Nils Völker Giving Air a Shape

Actually it was more a series of coincidences as I have never studied art, but used to be a graphic designer for several years. Alongside, I was building little robots and machines just for fun in my free time. Over the time this became more serious and less a hobby as I had the chance to attend the very first exhibitions. So basically, I became an artist by coincidence without planning it from the start.

It is pretty important simply because it’s what I spend most of my time with. But although it’s not always easy to make a living as an artist, it’s a great and extremely diversified live working in different fields and meeting people in countries, which I would probably otherwise never have the chance to visit.

Very often I make site specific installations, so there’s usually quite early a point, when it becomes clear what type of work, what material, colors, and shapes are best for a specific exhibition site. So usually I get rather quick through the process of being not certain or too self-critical. One thing I like about the type of work I do is that there’s always this certain point, when the creative process is mainly thought through and the production starts. Then there’s simply no time left to be self-critical as usually the electronics and programming is too complex to spent any more thoughts on anything else than that.

There hasn’t been such thing like this one major turning point in my life, but there are constantly points coming up when the direction slightly changes. So becoming an artist was a long row of such opportunities and coincidences and, personally, I like to rather be flexible and take opportunities when they pop up than to have a longterm plan for the rest of my life.

This can be pretty much everything – from a certain electronic device I come across, a recently visited exhibition, blogs, …

No, I wouldn’t say so in general. There are so many different fields and many of them are doing great without the use of any technology. But of course, there are more and more new technologies, materials and processes that now become affordable and usable, so I’m sure it has an influence on artists as well and not only in my field. But unfortunately, a few forget that solely using the latest technology or fancy materials doesn’t necessarily lead to great works.

Usually, it’s not the technology, which is limited, but rather my own knowledge about technology and electronics, which is very limited. I approach every new work pretty blue-eyed, expecting that everything is possible. Which usually turns out to be true, but way more difficult and time-consuming than expected.

There was a solo show “Thirty Three” in an old church in Caen, France, that has just closed. There’s also a very nice group exhibition open taking place until the 6th of October at the Mudac in Lausanne, Switzerland including one of my installations called “Eighty Eight #2“.

Don’t care too much about advices from others.