Interview: Andrew Sendor

Andrew Sendor: Between Life and Nowhere, installation view

I would like to preface this interview by thanking the creators, writers and creative energies of Kopenhagen.dk. The questions asked and topics addressed are highly pertinent and certainly deserve more in depth explanations that I have touched upon. Please excuse this brevity in answering such insightful questions.

Can you tell us a little about your exhibition, ”Between Life & Nowhere” at MOGADISHNI CPH?

With excitement and trepidation, I look forward to exposing this radical new body of work which is comprised of new paintings, all oil on linen. Continuing with ideas that were prevalent in previous paintings, this current body of work is replete with non-linear narrative content addressing the big questions about life such as: how did we get here?, what is our purpose?, and what comes next? And in relation to queries as such, the notion of how we go about defining our perceptual boundaries - as seen within the ever changing spectrum of our conception of existence, including the back and forth dialogue between subjectivity and objectivity, is central to these recent paintings.

Andrew Sendor: Double Portrait of Miss Nowhere (II), 2007. 62,5 x 60 cm Oil on linen		Andrew Sendor: Double Portrait of Miss Nowhere (I), 2007. 62,5 x 60 cm Oil on linen
Andrew Sendor: El brujo espanol pequeno vestido de negro, 2007. 50 x 40 cm Oil on linen		Andrew Sendor: Para ayudar los ojos ver, 2007. 90 x 132,5 cm Oil on linen

Your paintings seem to exist in a mysterious universe between the familiar and unfamiliar. Could you tell us about this fusion ?

The figures in the paintings are at once portraying real people that once existed, as well as functioning as a sort of archetype - symbolizing both spiritual and material elements of humanity. I like the idea of incorporating elements of both the personal and the universal.

The different characters and sceneries in your works are brought together from different layers of reality. Can you comment on these ”collisions” of realities in your works and on how and where you find your characters ?

The characters depicted in the paintings are inspired by photographic portraits from the late 19th century and early 20th century. These photographs, which I have been collecting for years, are acquired at antique flea markets, antique shops and garage sales. There is an inherent sadness present in the photos, primarily due to the fact that the portraits represent ”lost memories”, as their respective family members were not around to preserve the photos and pass on these familial memories to the succeeding generations.

One of my intentions with incorporating these photos, is to resurrect these orphan memories. As well, there is an interest in re-evaluating the evolution of society and its interrelationships over the last century.

You work a lot with the notion of perception and spirituality in your work. Can you tell us some more about this ?

Concerning the first part of the question – perception - an infinitely broad issue is omnipresent within this current body of work, as well as my artistic practice in general terms. Of the works that directly address this much explored subject, is the painting entitled, An experience of something as something, 2007, oil on linen, 20 x 16 inches (50 x 40 cm),

this piece describes an ironic and seemingly implausible situation, questioning our tendencies to assume that something does or does not exist. Once again, this type of imagery addresses the possibilities of human perception, and the flexible "truth" that facts have to offer.

In terms of execution, the top portion of the painting is painted by way of succeeding layers of paint, at once describing a specific texture as a correspondant relationship, as well as representing the physical properties of the paint itself. The reflection in the water is depicted in a highly illusionist manner, similar to the way a camera 'sees'. Through utilizing these varying approaches, a dialogue between different ways of seeing and different ways of painting is present.

Relating to the second part of the question: spirituality. Perhaps the first deeply spiritual experience that I had with an artwork, was with the late, large canvases of Mark Rothko. Sitting before his paintings (when I was a teenager), being absorbed in this vas expanse of disappearing edges and tragically emotional color, I was sort of transfixed, almost in a catatonic daze. At the time, I was not at all familiar with his works or the other abstract expressionists. After this day, I adopted a new and different understanding about the power of art, and its ability to function as a catalyst for a transcendental experience. This phenomenon is something that I am always seduced by.

Andrew Sendor: 2 out of 3 elements of the human soul, 2007. 45 x 35 cm Oil on linen mounted to panel		Andrew Sendor: Esoteric/Exoteric Painting, 2007. 45 x 35 cm Oil on linen mounted to panel
Andrew Sendor: The difference between religion and science, 2007. 45 x 35 cm Oil on linen monted to panel		Andrew Sendor: A purely human account for conventional morality, 2007. 50 x 40 cm Oil on linen

Can you tell us some more about the work ”Para ayudar los ojos ver” and ”Double Portrait of Miss Nowhere” that were created during your stay in Copenhagen ?

