Merlin Kratky, _Under Construction_ (exhibition view), 2017, ©merlinkratky
© Merlin Kratky, _Under Construction_ (exhibition view), 2017

“My obsessive passion for everything I do can be very annoying”

Name

Merlin Kratky 

Profession

Artist

Website 

merlinkratky.at

© Merlin Kratky 2017
© Merlin Kratky, 2017

Who are you? What do you do? 

I am Merlin and I sculpt, paint and install.

Where are you from?

Vienna/Austria

Your style in 3 words?

Slick, nerdy, critical

Merlin Kratky, 'Premium Bananas',2012, ©merlinkratky
© Merlin Kratky, ‘Premium Bananas’, 2012

 Your weakness? Your strength?

My obsessive passion for everything I do can be very annoying,…but leads me where I want to go.

What makes you different? 

Who wants to be different these days? 

When did you decide to become an artist? 

…I can’t remember, It wasn’t a decision I guess…

Exhibition view -_Naked Banana_ @ Gallery Frey, Salzburg, 2017, ©merlinkratky
Exhibition view_Naked Banana_ @ Gallery Frey, Salzburg, 2017, © Merlin Kratky

What do you find most fascinating about your work?

Its about challenging myself every time I do a new work, trying to set the bar higher, achieving, failing, rebuilding, and with the next work starting the whole process again…

A few words about your favourite creation?

I guess my favorite work is always the one I am working on right at the moment… 

Merlin Kratky, _The Day Philosophy becomes Mainstream_, 2017, ©merlinkratky
© Merlin Kratky, _The Day Philosophy becomes Mainstream_, 2017

Someone else’s work that inspired or inspires you… 

From classics like Duchamp, Rothko, Basquiat, Twombly, Christo and Jeanne-Claude,…to newcomers like Joe Bradley, Claudia Comte or Genevieve Gaignard…

A new project coming up or an idea you want to work on?

I just found the track back to painting after a long time, so I will expand in this direction in the upcoming months, especially in combination with some of my more conceptual works…

Merlin Kratky, _The Day Philosophy becomes Mainstream_, 2017, ©merlinkratky
© Merlin Kratky, _The Day Philosophy becomes Mainstream_, 2017

Finish the sentence „More important than my career is…“

I have two Kids, so I’d say that question is mandatory.

2017: Where are we going? 

I hope forward….globally.

Merlin Kratky, _Super Cow_, 2017, ©merlinkratky
© Merlin Kratky, _Super Cow_, 2017

 Your city’s favourite spots? 

My Atelier! 

Do you have a vision? 

Quite a few…we’ll see which one gets realized in the end.

Tell us about your future plans…

I’m going to show my works on a fair in Miami end of the year and the goal is Hong Kong for early 2018…

Follow Merlin  on Instagram