Tobias Molitor

My studio is my dream coming true, a playground and space available 24/7, a melting pot of ideas where I can produce whatever I want and meet interesting people.

What I do in one sentence: I collect everyday things and reproduce them.

Why I didn’t get a proper job: I had many and I still do, but just a 9 to 5 would be too dangerous.

An artwork I dream of and I would get accomplished if space, time and money were abundant: There are many… For example, I would love to walk into a supermarket and buy every single item off every shelf. The final receipt would be the piece of work.

Why I do what I do: It’s a promise I made to myself as a child.

Artists, I have on my watch list (and why): The most recent piece I got is from Clara de Tezanos. She is from Guatemala, but I first saw her work in Mexico City. I love her unique and philosophical approach to how we humans use light. Her ceremonial tools, which she also uses in performances, combine two artistic approaches and show the deep connection we humans have with nature and the sun.

Other artists I have followed for years (and this is just a small selection) are Thomas Wachholz, Liu Bolin, Jac Leirner, John Baldessari… The list is constantly growing, and that is the beauty of the art world. One piece that is timeless and always on my mind is by René Magritte: The Empire of Light (L’Empire des lumières). When I first saw the original piece in Venice, it was mind-blowing.

I am afraid of asking myself the wrong questions.

I know that a piece is finished when it matches my visual draft and idea. Sometimes there are unpredictable surprises in the process, and then it’s just a decision to say “stop.”

How I want to be buried resp. words I want to be written on my tombstone: Cremated and spread in the sea far, far away at a beautiful spot, so friends and family would need to travel to visit me. But I would make sure that it is worth the trip. : )