“I don’t think of myself as being all too different from other folks.”
Name
Charlie Stein
Profession
Visual Artist
Website
Who are you? What do you do?
I am a German artist living in Berlin
Where are you from?
The German Forest. However I was born on an airplane somewhat closely in the airspace over Caracas, so that was marked as my birthplace.
Your style in 3 words?
Charlie F***ing Stein
Your weakness? Your strength?
I am fast, I am fast
What makes you different?
I don’t think of myself as being all too different from other folks. Amongst artists in Berlin this attitude is pretty common.
When did you decide to become an artist?
I painted my first oil painting when I was around 6 years old. The paint was old and I had no thinners. I was very unhappy with my stroke-dry triangles, circles and squares. I didn’t believe my mother when she told me it looked quite alright.
What do you find most fascinating about the creative process?
The pace of the creative process. It can take weeks, sometimes months to solve a single problem. Then I can churn out 12 new works in a single week.
A few words about your favourite creation?
I like them all the same – just like kids. Even the ugly ones.
Someone else’s work that inspired or inspires you…
I think Felix Gonzales-Torres’ whole body of work is impressively concise and touches me, but I also hang around the museum for hours looking at the Old Masters.
A new project coming up or an idea you want to work on?
I am currently working with the codes fashion conveys. It is almost like a distorting fun-house mirror of current societal issues.
Finish the sentence „More important than my career is…“
… the time I get to read.
2018: Where are we going?
2019
When the going gets tough…
Billy Idol gets you up again.
Your city’s favourite spots?
I like the little Turkish bakeries all along Kottbusser Damm with their selection of home-made bread, sweets and roasted nuts. For art, Sprüth/Magers, the Gemäldegalerie and NBK are always worth visiting.
Do you have a vision?
None that I can’t self-medicate.
What would you do if you could change the World?
I wouldn’t. Knowing me, I would probably cause all kinds of problems which I hadn’t been able to anticipate.
Tell us about your future plans…
I will hopefully be able to create more of the work I would like to bring to life and I hope to be able to work on the scale that I intend to be working on.
Last but not least: what is your favourite Song?
Currently Princess Nokia Brujas.
#…?
#burningNikes
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