Curt Walter

You have been creating artworks almost every day for decades. How does this daily practice influence your creative process and your understanding of art?

When I lived in a thatched cottage in Holland (1976–77), my credo became: realise an artistic idea every day, regardless of the material. At that time, I created terracotta sculptures every day over a short period of time. These were sculptures that I modelled in five to twenty minutes. Sometimes I spent several hours modelling. The mini sculptures appear large and monumental. The time and distance of the form from bottom to top, from back to front, is manageable for the eye and its perception and opens up a depth that takes on an existential dimension. What does that trigger in you? I would rather classify these artistic ideas in the category of the method of randomness. Through the movements involved in modelling clay, forms arise unintentionally, by chance, which then remain relevant for further processing. This credo is still anchored in my daily artistic approach today. The search for artistic ideas became an art research that deals with the material and craftsmanship on the one hand and the emanation of the work on the other.

You invented the concepts of Inside out Art and Outside in and out Art. Could you explain how these two approaches differ and how they complement each other?

The difference between “outside in and out art” and “inside out art” lies in the stimuli that manifest themselves on and in the retina. In “Outside in and out art,” what is seen is converted into electrical signals, which are then transmitted to the brain via the optic nerve. Consideration is given to how the object can be transformed into another function and then renamed as a work of art. The path to this idea led first through observation from the outside in and then through reflection to a supposed work of art. In “Outside in and out art,” the retina is stimulated from the outside. In “Inside out art,” the retina is stimulated from the inside, i.e., the stimulus comes from the inner eye, the subconscious, which stores an archive of images in the invisible. I access this archive through meditation. The images appear and I capture them in my drawings. Each meditation produces 8 scenographies.

In “Outside in and out art,” my retina was stimulated from the outside by inspiration or by contemporary artist colleagues. I was also inspired by old masters with their stories, techniques, and styles, or stimulated by my empathy for nature, flora, fauna, animals, and their emanation. I also found objets trouvés, which I declared to be works of art. I reflected on the nature of things, objects, landscapes, and design, and experimented with the ready-made.

Again and again, I set “signs of rebellion” in the aesthetic debate on topics such as nuclear disasters, military threats, control or non-control of fire, space debris, climate protection, nitrogen peroxide, apparence and apparition, lyrical landscapes, or playing with chance, or the forest in danger. Cognitive abilities have different origins. A precise answer to the question of where the inner images come from has not yet been found. The retina is stimulated from both sides. There is a hypothesis that the images perceived visually are stored in the subconscious outside the eyes. The creation of works that are influenced by external factors can lead to a mixture with images from the subconscious. Due to a lack of knowledge, I am unable to provide a precise answer to this question.

Meditation plays a central role in your Inside out Art. How do you prepare yourself for this meditative process, and how does it shape the images that emerge?

Preparation for meditation is done as follows: Charcoal pencils, colored pencils, sharpeners, watercolors, brushes, water, a bowl, paper, suitable lighting, and a singing bowl are laid out in preparation. The first step is to light a Japanese incense stick. The right environment is essential to ensure the concentration required to perform the activity. The tools are selected taking into account the specific requirements of the task at hand.

A prayer is said and the universe is invoked to the sound of the singing bowls. Then I have to yawn. Is yawning the gateway to the universe? When looking at a dark tunnel, a light can be seen at the end. My visual perception encompasses the entire area that spreads out before me. I approach the object until I finally see the image or sign. A thorough analysis of the object at hand is necessary to grasp the details, design, lines, and color. The image is memorized for further analysis. The focus of observation returns to the drawing, with the depicted motif anchored in the imagination. As part of my artistic practice, I interpret what I see on paper. It is not possible to view the image again under the given circumstances, as it is not possible to return to the tunnel. The image has been deleted. I am forced to repeat the process from the beginning. A new request is necessary. The process of creation is then initiated. The attempt to give the experience an aesthetic form is based on inner feelings. It should be noted that signs and writing cannot adequately express the event in its entirety. The signs therefore represent a mental echo. The present situation has no relation whatsoever to questions of personal taste. The image is conceived by the right hand, which can be regarded as a kind of projection of the mind. The process begins again. It is advisable to consult the universe. At the end of the session, a number of 8 to 20 signs were recorded on paper.

For further information, please refer to the social media platform Instagram, where the artist is active under the name “curt.walter.drawings.” All drawings created since “Atlas of Imagination” are listed below.

