Interview by Duncan Cardillo, Wayne State University, Detroit

Questions: The Stuckist manifesto attacks art school education, saying it "...has become a slick bureaucracy, whose primary motivation is financial." Do you agree with the Stuckists opinion of art education? Do you think artists coming out of art school today are misguided by the educational system? Is there too much emphasis on theory and postmodernism?

That I can not answer from personal experience, because I have never been to art school. The main point here is that at a university people are being prepared for a CAREER and art school is no difference. For me the emphasis has always been on the ART ITSELF ignoring the career consequences. My objective has been always creating, not learning how to support myself through creating.

Did you study art at the university level, and if so, what was your experience like?

See above. I don't fit too well into hierarchies and I am not good at taking orders. Painting is the one field in my life where there are no limits, no compromises, total freedom, I can do what I like. Going to art school would have meant that I would have had to subordinate myself to a professor who would then have tried to force HIS point of view onto me thus obstructing the development of MY way. I could not allow this to happen.

If you identify yourself as a Stuckist, does it necessarily follow that you dislike conceptual art, installation art, or performance art?

Not necessarily. The thing that seems to annoy the Stuckists (and most people in general) is that most concept art lacks honesty, that spectators feel that are being made fun of. To me most of it looks like a clever money making scam and it does give contemporary art a bad name. There may be exceptions to that, though, and the line is not clear.

Do you communicate with other Stuckist groups?

Yes very frequently, in fact the German Stuckists are holding group exibitions (aptly entitled STUCKOMENTA) regularly, the next one will be taking place here in Munich at the end of March, 2007.

Is the Internet the catalyst for your becoming a Stuckist?

The Internet is the platform that makes most things possible and even though I came to know about Stuckism by reading a book, all communication has been over the net.

How do you respond to the charge that Stuckists are retrogressive, reactionary, conservative, or their work is derivative of older modern art movements-that Stuckism is indeed "stuck" in the past?

Wo cares ? All art is derivative to a certain extent at least. Bear in mind that Stuckism is not a style, it's a movement. And all those terms are just words, labels put on our work by someone else. The only thing that really matters is doing the artistic work, painting the paintings, taking the photographs, drawing the drawings. What somebody else thinks is of no importance to me. I am an idiot today, a hero tomorrow, an idiot again the day after, who cares ?

Why be a Stuckist-why identify with a group if artists are valued for their individuality?

As a Stuckist you don't hand over your individuality when you walk through the door. I have not adjusted the way I live and work even a little bit. The only difference now (after joining the Stuckists) is that I am what I am but I also (additionally) am a Stuckist.

Do you follow closely the developments of the original Stuckists?

I check the webpage regularly and I am in loose contact with some of the other Stuckists.

Is Stuckism in your nation different from British Stuckism, and how so?

It is at a whole different level here. In the UK you have lots of groups and also a lot of attention. In Germany it is still totally underground, just a few people organising their own shows. Attention is growing, though, and doing indpendent exhibitions is a lot of fun.

Do you agree with Charles Thomson and Billy Childish that art should be spiritually based?

How can it not be ? If what you do is not spiritually based, then it is hollow, lacking meaning, why bother ?

Do you think postmodern art practices are devoid of spirituality?

I don't know enough about postmodern art practices to make a judgement.

What is your opinion of young British artists ("yBas") such as Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, Sarah Lucas, Jake and Dinos Chapman, Chris Ofili, etc.?

I have no real opinion about them because I have never met any of them in person and they don't speak to me through their work. If, for example, I look at Hirst's shark I feel ... nothing.

Do you think they are successful because they know how to promote themselves better than other artists do?

Definetely. And because they have had the right people supporting them in the background.

Interview conducted by Duncan Cardillo, Wayne State University, Detroit, March 2007

Why staging a Stuckist show is also a political statement

Please forgive me for stating the obvious but some things have to be stressed every now and then in order not to allow them to be forgotten. Having the possibility to privately organise an exhibition of unconventional paintings and photographs is a privilege and a fairly new one at that.

Not so long ago in Germany's dark past most of the paintings exhibited in a show like the STUCKOMENTA 3 would have been considered 'degenerate' in the official language of that time. The artists involved could have been subjected to all sorts of abuse, ranging from personal harrassment to imprisonment, or worse.

Even if the term 'degenerate' is not used anymore nowadays many of the paintings shown would be impossible to exhibit in quite a few countries for the simple fact that they contain nudity or other subject matter that is considered 'unsuitable' or 'obscene' there.

Being able to organise a show of paintings without the fear of censorship, without risking negative consequences from official channels is a privilige not shared by the majority of people on planet earth. A good example for censorship still being present today is the fate of Stuckist collage artist Michael Dickinson who was imprisoned in Turkey for making a collage that critisizes the head of state, a thing forbidden in Turkey. (--> details)

Freedom of expression is not a given, and even though one is tempted to take it for granted, it has to be defended and fought for constantly.

If staging an independent art exhibition is helping just a little bit then that is an additional motivation to keep doing what we do.

The Theory

thoughts and philosophy

creative process : To begin with there is always the empty canvas or sheet of paper. The main point is starting to do something at all. What comes out comes out. No regrets. Period.

titles : People want titles and through those titles expect readymade meaning. The main message here is to encourage people to think for themselves. Whatever the painting tells the viewer that's what it is. Often people come up with more interesting stories and intricate explanations as to what a certain piece of art might mean than it's creator could have ever thought of.
This realisation is vital. Art only counts if it provokes thoughts. So for indexing reasons most paintings carry the title of a song that played when the painting was either begun or finished. The title of a painting does not necessarily help in deciphering its meaning.

techniques: The final piece of art is all that matters, the way there mere detail.

computers: The use of a computer as means of artistic expression is justified as long as the use does not exceed that of a digital drawing pad, i.e. as long as the artist is able to control all aspects (parameters) of the computing process.

materials: Materials should be cheap. Artistic output must not be reserved only to those priviliged enough to be able to buy expensive supplies. Materials used amongst other things are canvas, wood, industrial screen printing board and various kinds of paper. Colours used are acrylics, oil paints, water colours and whatever was available at the time.

the artist: Again the outcome is all that matters. People are what they are and being able to paint does not automatically make one a better person. It's always the song never the singer.

training: None. And proud of it. Accepting one's limitations and ignorance is vital in order not to let someone else's expectations interfere with the act of creation even if that means that the work of art is considered somewhat of lesser quality than it could be. Who's to judge ? Painting is the most primal and personal activity there is.

freedom: True freedom is a state of mind. The challenge is to stay fresh and mentally independent (if there is such a thing) as the years go by.

inspirations: Too many influences to name them all. See here for a few examples.
For now a quote from Jello Biafra: It's never too late to THINK.

a dead shark: isn't art. Don't believe the hype, Duchamp was joking. Stuck ? You bet.