ARTIST INTERVIEW WITH TIM PLAMPER FOR NUCLEUS

Johann Alexis von Haehling: The installation piece Atlas 002 you show for the Nucleus Project at Circle Culture Gallery in Berlin explores the idea of borders and  opposites. What inspired you to embark on this challenging journey through south- eastern Europe and Turkey, and how did these experiences influence your work?

Tim Plamper: A decade ago, I went on this journey, driven by a long-standing fascination with the Caucasus, deeply rooted in the myth of Prometheus, opting to travel overland from Berlin to Mount Kazbek to fully experience the journey’s physical and cultural dimensions. Along the way, the ruins of Soviet utopias and architecture in the Balkans profoundly impacted me. A significant event was the loss of all my digital documentation to a broken memory card; what seemed a disaster became a catalyst for a new approach of creation, leading me to work
with salvaged sound fragments. This shift uncovered deep emotional resonances and helped me to give life to the images I sought.

JVH: Also the text describing the Atlas series mentions the loss of your digital travel archive during your stay in Istanbul. How did this loss shape the final outcome of your work, particularly the sound collages you developed?

TP: As I indicated already, this loss was of great significance, forcing me to abandon concrete images and embrace the fragments of sound. This shift allowed me to rely on personal memory and emotion rather than pictorial representations of my journey. Sound, with its unique ability to evoke deep emotional responses, offered a new dimension to my work. The need to work with sound unlocked this new emotional depth, and I began to immerse myself in it. I then locked myself in my room for four days – I don’t even know anymore if I slept at all – and created this concept album, which I later named Europa.

Atlas became the title of the central track,symbolizing both the mountain range I visited and the broader, emotional landscape I sought to map. From this track, I developed the whole series of drawings with the same title.

JVH: Your soundscape Atlas combines recordings from various locations, including the Kura River in Tbilisi and the violent clashes in Istanbul. Can you talk about the significance of these sounds and how they contribute to the narrative of your work?

TP: To understand the context, I should mention that during my stay in Istanbul, the ongoing ISIS siege in southern Turkey set the stage for nightly, dramatic clashes between the Kurds and police in my neighborhood. The police, patrolling with helicopters and engaging in street battles with burning barricades, used tear gas extensively. My hotel was at the heart of this chaos, requiring me to navigate the turmoil, once even jumping over a burning barricade. I captured video footage of those street battles  and from the beautiful landscapes, I traversed, such as the Kura River in Georgia, railway noises, and Balkan architecture. The significance of these sounds lay not in their direct representation but in their role as a medium for translating my experiences into visual forms. These auditory elements became a means of expression, capturing the essence of my journey. Consequently, my drawings reflect fragments of these soundscapes, transformed into abstract representations that convey the emotions and experiences of the journey. The sound is the soul of the images, and the drawings its reflection.

JVH: In these drawings, you translate these soundscapes into visual form. How do you approach the process of converting auditory experiences into visual art?

TP: It was actually less of a process and more a moment recognition. The software I used to create and mix the soundscapes simultaneously visualized the audio as images. This feature proved invaluable, revealing images that matched my vision and served as perfect metaphors for my intended work. By extensively zooming into these visualizations with tools like Photoshop, I extracted and selected small fragments. The resulting drawings depict brief, carefully chosen auditory moments – only a few seconds long – that were meticulously altered during the drawing process to create the final images.

JVH: Your work often involves the layering and removal of material, creating a sense of depth and complexity. How does this technique relate to the themes of association and dissociation in your art?

TP: I often compare my drawing technique to sculpting within a confined space. In the Atlas series, this approach was notably physical, utilizing large graphite pencils to hammer deeply into the paper, fostering the material’s depth and the extensive technical possibilities of drawing – from rubbing to scratching to striking. For me, drawing involves tactile engagement and the effective use of limited space. Atlas exemplifies this by combining the physicality of materials with conceptual exploration of pictorial space. I incorporated the visuals of the auditory fragments and mixed them with several other images, including those from Georgia and others chosen for their visual resonance. These layers, often totaling 30 to 50 per drawing, contribute to a rich and complex visual effect. A key aspect of my work is the interplay between the concrete and the imaginary, or “image” and “picture”. I use visual associations – such as bones, plastic chairs, bird beaks, and human forms – to create rhythmic coherence. This rhythm guides the viewer and enhances the thematic depth of the artwork.

Dissociation refers to both the drawing process and my mental state during creation. The most impactful moments occur when I enter a trance-like state, where conscious control gives way to intuitive interaction with the image. Music, particularly techno, is integral, synchronizing with my body’s rhythm to facilitate a holistic approach. This process allows the artwork to emerge from a realm that is larger than myself, imbuing it with a sense of magic and completeness.

JVH: You mention that your drawings are not meant to ‘tell’ something, but rather to ‘show’ the process of recognition. Can you elaborate on how this approach influences the viewer’s experience?

TP: To clarify, ‘narration’ for me is tied to language and storytelling, distinct from drawing. When I exhibit a drawing, I present an image rather than tell a story. Unlike textual narratives, images lack temporal sequence and convey everything simultaneously, allowing viewers to explore them from their own perspectives. My images aim to be accessible and multi-layered, combining familiar elements with personal significance. In my drawings, I often depict objects as opening elements in the graphite landscape through the negative space surrounding them, thus inviting the viewer to fill this ‘vacancy’ with personal experiences. The most rewarding aspect is when viewers deeply engage with my work, leading to meaningful discussions and connections.

JVH: The concept of borders, both physical and metaphorical, is central to your work. How do you see these borders evolving in today’s increasingly interconnected world?

TP: For me personally, the ‘border’ is less of interest than the concept of ‘threshold’ – the intangible space between two distinct realms. In today’s interconnected world, the concept of borders – both physical and metaphorical – is evolving dynamically. While physical borders are becoming more permeable due to technological advances, facilitating cultural exchanges and connectivity, metaphorical borders are shifting as societies reevaluate cultural identities and values in response to global interactions. However, this increased interconnectivity can also intensify divisions, leading to a resurgence of nationalism and xenophobia, as seen in recent societal shifts. Especially through my work cycle Exit II, I explore these transformations, advocating for a world where borders are seen not as barriers but as opportunities for mutual growth and enrichment. My work seeks to bridge differences, using art to foster dialogue, challenge prejudices, and promote a more inclusive understanding of the ‘other,’ underscoring the potential of art to connect and transform societies.

JVH: Finally, how do you envision the future of your artistic practice? Will you continue to explore these themes, or do you see yourself moving in a new direction?

TP: Since 2018, my artistic direction has been set, blending filmmaking, performances and drawing into a unified and interconnected body of works. The key themes that have captivated me persist, and I am deepening my exploration of these in all domains. Currently, I am preparing a major solo exhibition featuring large-scale drawings that merge text and image, reflecting the integrative style of my films. Additionally, a new drawing series is planned to be build as an extension of Atlas, revisiting themes of transition, the fluidity of our human nature, the stories that define us, and the importance of our cultural tools, shaped by a decade of new experiences. Amidst a sharpening political climate, these themes have gained urgency, prompting me to address these evolving challenges through my art, thus communicating deeper reflections on contemporary issues.