ART - PERSON OF THE MONTH
Tim Bengel
Tim Bengel was born on December 31st 1991 in Ostfildern, in the near of Stuttgart, Germany. His curiosity for art first presented itself when he, still in his infancy, tried to imitate the abstract works he had seen at his first visit to the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart. Having remained true to his interest in art, he won his first art competition at the school he went to, at the age of 18.
For Tim Bengel, art means asking questions. What is art? What does make art successful? And who decides what art is?
Today, Tim Bengel engages himself with art and philosophy, at the elite university of Tübingen. Casually, he managed to make himself known as an artist with his unique pieces made from sand and gold.
On his journey on finding the answers to his questions, he is always driven to explore new works and projects. Currently, with the viral success in the social medias, he plans projects with his unique artworks in the whole world.
What does your logo mean?
To understand my logo, you first have to understand the meaning of my name. „Bengel“ means in german, a young cheeky boy, who plays not by the rules, but who is also not a bad boy. So he is mix between angel and devil. My Logo connects the divil trident with angel wings.
Asking the questions in your art, do you hope to get an answer?
No. Everything where the finding of answers is easy, bored me. So art and philosophy are two discipline, where you never can stop asking. I am a very curious man, because of that I will ever find a new question to solve.
Why do you choose gold and sand?
Because nobody else did. I like the strong contrast between black and white sand. The gold is like the „cherry on the cake“, the crowning point which makes the artwork more exciting.
Do you usually take commissions, or find buyers for the original work?
I just take selected commissions. If people came with great architecture or interesting people, I like it a lot, to work with them. But of course, the best works are these, who are created „free“.
What your creativity means for you?
It means that I could never do a normal 9 to 5 job. It means that I don’t know where I and my works will be in one year. It is my hope for a exciting life.
Do you have any ideas for collaborations with other artists or artistic communities, or even with the fashion industry?
Yes, I work together with other young german artists in Stuttgart. It’s great, everyone can profit from the skills of the others. Our artist-crew calls „Kunscht“. It’s swabian for art.
Are there any works that are not for sale, under any circumstances?
I will not sell the portraits of my family. Also my favorite work „Versailles“ is nearly unaffordable.
Was there anyone whose advice was influential for your artistic growth?
There is no special person. I learn from every one. From the failed artist I learn how it will not work and from the successful I learn how it could work.
What are your innovations in painting? Any special techniques, may be?
My innovations are the materials, the look of the works and the finishing of the paintings with the „magic-moment“. I don’t know any other artist, who creates works with sand and gold the way I do. It’s not easy today to find something new. Everyone things that everything was invented before. But I try to prove that’s possible.
Are there any famous people among those who bought your works?
If yes, I couldn’t tell ;)
What artists do you like?
I like a lot of artists, every artist have something that inspires me. Marcel Duchamp, Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst, Jonathan Meese...
What is, from your opinion, the difference between German and Russian artists?
Unfortunately, I never meet a Russian artist personally.
And in the end let me ask you who`s your favourite Russian artist?
Not a big surprise, it’s Wassily Kandinsky. I wrote my last project thesis about him.
With what materials would you like to work in future?
I work with sand and gold just for two years, so there is a lot more to explore with these materials.
Could you tell us 5 facts about yourself which nobody knows?
I got shoe size 45. I have a red cat named „Garfield“. I often ditch school. I love coconuts. I never went to Hawaii.
How did the idea of creating pictures in such a way appear?
I ask me the questions: „What can I do unique? What can’t anyone else do?“ I thought a lot about these, and some day at midnight I got the idea: „Why nobody works with sand? Maybe I should try it.“
It's a huge work. You cannot see the result until after the end of the process. Tell us how it happens?
I don’t tell all my secrets. But I know exactly what I do.
Are you an innovator in this style or are there other artists working in the same technique?
I never saw that anywhere else in the world. And my success in the social Medias and the News Paper shows that I create something new and unique.