Phantoms, superheroes and time machines are some of the most irresistible and seductive fictions of pop culture. Andy Hope 1930 flirts with these notions and subverts them to create a unique visual language. Working in a range of mediums, he develops a complex universe of iconographic imagery that moves between historic monuments, relics of the contemporary, and spectres of futuristic fantasies.
In his new show, “Medley Tour”, he applies his time-bending practices on his own work. Like a musical medley that highlights the interconnectedness of one artist’s oeuvre, irrespective of chronology, Andy Hope 1930 revisits his artistic past to amalgamate elements of earlier works into new compositions. In other words, later works appear as if they were made before older ones and thus offer new readings of existing material to effect a reversal of references. Sleek caught up with the Berlin-based artist in the midst of preparations for his upcoming shows.
Sleek: You have two major exhibitions coming up, one at Kestnergesellschaft, and one in London, with Hauser & Wirth, both of which will be featuring new works. How quickly do you produce ?
Andy Hope 1930: I almost always show new works in my exhibitions, whether they’re in galleries or museums. But more importantly, I conceive of each show as a whole, as one display or installation. If older works are added, they’re embedded in this new setting where they come into a different effect. How quickly I work is not important; being quick has no value in itself for me. But I do work with certain “swiftness” – I don’t want to concentrate on one thing any longer than absolutely necessary.
Can you tell us something about the new work? I’m showing the “Medleys” for the first time. In a nutshell, it’s about mixings and modifications, as well as appropriations of iconographic images from my existing repertoire. And of course my repertoire is, in turn, an appropriation in itself, based on a blending and a manipulation of other available imagery.
In a way, the Medleys are like a directory of my earlier works. They are more pithy, symbolic, and object-based if you may. Like an index. This way, the relation between newer and older works gets reversed: the Medleys could even be regarded as pictures that were created before the „original“ motifs they reference, and so they affect a new seeing of older works. I use different methods and techniques in this process. The show at the Kestnergesellschaft is only the beginning of the “Medley Tour.”
How closely is your art related to current affairs, political, economic and so on? My art is very closely related to current affairs, more so than politics is. Politics only represents one aspect of reality. The same goes for economics. My art is extremely ‘economic’ though. I create a process for myself where I can encounter an abundance of choices, and keep them all open – decisions over ideas or materials. The work is the most important thing, and the challenges it represents for me are crucial. Conventional economy is usually only about control which is used against the work.
Do you believe in the existence of good and evil? Is this a distinction that can often be applied? I don’t believe in the war between good and evil, especially not when it’s being fought… for example against “evil capitalism” or “evil terrorists”. I do believe, however, that there’s good and evil, or at least sinister, and I need all these elements for my art.
You probably get asked that a lot, but who are your own personal heroes? Arthur Cravan, Ed Wood, Hedy Lamarr, Kenneth Anger, Shirley Clarke, J. G. Ballard.
Time and space also play a role in your works, like in Time Tubes, or Espace de Voyage. What is your take on time travel? Time travel is a very popular concept, sometimes it takes the form of a fairytale, and sometimes it’s futuristic, and then again extremely abstract or banal. For me, time travel represents a good “image” that helps us to subvert our ideas about history and find new ways.
What super powers would you like to possess and what time would you like to travel to if you could? I don’t wish myself any superpowers; I don’t want to be superior to anyone. I believe in the superpower of other things… as for time travel, I’d like to go to the future.
The Medley Tour is at the Kestnergesellschaft, Hanover, until April 29 2012. Andy Hope 1930 also shows at Hauser & Wirth, London from April 19 – May 26 2012.