Arvid Boecker (b. 1964) is a German artist based in Heidelberg. He is internationally known within the field of reductive geometric abstraction. His work has been the subject of over 250 exhibitions around the world and of 11 different art fairs from cologne to New York City.
How did you get into art?
I was 17 when I ended up at the vernissage of a Cologne gallery almost by chance. Monochrome black paintings. I later talked to the artist for a longer time. The paintings seemed to hold a secret that made me curious. I wanted to have such a painting too. In the following months, I tried to replicate the paintings and took art lessons from an artist. I wasn’t satisfied with the results, and it soon became clear that I would study art. I had to uncover the secret of painting.
How would you describe your style? What makes your art special?
Painting is field research for me, and the studio is my laboratory. I have been painting for over 40 years, creating more than 2,000 paintings. For some years now, I have been using only one format. There is much to discover, and even after 40 years, painting remains exciting.
How do you go about developing your work?
Many parameters in my work are fixed - the same canvas, the same format, the same oil colors - so that I can be as free as possible in my painting. When I paint, everything seems new and open to me, like a journey into the unknown.
Who or what influences you?
Everything influences me; I walk through the world with open eyes. I visit many exhibitions and spend time in nature often. When I paint, it's all within me, but I don't consciously think about it, I only see the colors in front of me.
What are you planning to do next?
For this year, I have no more plans; I just want to spend time in the studio. The first half of the year was somewhat stressful; at times, sometimes I had three exhibitions simultaneously. Now, I look forward to the peace in my studio.
© Portrait photo: Christian Buck
