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Spraygraphic Interview with Artist Max Hattler
By Spraygraphic | November 12, 2008
Spraygraphic Interview with Max Hattler
SG: Please tell us about yourself?
MH: I’m an experimental filmmaker, music video director and live audiovisual artist. German-born, London-based, studied at Goldsmiths and the Royal College of Art. I divide my time between working independently as an artist, making and performing experimental moving image work, and as a director for commercials and music videos with production companies Bermuda Shorts in London and Storm Studios in Oslo.
SG: Where do you currently live and work?
MH: Right now I’m in Paris for a few months, directing an experimental short film with French animation studio Autour de Minuit. It’s a kind of musical called Spin, and will come out in 2009. Autour de Minuit already distribute my RCA graduation film Collision and I’m pleased to be working with them on a new project.
SG: What mediums do you work with?
MH: Usually single-screen video work, usually using animation techniques and approaches.
SG: Describe your working process when creating a new work.
MH: I tend to employ a mixture of feeling my way, trial and error, and organic growth… Editing is very important to me, as is sound. If at all possible, I don’t work with storyboards, but instead work on images, sound and editing at the same time and let the different elements cross-pollinate and influence each other in the process of creating the piece.
SG: What kind of things do you do when you get blocked or find it hard to create something?
MH: Work on something else. My short film Drift and the Economy Wolf music video Mount Allen for example were made at the same time. Alternating between projects can be a good way of keeping working.
SG: Where are you currently finding your inspiration?
MH: Travelling. This year my work has taken me to many wonderful places – snowy East Iceland, a garage sale in upstate New York, Trinidadian rainforest, or the Tokyo fishmarket – it all filters through and feeds back into my work.
SG: Where has your work been seen?
MH: My films have been shown mainly in film, animation and media art festivals around the world, over 250 to date. Some exhibitions and DVDs. And of course cinema and TV for the commercial work. I do my live A/V performances at festivals, in art space and sometimes in clubs.
SG: Where will it be seen next?
MH: In November I’m doing talks at the Royal College of Art in London and at Animated Dreams Festival in Estonia. And I’ve got a solo exhibition at Someone’s Garden Gallery in Tokyo, which includes a preview of my latest video piece, Aanaatt with music by Jemapur. The video will be out on 26 November on Jemapur’s CD+DVD ‘Evacuation’, released by W+K Tokyo Lab. Japanese arthouse publisher Uplink are releasing ‘Max Hattler vs. Robert Seidel’, a DVD which contains most of my works and those of Robert Seidel. This will be out in Japan from December. For updated screenings and events go to my website.
SG: What is your favorite color?
MH: Not black, brown or grey, not since I arrived in Paris. If there’s one thing I hate about this places is that everyone dresses like it’s one big fucking 24/7 all-year funeral. I started wearing a bright red jacket with day-glo sneakers as an act of rebellion.
SG: What book/magazine are you reading this week?
MH: The Hemingway Reader
SG: Where is your favorite place to hang out?
MH: Mado Lounge on the 52nd floor of the Mori Tower, Roppongi Hills, Tokyo. Its best to go clubbing and watch the sun come up over the city. Breathtaking.
SG: Ever do a self portrait? Where is it now?
MH: I did one for Dazed and Confused (Feb 2006 issue).
SG: Any final words of advice?
MH: No.
Images: 1. Collision, 2. Mount Allen (still), 3. Big Chill, 4. Aanaatt (shoot) 5. Aanaatt (still), 6. Drift.
Topics: Artist Interviews, International-Art, Sprayblog |
