Luc‘s art is a colorful reaction to his environment. Balancing his studies in business law, a career in music and art, he has a unique view on the world. His influences come from global socio-political topics, highest auctioned artists and American Hip-Hop and Pop culture. Starting his art career only about a year ago, Jean-Luc has already celebrated major successes in the art-world: selling numerous paintings with rising prices, exhibiting a prestigious art-festival in Salzburg, Austria (after painting for three months), interviewing on national TV, and winning the crowd favorite High Art award 2019 in California, USA (from 4000+ submitted artworks out of 129 countries). Easy to say Jean-Luc is a rising star in the art-scene.
Necklace – Neon Zinn
Have you always wanted to be an artist?
Yes (an actor)
What inspires you?
The current zeitgeist
Could you describe your creative process to our readers?
I creatively mix whatever I see relevant right now. From the content or story of my artwork to the aesthetic style. To create a time witness. I want people in the future to go back to my painting an easily understand what subjects mattered in this time period and what the state of the art was.
If you could describe your aesthetic in three words, what would they be?
Beautiful and emotional
Necklace – Lynne Speake
Dress – La Lica
What kind of an impact do you want to make with your art?
Reach everybody and drive a change in arts and in the world’s society
How do you see the primary role of an artist in today’s society?
Raise awareness and lead into the future
What makes you happy?
Meditation, beauty
What is the first artwork you ever sold?
An abstract and colorful gorilla head with Donald Trump hair and rockets flying out of his mouth along the words ‘King of the Jungle’
What are you working on right now?
A painting about the situation in the Amazonas rain forest, where it has been burning for days but the mainstream media and politics kept quiet about it for so long
Is there a project you are currently obsessed with?
My rap-music
Rings & Necklace – Mies Nobis
Shirt – FIN
What are your plans for the future?
Build my career as an artist in music and painting. As well as doing some shockingly good installations on exhibitions
Where would you want your career to be in 10 years?
Legendary
Who are some of your favorite artists?
Basquiat, Löwentraut, Travis $cott, Migos, Young Thug
What work of art do you wish you owned?
Astroworld
What advice would you give to young artists starting out?
Don’t be afraid
Photographer: Alan Bayer
Stylist: Maya Chan
Production: AA-Collected
