STATEMENT

Over the years I have come to see my drawings as a kind of exploration: the slow revealing of a world as yet unseen. Much like the real world, exploring these worlds has its challenges. No map exists for this terrain and I do not know what I will encounter. I must commit to a shape knowing that it will take hours and hours to complete. Since I rarely pre-sketch or plan with pencil, every line I lay down is final. A set of axioms provides some guidelines for my explorations, for example: No line may cross another by accident; Almost every line needs a partner. This set, however, remains unfixed and discovering new axioms, as well as stylistic elements within them, expands my palatte. The style of my work is defined by my discoveries: elements from various images may reappear or evolve in other pieces.

Even though I have developed this style since my childhood, it is not suspended in a vacuum. I am influenced by themes like those explored by M.C. Escher but my inspiration also comes from non-visual sources: The Polish science fiction author Stanislaw Lem served as the inspiration for the Solaris drawing. Is there a deeper meaning in the intricate inky maze? My answer is in line with one of the central themes of Lem's Solaris: Humans are curious, they describe and analyze, but they should be aware that, after all, nature does not care about meanings. At some point during the process of completing a larger project, I like to listen to Sun Ra or Charles Mingus - Sun Ra's music in particular comes the closest to recreating the sound that I hear when I listen to my drawings.

My current projects involve larger formats, allowing for the exploration of more expansive worlds. I am also continuing to pursue the discovery of new textures and elements that work in the context of my previous work.