Once again we talk with the artists of meseon community. Today, we know more about Marcus Jansen (personal website) and his artwork. Enjoy it!!


Marcus Jansen:
"Art is life. It is the ability to see things and interpret them in a new way for others to see. It is juxtaposing life to find the new. This can come an various forms and we all do it, whether knowingly or unknowingly".


Q: Hi Marcus, first of all, we would like know more about you. Tell us who is Marcus Jansen, tell us something about your life and your childhood in your country.
A: Well, my life has been quite complex in nature. I was born in New York City in the late 60’s and resided in The Bronx NY. I came from a middle class neighborhood and a hard working family who came to the US for the “American dream”. My family immigrated to the United States in the 1950’s from Jamaica. Later we moved to Long Island NY where I started school and was selected for my first Art exhibition at the Lever House in Manhattan. Shortly after, I moved to Germany where I completed Highschool and the returned to the US after joining the US Military for eight years. It prompted me to be deployed to the first Gulf War, Korea and Germany where I met my lovely wife.

Q: What is art for you?
A: Art is life. It is the ability to see things and interpret them in a new way for others to see. It is juxtaposing life to find the new. This can come an various forms and we all do it, whether knowingly or unknowingly.

Q: Could you share some of your philosophy about art and artistic creation?
A: I find inspiration by working on each piece. Each work is a new inspiration and I try to out work myself everytime. It is through this search that we find new ideas. Art is much more about seeking and finding as life is. My work is about distorting the known and accepting the unknown as something valid and acceptable. I rely less on rational thought. My work requires instinct, balance and senses. This approach allows the unexpected to be found and shown in a painting. It is in the relm of the unknown that we learn something new.

Q: Have you always been interested in arts? When did you discover that art would be an important part of your life?
A: I would say yes. I started as a teenager being influenced by the graffiti art movement that started appearing in our Bronx neighborhood in the 1970’s. I perhaps even noticed more when I returned from Europe back for visits. The contrast between Germany and New York was drastic. It may have been that contrast that really opened my eyes to interpreting how I saw the world around me. I remember looking at paintings and saying to myself “ Oh, I can do that”. Germany introduced me to many European masters. I used all of those experiences together and something new was formed.


Q: How did you get started in the art world?
A: Probably like most artists, I started from nothing. I had bills to pay and after going to a School for design and later an apprenticeship for Painters, I decided it was never going to make me enough money to live from and joined the Army. The Army became my family and allthough it was tough, it may have taught me the lessons that were crucial for me to create the paintings I do today. So it is a love and hate relationship. After my discharge, I felt an urge to make my expreinces have some meaning in life. I started working on projects that initially showed to galleries that mostly rejected the work. Lucky me, that I was very determined, plus had the choice of making this work or doing a 9-5 for the rest of my life. This is how I saw the world at the time.
So I took my work to the streets in Germany and Soho NY for a while. I understood early on that it was also a business and treated it as such. It was in NY where I got my first real international feedback and many suggested for me to show in galleries. After month’s of rejection, the galleries came to me, one by one and we started building from there. One step at a time.

Q: Your artworks in meseon are paintings, Why do you choose painting as a means of expression?
A: It comes natural to me. Every artist has to find their own language. Art is a language and a new means of communicating. Paint is a free medium and it attracts me because there are no boundaries or limits with paints except the ones placed on it. It has no form but the form you give it in the work. So in a way it is like various medias in one. In my work I use it in various ways, by changing textures throughout the work rather than having only one texture in the painting. This requires a lot of editing in the process.

Q: What concept would you like to show to your viewers? What would you like say with your artworks?
A: Freedom of expression. We live in times where we are loosing the right to speak at all that doesn’t fit the norm. Art should never be silenced. I believe it is that what attracts my viewers to the work. The work in itself is a resistance against much of what is produced today.

Q: How has society influenced your art? What are the social implications of your art?
A: I would hope that all artists are influenced by their environments and society at large. But I find that many do not express it in their art. This has several reasons. One is that artists with a largely commercial market. This of course silently dictates what the artist needs to paint rather than the artists showing true personal interpretations if one wants to survive.
It has become a problem, and as long as the market is commercial it will always be a problem. But of course there are many factors to this. The other one may be that we have become to alike in our thinking and habits. Individuality is slowly disapearing. My work should remind people, it is ok to be yourself and original against what is generally done.


Q: Discuss one of your pieces. What were you thinking when you created it?
A: I am not big on discussing my pieces, because I am firm believer that pieces should be discussed by the ones viewing them. The idea of art is to include the viewers intellect and stimulate their mind and soul by putting a painting out you are saying: I did this, this is how I see the world”. The viewers job is to respond without help. But of course I understand that many wonder what the artist was thinking when he painted it. The answer often times is that I was not thinking much at all.

Q: What was your most important exhibition? Could you share that experience?
A: All exhibitions are important to me. They all have brought me one step closer to where I am today. I love exhibiting and having people respond to the work. Creating dialogue is a great way of touching other even for those who may not see anything in a piece of art. It is a great way that we can connect as human beings.

Q: What are the most important artist that are influence in your life and your works? why?
A: There are many. I would initially say I am an admirer of Robert Rauschenberg who I was delighted to meet and show with several times in group shows. He lived until he recently passed in our town. I admire his work ethic and for being a great composer as well as a great artist and person. Frank Gehry, Architect, who has broken boundaries in the world of Architecture and others like Jean Michel Basquiat for his spontaneous use of paint. Sometimes you see an artist and you just identify with his or her language. Picasso certainly was one as well as Hundertwasser.

Q: Could you talk about the procedures that you use in your artworks? Preparation, development and finishing.
A: The preparation is largely collecting various materials, photos and other things that catch my attention during the week from news sources or stories that I feel are important from reviews. I then lay them out and without any outline I start painting with wild and explosive brushstrokes that resemble those of the abstract expressionists. Towards the end I refine the work and ad mixed media at times to create a surreal feel to the work. I never quit on a work from being completed. That is bad habit one can slip in to and mearly means one gives up on ones self. If I do not like the way it is going, I keep trying until it is good.


Q: What do you feel when you are finished a artwork?
A: I did it again. It is always a nice a surprise.

Q: Do you have some challenge or goal which you are pursuing?
A: I always do. Each day is a goal met. Each accomplishment is something achieved. I have always measured success by small steps made. Everyday is a challenge. It is intimidating for any painter to step to an all white canvas and create somethin. Everyday is a challenge.

Q: Some quick questions:
- Tell us an artist: God – a higher power who created all
- Tell us a city: New York – most exciting
- Tell us a dream: Peace for all mankind

Q: Could you tell us something about you are currently working?
A: I just completed a commission for Warner Brothers Hollywood. I was commissioned to paint an interpretation of the historic movie the Wizard of OZ along side 17 other US based painters. Many famous artists have been asked to be part of the Wizard of OZ celebration before me such as Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Chuck Close and more. The paintings will be released at Art Basel Miami Beach on December 5th 2008 at the Ocean Drive Headquarters in Miami Beach. The works will be traveling throughout the world is my understanding and various Museums in the US. My work is a geo-political interpretation of the movie.
My next show is in London at Stolen Space Gallery starting October 24. 2008.


Q: Have you got some anecdote that you wish share with meseon community?
A: Stay inspired, stay yourself and stand up for our freedoms.

Q: For finish tell us, why do you create art?
A: It is proof that we are alive. It is proof we have a soul and it is proof that we are still human. Art is important because it let’s us know where and how we stand in the society we live.

Thanks a lot for your time Marcus. Has been a pleasure know more about you and your work.

Thank you. It is always my pleasure.