Today we’d like to introduce you to Kurt Hentschlager.
Kurt, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Born in Linz Austria, started studying architecture and moved to become an artist. Bought my first computer in the late eighties, since then creating media performances and larger scale installations. Partnered with a colleague and toured around the globe for 10 years as a duo called “Granular-Synthesis”, in-between art, electronic music and performance… Moved to New York after meeting my future wife Claudia Hart. Moved to Chicago in 2007. Still touring and exhibiting internationally and also started teaching while in Chicago, at SAIC.
My artwork has characteristically been visceral and immersive, as ZEE and FEED, with extreme perceptual effects, composed from video, light, sound and also fog. These works physiologically affect the viewer’s experience. I prefer ephemeral, event-based work over material- and object-based work, find it more democratic and universally accessible.
Has it been a smooth road?
Never a smooth road as an artist. Coming from a no money background forced me to become self-activated and self-sustaining early on, consider myself self-made, not the least also – coming from the early days of digital – self-trained and a continued avid learner. Took me long to understand that my social life and social contacts make my life as much as my work, ultimately what counts is people and social experiences and interactions.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Art production, running a production company that produces my work. Which is about ideas and realizing them, often in the form of multi-year film production scale endeavors, high risk, also because of its usually experimental nature and occasional detrimental side effects. I enjoy creating work that from a more rational perspective shouldn’t exist.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I feel like a “sleeper” in Chicago, here but not here. Either teaching, in my studio or traveling. What helps tremendously is the super affordable real estate/rent, compared to NY anyway, and quick access to both airports.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kurthentschlager.com
Image Credit:
Bruno Klomfar, Timo Ohler
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