Interview with Garis Edelweiss
We recently curated an online group exhibition titled “Mind asleep, Body awake” and you can view it here. We asked four artists to be a part of it and Garis Edelweiss is one I had admired for a while. His surreal graphite drawings are so detailed and immersing.
What is your first memory of being creative? (Project, specific artwork, etc.)
When I was little I liked to scribble on my parents’ notebooks, draw on the walls, make various shapes of kites, until my schoolbook was full of scribbles and even the school uniform did not escape paint and markers.
When do you realize what you were making was art?
When I enjoy the process and fall in love when the work is just born.
Do you have any official art training or are you self-taught?
I am completely self-taught.
What’s the process of creating like for you? Do you have to set the mood? What goes on when creating a new piece?
I have a stash of notes on ideas. Whenever I soaked up the atmosphere out there and a spark of ideas popped up I would take notes or make a quick sketch on the spot.
I will take from the snippet of the note as a reference for making works. A rough note or sketch is the key to early idea development. When drawing there is a feeling of excitement and can’t wait for orgasm.
Most of your artworks are monochrome, why is that? I have seen only a few of your works with color and you utilize colors great.
I fell in love with the light and dark atmosphere and I felt drawn very deep, very mystical
Where do you get inspiration from? A lot of your works are very surreal and look like moments pulled straight from a dream sequence. Do dreams play any role within your art?
Apart from being inspired by the outside world and through contemplation, dreams also play a role in my image
Could you explain more of the meaning behind the works “Laskar Garam” and “Ibu dan Kucingnya” (Mother and Cat) featured in this show?
I live in a coastal town, a small town. The Salt Warriors are inspired by the local salt farmers in my city. It’s amazing to see them still maintaining the tradition of making salt, using traditional tools. For me they are a symbol of independent food defense.
Mother and Cat work is a collaborative work of mine with my 5 year old daughter. The pandemic has made me spend more time with my family at home, and this collaboration is a fun art activity and a therapy I think.
What’s something you hope viewers and collectors experience when viewing your works?
I hope my work can shape the mood and revive their memories when it absorbs my work.
Available works:
Title: Laskar Garam
Artist: Garis Edelweiss
Medium: Graphite on paper
Size: 41 x 29.7 cm
Location: Indonesia
Purchase on our Gallery website
Title: Ibu dan Kucingnya (Mother and Cat)
Artist: Garis Edelweiss
Medium: Graphite on paper
Size: 41 x 29.7 cm
Location: Indonesia
Purchase on our Gallery website
Follow Garis on Instagram here.
Images © Garis Edelweiss
(If you are an artist and would like to be removed from our website simply email us and we will be happy to take down the article. We claim no ownership of any of the images featured, all copyrights go to the artists we feature.)
Discover more articles about surreal art here, and sign up for our emailing list here.