Inside the Studio

Rudolf Kosow

What are the major themes you pursue in your work?

The most important theme in my work is the portrayal of man and his relationship to his environment. A human who feels alone and simultaneously connected with nature can perceive things and events that he might’ve previously overlooked. In order to invite the observer to be a part of my paintings, I paint surrealistic and absurd scenes where things occur that are impossible or improbable in real life.

The encounter between humans and animals is another important subject matter for me. The scenes I create are strange, dangerous, dramatic, and sometimes ironic. There are so many ways for the observer to “develop” and imagine the action in the painting.

Another major component of my work is the concept of light. There is always a human who is eternally looking for something indefinite and impalpable, something magical that produces the source of light. I am very interested in representing light as a physical phenomenon and in a technical reproduction of light with oil paints. Some of my recent works play with concrete notions that we take for granted.

What was the best advice given to you as an artist?

Just follow your inner voice and always do what you like to do!

Prefer to work with music or in silence?

I always listen to my music when I paint. It helps to put me in an inner spiritual condition in order to get in touch with my painting. Music always gives me energy and power in some situations during the painting process when I am weak and tired. Depending on my mood, I listen to different styles of music: jazz, classic, rock’ n roll, ska, rocksteady and electronic music.

If you could only have one piece of art in your life, what would it be?

It’s almost impossible for me to decide, but perhaps Portrait of a Young Woman by Peter Christus.

Who are your favorite writers?

There are many, but mostly I read Erich Maria Remarque, Lion Feuchtwanger, Hermann Hesse, Franz Kafka, Fjodor Dostojewski, and Ernest Hemingway.