(1977) Lives and works in Stockholm and Prague.
With his paintings, videos and clothes (under the label Fienden), Christian reveals his debt to surrealism at the same time situating his work in a contemporary philosophical tradition, combining politics and psychoanalysis. One theme that runs as a leitmotif throughout his work is how the “real thing” never corresponds to the authenticity it promises. But this is not to be confused with a postmodern stance where the authentic and the copy are fused, disintegrated into one another. Instead, to Saldert the authentic always re-appears, not in an uncontaminated pure form, but through a “parallax gap” that the copy renders possible. In this sense authenticity is never an object independent from the copy, but rather the blind spot that dislocates a political, sexual or religious identity. This becomes evident in his recent work, where the polymorphous identities of nuns - sexual, religious and political - are at the same time impossible to fully realize and, precisely because they are unrealisable, truly authentic.
Is art a monologue or dialogue, if dialogue then between who, how do you see your ideal admirer?
Art is a Demonologue. An horrific communication. That's why the ideal admirer is a young and heartless person with a lot of money to spend on art.
What is postmodernism to you?
Nothing more really than to have a theoretical anchor point which allows an artist to do whatever the artist wants. A grand narrative without any framework whatsoever. A term that seems especially coined for really bad middleclass artists. Middleclass and bad, exactly like me.
What would you do if not art?
I would like to answer cooking. I really would like to be a chef. I love the cookbooks of Auguste Escoffier. He ( Escoffier ) was into art as a kid but later turned to cuisine, for me it was the other way around. The reason why I can't answer cooking though, it's because chefs in general don't seem to be all that nice and the environment seems like shit, so I have to answer advertising.
Would you like your children to be artists too?
Of course...Children of artists never make it really...So it could be really interesting when you get old to have a grown up little one that are into extreme pottery.
What's the Swedish art scene like, do you have a strong connection to it, or you count yourself an outsider?
No, not an outsider. I'm educated at the Royal College of Art in Stockholm, so I have a really traditional connection to the Swedish art scene. I respect the scene deeply, but not the rules. There's a certain tradition that you're supposed to get acknowledged for your work first and by the work only. I've always tried to get acknowledged through different popular cultural channels such as TV, radio and magazines and so on, because I'm interested to build a certain social platform around my work in order to get as much coverage as possible to explain the work. My work is direct and of course I want to communicate that directness everywhere you can hear or see me.
What artist works would you buy for your private interior?
Let's say you talk about painting...I would then look around through who's graduating at different GOOD art schools. I would then pick around three artists that a liked. Two that I absolutely hated. I would then put the three on the wall and just wait for the two I hated to get really filthy expensive. I would then sell both of them and buy one of those ugly Campbell's soup cans.
Do you think that there is a hope, that contemporary art would go back to the renaissance naturalistic style of painting?
There are already several artists painting the renaissance way, however their problem always is the lack of personality. The only exception I can think of is Norwegian painter Odd Nerdrum, at least he's having some cock.
Is there a future for painting at all? Why?
Painting will only get stronger. The more advanced printouts you get, the bigger digital screens you get, the aura of the painting will only get greater. The unconscious will always forever seduce you, exactly like a great painting always will.
Whose opinion on what you do matters for you? Mother's, art critic's?
Is not a matter of who's saying what. It's a matter of what their saying, if someone actually says something at all, which is very rare.
What press do you read?
I read all the free magazines I get my hands on. Otherwise I read Time and The Economist and those other boring genderless, slick papers. Art magazines I only read when I meet gallerists. They always seem to have one under their arms. When I was younger I read a lot of porn, but the introduction of the internet ruined that reading habit of mine.
What's conceptual art for you?
Idea driven art, but I think it's a troublesome term, since I believe that most artists today work somehow conceptual, whatever they might do. I see it more as a local, sub term to postmodernism.
Can you teach art, what your art school gave you? What do you find special about Swedish art education?
Yes, as I mentioned before I have a MA from the Royal College of Art in Stockholm. I also went to Central St. Martins in London, so if I want I can teach art. What's special with Swedish art education is the amount of freedom you get. It is probably completely unique in the world. There are no rules, that's the only rule. You can come and go, you can travel around the world if you want, as long as you keep in touch with your Professor. The other great thing is the vast amount of courses available and the nice workshops.
Do you listen to music while you paint? If so, what's on your i-pod / walkman / turntables these days?
I normally listen to radio documentaries. It's nice and you don't have to change track for an hour or so. When listening to music I always have to change track and that goes badly with painting and concentration and all that.
What's the last night you don't remember that someone told you what happened?
That happens all the time. Especially if I do things on the way home from bars. If I start to focus on going to bed, my mind shuts out everything else. I can't remember the last time I remember a taxi ride home. I just wake up the next morning with brushed teeth.
What advice do you have for young artists just starting?
Take your time and get yourself in to the best of all art schools. Very simple and boring advice, but also very true.
Olga Temnikova
jun 14 '09
2 contributions
Olga is a graduate of the Estonian Academy of Arts, Graphic Design, Bachelor Degree (2003). Now working as a freelance graphic painter/designer/illustrator and gallerist in Tallinn.
published • June 14th '09
nov 22 '09 21:29
argonut
Total agreement... middleclass and oh so baaaaad. Give us a break!- (How-about your neck).
jul 9 '09 09:42
Harry
Put some trousers on for goodness sake