Inside the Studio
Tanja Vetter
What are the major themes you pursue in your work?
In my paintings, I am exploring the general theme of man’s relation with his environment by combining real images of the landscape around me with my personal remembered images. Everything we see is filtered by experience and memory. These remembered landscapes shouldn’t display a specific topography, but they are means of expression for inner experiences and conditions. I have always loved nature and have been fascinated by everything that the earth encompasses: sea life, mountains, forests, or simply the weather. It all matters to me. I am also a huge fan of nighttime. The night is readily used to create a haunting atmosphere.
What was the best advice given to you as an artist?
Be yourself!
Prefer to work with music or in silence?
I definitely like to listen to music while working. My musical taste ranges from rock to electronic to classical to jazz to folk.
If you could only have one piece of art in your life, what would it be?
Francisco de Goya’s The Dog, or Island of the Dead by Arnold Böcklin.
Who are your favorite writers?
I love Javier Maria’s prose. Some other favorite writers are Cormac McCarthy, Haruki Murakami, and the German writer Judith Hermann.