Many of your works reflect the tension between presence and absence, visibility and invisibility. Why is this theme so important in your art?

A detailed analysis of the 2,500 drawings on the Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/curt.walter.drawings reveals a recurring use of certain motifs or subjects. Depictions representing the potential in the fields of architecture, jewelry, landscape, ornaments, fashion, and people are evident. According to the doctrine of ideas, everything that appears and flourishes in visibility manifests itself as an image of invisibility. The present study deals with the question of what role invisibility plays in relation to the archive of images from the inner eye. The motif of the presence of absence manifests itself repeatedly in the drawings. The drawings presented here are to be considered incomplete, as they do not contain certain elements. These are left to the viewer to supplement independently. The nature and character of my thoughts and feelings manifest themselves in the scenographies. This process enables me to gain a deeper self-knowledge and achieve greater authenticity in my artistic expression. This is of significant relevance.

In your statement, you said: “Artificial intelligence has no subconscious. And cannot replace the artist.” How do you see the role of the artist in today’s technological world?

This study examines the role of the artist in today’s world. The aim of the study is to discuss the extent to which the role of the artist should confuse people. There is a violation of copyrights and the dissemination of false images and texts. It is essential that artists find their own unspoiled authenticity and draw from their subconscious. A change in the methods of producing works of art is necessary. This text deals with the contemporary perception of art and concludes that the traditional “outside-in-and-out” imagination no longer meets current aesthetic and cultural demands. It argues that it is time to finally perceive and see pure, authentic art. The resulting artwork lacks its own authentic idea from the inner eye, something from the artistic inner self, the archive of images from the parallel world of each individual. It lacks the artistic inner self, the archive of images from the parallel world of each individual.

The development of a technology capable of locating, visualizing, and making visible the image archive in my subconscious would be a remarkable achievement.

You often describe your drawings as “hieroglyphs” from the subconscious. Do you see them more as personal language or as universal signs that connect to collective human experience?

The method of image search used in meditation, in which the universe is asked to send visual impressions related to universal laws, is called “hieroglyphics.” The symbols presented are considered universal and undergo a transformation into a personal form of expression in the visual arts, more specifically in drawing and painting. The term has not been used correctly in this context, as the symbols were not carved in stone and therefore cannot be considered sacred. The term “scenography” is more precise in this context. The human subconscious is an essential aspect of the human psyche. Not everyone has access to this knowledge. The hypothesis that humanity is capable of collectively participating in the experience of the inner images of all people requires empirical evidence. The question of which artists tend to seek their works in an alternative reality, the subconscious, should be discussed. I am not aware of any others of this kind. It is quite conceivable that there will be an exhibition presenting works that have been created in a similar way to mine. Can you track down the artists? I would love to meet them!

You studied and worked in Paris during a time of great artistic experimentation. How did this environment shape your artistic journey?

In 1971, Paris was hit by a wave of major unrest. On several occasions, I was forced to flee by the police. During a personal encounter, I was introduced to the son of the sculptor Laszlo Szabo. At that time, his father’s art school, the “Académie du Feu,” was undergoing a phase of reorientation. The artist had moved from Paris to Germany, leaving behind a series of studios on Rue Delambre, Rue Daguerre, and Rue de la Tombe-Issoire, as well as a castle in Ravenel.

Peter Szabo asked me if I would be willing to revive the academy. First, it was necessary to take measures to promote the academy and provide the necessary premises. A brochure was printed and sent to various diplomatic missions and consulates. The students began working together, and within a short time, there was a lively flow of visitors. Over the course of about one summer, we had about 40 people of Japanese origin in our care.

At the same time, I attended the Beaux-Arts de Paris, Etienne Martin’s sculpture class. He acted as a catalyst for my individual development. I rejected the reproduction of the female model in front of me because I came to the conclusion that it was already a work of art and that imitating it was not my goal. Etienne Martin put it this way: “I believe that I take a similar approach to Paul Klee in my artistic practice. I refrain from adopting visual or thematic elements, but instead seek inspiration in other places.”

The Musée Cernuschi offered painting classes in which participants had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with Asian arts. My research focused on the Dadaists, Surrealists, and, in particular, the artistic and art-theoretical debates of the time, with Marcel Duchamp being a particular source of inspiration for me.