In the painting entitled, Para ayudar los ojos ver, 2007, oil on linen 36 x 53 inches (90 x 132,5 cm), one man is aiding another man in an attempt to improve his vision -- a human sense that is primary to experiencing and interpreting paintings. This is designed to function as a metaphor for our limited perceptual capacity, and a longing to experience more than we are readily able to. This fits into one of the many themes of recent works, such as the acknowledgement of all that exists beyond our common senses -- the realm of the supernatural.

There is a certain level of reality portrayed, at moments nearly photographic, yet due to the combination of such incompatible elements, the illusion of realism is all but true.

With the painting entitled, Double Portrait of Miss Nowhere, 2007, oil on linen, each canvas: 25 x 24 inches (62.5 x 60 cm), I was looking at the possibilities within the genre of portraiture and the very definition of this age old artistic representation of a person. Traditionally, the function of a portrait is to display a likeness, personality and to capture the underlying essence of the subject. A portrait will more often that not, depict the subject looking directly at the creator, as a strategic devise to engage the subject and the viewer. In the canvas which depicts this young lady from the front, we see a woman with a deliberately blank expression, offering no particular emotional state. It does not render a specific person’s essential being, rather a portrayal of an anonymous person based on a photograph from the 1880’s. In the other canvas, depicted is the backside of what may or may not be the same young woman. This is where the definition of a portrait is called into question. Being that the subject is presented from the back, is it still a portrait? Does it capture the essence of her being?

Andrew Sendor: An experience of something as something, 2007. 50 x 40 cm Oil on linen		Andrew Sendor: If God does not exist, then everything is permitted?, 2007. 50 x 40 cm Oil on linen

You used to work on plexiglass in your earlier works – why is this transformation and what has this meant for your works and your working process?

This was the next stage in developing an expanding vocabulary of personal expression. At the moment, the door is wide open and anything can happen. The process, in which the plexiglass paintings demanded, was very slow and extremely tedious. The focus is now more directed towards constructing ideas as well as the very process of painting, as opposed to the materiality of the object, which was always intrinsically linked to the meaning of the plexiglass paintings.

How do you see your works comment on the history of painting regarding style and technique etc ..?

This is an excellent question that I could talk about for quite some time. At the moment I will say that within each painting, there exists several different painting languages, some which can be found in the history books, others which are contemporaneous. Both in content and in execution, the paintings are at once acknowledging the history of painting, in terms of style and content, as well as focusing on the possibilities of where painting can proceed to. I have faith in paintings’ future, and believe there is in fact uncharted territory, and rocks to be turned over. Each time a rock is turned over we discover new ground. However, just because it is a larger rock, does not necessarily mean you have a better chance of discovering more ground. With faith in the ever expanding capacity of human creativity and innovative thinking, there will be exciting and revolutionary forms of vision revealing themselves.

You have been awarded a stay at the National Workshops for Art and Crafts. Can you tell us a little about your stay at the Workshops? And your experience of Copenhagen and Denmark in general?

During my six weeks stay at the National Workshops for Arts and Crafts, I met some terrific people, and learned something from each and every one of them. The facilities are unmatched in the diverse range of machines, tools, and open workspaces. The technicians are vastly knowledgeable, professional, and wildly generous when it comes to assisting artists to realize their visions. I am extremely grateful for having the opportunity to work at the National Workshops for Arts and Crafts, and feel honoured to be accepted into their program.

In all honesty, I could not possibly say anything negative about Copenhagen or Denmark in general. The city of Copenhagen is endlessly inspiring in its rich cultural history and pristinely preserved architectural sites. I will return to NY with much to think about, and will highly recommend friends and family to visit this special place.

Andrew Sendor: The first step in understanding the Art of Accepting Death, 2007. 115 x 80 cm Oil on linen		Andrew Sendor: The meaning of the earth, 2007. 50 x 40 cm Oil on linen
Andrew Sendor: A new fascination with celebration, love and abundance, 2007. 45 x 35 cm Oil on linen