Der Anfang: Bielefeld

Kunsthalle- Bielefeld, Germany

At this point in my life I had no idea what I was doing in Germany. I didn’t want to go and had no previous intentions of coming back to Germany as a place to live. I had been to Germany previously while I was on tour with my university choir.

I was in Bielefeld to get adjusted to European living. On one of my ware days off I was craving to see some art and to be around what felt natural to me. In the Kusthalle I was in a comfortable place again.

When I saw this man sitting alone it was like watching myself. I was on the outside looking in. He was handicapped, alone and dressed as if he was homeless. It was very much how I felt at the moment. I was unaware that at that particular moment God was humbling me. It was a perfect picture of us as a people. We are broken and yet God still reaches His hand out to us.

Before I left for Germany I couldn’t wait to get away from the current stress, work, struggles… everything was moving slowly and it was a challenge to motivate myself. I knew it was foolish to leave thinking I could start over and not have a care on my mind so I didn’t expect the best, but hoped for it.

I was constantly reminded of how my location had nothing to do with Gods work. There is a realm outside of the one I live in. I constantly live in my head. As an artist and musician I value my alone time and time to process and imagine. However the time I received was not the comforting kind. Though God can use us in various locations, the work is all for His glory. He is accessible to us no matter where we are and we can serve Him at any time.

 

Going to the Kunsthalle was the first time I drove alone in Germany. I had turned down a few wrong streets but I never felt lost and knew that I would find my way back. Though I was on the other side of the world I never felt that far away from my home. I  could find stability in God who has dominion over all realms, over every part of the world and over any situation.

I would love to say that being spiritually aware of God’s presence I trusted Him the whole time whilst in Bielefeld, but that was not the case. This was just the beginning of my journey.

Luka Rados

Berlin, Germany

TC: Where are you from? Does it play a role in your work or practice?

LR: I am from a city Banja Luka in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Origin is cores a big part of who you are as a person, but I think it doesn’t influence my work that much. I would say Berlin actually plays a bigger role in my work than my home town.

TC: When is your best time to work?

LR: I have a sketchbook with me always so whenever I feel like I need to do something but normally 7-10pm

TC: What kind of changes would you like to make in society through your at work?

LR: I just want to make myself and people around me happy.

TC: What influences your work the most?

LR: When I am out in a mall, gallery or club I like to pick up fliers and ads and then glue them to my door. I also like to read about other artists and their ideas and work.

TC: What motivates you?

LR: Normally I don’t have a problem with motivation 95% of the time, but when I do I like one sentence from architect Renzo Piano, “Architects should live 150 years, 75 years to study and the other 75 to build.” so that helps me to keep my head down and keep banging.

TC: Do you prefer sound or silence while creating? If sound, what?

LR: Sound. Definitely something loud and fast.

Manuel Macias

 

TC:Manuel can we get a brief bio?

MM:My name is Manuel Macias. I grew up in Alamogordo New Mexico and

currently reside in Las Cruces New Mexico.

TC:What is your earliest memory/memories of making art?

MM:My earliest memories of making art are drawing as a child. These were just

random and were focused on what was around my life at the time.

TC:When did you realize/ feel that you were an artist? Why art?

MM:I felt that I was an artist once I began art classes in high school. The classes I

took not only covered traditional mediums, but also gave me an early insight

into art history.

TC:Do you consider yourself a creator or a communicator?

MM: I think the goal is to be able to do both. You hope to make something visually

appealing or repulsive and to deliver a message. Create to communicate.

TC:What role does your art play with the viewer?

MM: The role of the art I make is loosely an examination of human emotion and

connection. Just exploring that.

TC:Where do you feel your ideas arise from?

MM:My ideas arrive from daily life and interaction.

TC:Your creative process?

MM: My creative process is slow and thoughtful.

TC:Do you feel like the messages in your art are private or personal? Or something

you feel comfortable  about?

MM: Its mainly stuff I feel uncomfortable about, themes that are relatable to

everyone.

 

TC:In what ways do you feel your art reflects you?

MM: Its my interpretation and ideas.