PROLOGUE | PERSONAL
Jonas, imagine you’re welcoming us into your studio or home. Where would we talk, where would we meet you?
In the studio, upon entering, one becomes part of the art through all the colors, brushes, buckets and pots.
Perhaps we’re sitting in your favorite spot?
Drinking tea in Bülowstr. (Café Istanbul)
You were born in Berlin in 1984 and grew up there. After school, you studied sculpture at the Düsseldorf Academy of Fine Arts from 2007 to 2014 under Professors Markus Lüpertz and Siegfried Anzinger. Afterwards, you returned to Berlin. The studio at Potsdamer Platz, which also served as a workplace for your father, the painter Karl Horst Hödicke, for many years, is presumably both a biographical point of reference for you and an expression of the artistic continuity within your family. At the same time, it also marks the beginning of your own development as an artist. Which stages and people in your life so far have particularly influenced you?
My father
Which authors do you currently find exciting, and which books are on your bookshelf?
The Art of War by Sun Tzu and Little Stories by Great Artists by Laurence Anholt
Which books have influenced or shaped you?
None
What are you currently reading, and where is the book handy?
Short stories by great artists
What music do you listen to and when?
Music only distracts me.
If you were to cook something for us, what would it be?
Spaghetti
What is your favorite food?
Spaghetti
And what do you think about breakfast?
No time except Sundays with the family
What sport or leisure activity do you do to balance your artistic work?
Obsession needs no compensation
What particular passions or hobbies are you passionate about?
As I said, I’m obsessed. I don’t have time for hobbies
Which personality trait makes you special?
Obsession
Do you have a concern you would like to share with us? Or an answer to a question – not asked by us – that is currently on your mind?
no
INTERVIEW | ARTIST + POSITION
Please share with us the stages of your artistic career.
I was born into a family of artists, so from the very beginning.
How did you get into art? Why art?
I didn’t choose this, it was destiny.
What is currently making you happy? Artwise or personal, maybe it is relating …
I don’t need luck, I’m looking for perfection.
What is currently scaring you?
Stupid people
Do you believe that art has a social responsibility? And what do you think it can achieve?
Art is honest, it is what it is, and that is what makes it so exciting.
What characterises your art? What is your work about – what are the central themes?
My art seeks movement – in the city, in people, in the moment. Standing still has never been my thing.
INTERVIEW | CENTRAL WORK
THE DEED | DAS WERK: Jonas Hödicke
Please describe the core theme and central message of your work.
My art seeks movement – in the city, in people, in the moment. Standing still has never been my thing.
Introduce to us the work that you feel exemplifies or best embodies the message of your work.
Come by and take a look. If I had a lot to say, I would have become a writer instead of an artist.
What is the goal of your art, of your work - what is it supposed to do for the viewer?
Forget time and enjoy the moment.
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Die Frage nach THE DEED | DAS WERK ist ein ergänzender und separat präsentierter Teil des THE INTERVIEW IN|DEEDS mit Jonas Hödicke.
How do you protect yourself from too much inspiration these days?
With a great deal of ignorance
How much of your work is planned in advance – how much is intuitive?
Nothing is predictable
What are your – next – goals?
The next picture.
What is your stance on faith? Do you have any principles of faith or a guiding motto?
It is what it is, and whatever happens, happens.
Which project would you like to realise if lack of time, courage or financial resources were not an issue?
Have the bigwigs fired.
In your opinion, what are the attributes of good art?
Authenticity and expressiveness
Are artists born, or is studying art a prerequisite?
You’re either an artist or you’re not.
How do you see the future of art in the age of AI?
When the sun of cultures shines low, even dwarves cast long shadows.
What are your thoughts on NFTs?
Boring
Who do you show your new work to first?
To my wife
What does the first hour of your day look like?
Chaotic
In the age of the Internet of Things, are galleries still necessary? If so, why and for what purpose?
Yes, unfortunately. Artists should focus on their art, not on sales and marketing.
Social media – blessing or curse?
Definitely a curse
EPILOGUE | CURRENT
www.jonashoedicke.com
Instagram: @jonashoedicke1
LinkedIn: Jonas Hödicke
