Interview-ON THE ROAD with Bert Teunissen & Gallery Solo Show @Witzenhausen Gallery 11/20/08

Photos On The Road by Bert Teunissen

Artmostfierce has been a fan of Bert Teunissen's work since the discovery of his successful book and series called Domestic Landscapes . Now Bert is ready for a new body of work opening 11/20/08 at the Witzenhausen Gallery along with a book of the same title ON THE ROAD.

I also managed to e-mail Bert a few questions regarding these new series . Please read interview below and see also On The Road show information.

Enjoy!

20 Nov 2008 - 10 Jan 2009
On the Road
reception for the artist:
20 Nov 2008 - 6-8pm

Witzenhausen Gallery New York
547 W. 27th street (between 10 & 11 avenue) at suite 530 (5th floor)10001 NYC, NY

RNSM- Bert, What is the main message that you would like to convey about your show and book On the Road?

BT-On The Road is the first of a series of Travelogs that reflect on my personal state of mind while doing the Domestic Landscape series.
Doing the project for such a long time and being away from home so often, is part of the consequences of doing Domestic Landscapes. Driving through Europe by car, meeting numerous people and being confronted with so many different circumstances does something with a person. That story I try to tell in the Travelogs. The Travelogs are also the stories I have to tell my family after another trip.
On The Road is the intrduction to these Travelogs and it concentrates entirely on the travelling I have done the project Domestic Landscapes.
A dummy with the first 10 volumes is with the publisher right now and will hopefully be printed in 2010.



RNSM- Your book and series Domestic Landscapes is a success. Do you see this book On the Road as a continuation of Domesticated Places? Do you think the public will embrace it differently? Why?

BT-I hope the public will understand that the Travelogs are part of the entire project and that the audience is as interested in my personal story as it has shown interest in the Archive.
The Dom. Landscapes make the archive (over 455 images so far) and the Travelogs are my personal story of doing all that.



RNSM-Do you think that the viewer and reader need to be familiar with Domesticated Places series to comprehend On the Road? Why?

BT-Yes and no: Yes because it is the second layer in the project, No because it can be seen as a thing on it's own and through OTR one can become familiar with D.L.
Many people who respond to On The Road now, have never heard from the Dom. Landscapes series.



RNSM- Which of the body of work series (DL vs. OTR) in your opinion consider more important and why?

BT-They are both important: they are both part of the same project. It is a search for places and the picture of the place is the final step of the search. And then it all starts again from the beginning. All I do is to allow my personal existence be part of the whole thing.


RNSM- Do you think the vision of these series will have a more global impact because in most countries they are roads that we travel on and they all seemed similar?

BT-I think so yes, but also consider that D.L., although entirely shot in Europe, is very popular in the US and also in South America. I guess everybody can reflect to it and recognize something of themselves in the situations that I photograph.



RNSM- Your work is quite sophisticated, elegant and documentary. I can see people in Europe getting your message right away. How do think this body of work will be perceived in America?

BT-I don't think there will be such a big difference. The work is quite universal I think. Even in Japan the reactions were the same.


RNSM- Do you perceive yourself more as a museum artist than a gallery or documentary one? Please explain

BT-More as a museum artist, because the project began so long ago and is still in progress. It is not that I make small series so every year I can make a new show. My work is a historical document and it is just great that it reaches such a big audience.
Next year I will start shooting in Eastern Europe (just received the message that the budget has been granted to me by the European Cultural Fund and by the Blue Earth Alliance. In the next 2 years I will be photographing every country between Turkey and Russia in the East of Europe.


RNSM- How do you feel about the current global economic crisis and how does that might affect your work and you as an artist?

BT-I do not have a lot of knowledge about these things, but I see a lot of opportunities. I am aware of the fact that it affects a lot of people in a very negative way, but I also see that people start dealing with it in different ways. I think that a lot of new perspectives will come out of it and that the world will change again and eventually will become kind of fresher.


RNSM- What would you recommend any aspiring artist in order to achieve success?

BT-Sing your own tune! Initially it has to come from the belly. And never give up!




RNSM-What is next for Bert Teunissen? Are you currently working on something new?

BT- A whole new world lies before me...


http://www.bertteunissen.com/