Interview with Dan Sabau

Q)So, can you tell me a little about yourself? Full name, age, some background info, etc?

A)My full name is Dan Sabau, I was born in Transylvania and currently live in New York and make pictures to ponder about.

Q)How did you get started making art?

A)I started making art the day I came out of my mother’s womb, leaving a mess in the delivery room.

Q)How would you describe your art?

A) Somewhat intense, yet ethereal. There is a strong flavour in color and a constant element of movement. I think work is considered abstract, but has some figurative elements.

Q)Where do you get the inspiration for your art?

A)I love the chaos of the city that I live in. It is amazing how much order comes out of chaos. There are thousands of activities, occurrences, and events that are happening constantly every all corners, subway and streets. It gives the city a monstrous presence. I also love the presence graffiti has in the city. There is something organic and beautiful about the way it flows throughout urban structures and barriers unifying huge spaces and distances. I love to give the canvas this sort of identity…to give it a life of its own through happenings and occurrences embodied by colors and bold forms.

Q)What are you working on now?

A)A quirky piece called “Pandemonium in the Penthouse”.

Q)Are there some web sites that you would like to recomend? Artists, art communities,xxx,...!?

A) http://Neoimages.net, http://Skeletonart.com, http://Nyartsmagazine.com , http://Juxtapoz.com, CHECK IT!

Q)What programs / materials / tools do you use to create your pieces?

A)I use my brain and hands mostly. The paintings are all oil on canvas.

Q)What advice would you give to younger up and coming artist?

A)Don’t get too frustrated about being declined by galleries. You have to be hard-headed sometimes and believe in your work no matter what kind of politics in the art world might hold you back. I believe in letting the work talk for itself. I can’t stand grand essays and overstated theories about people’s work that are not followed up visually.

Q)What is your personal definition of life and art and everything else in between?

A)Painting, sex, good food, getting a deal, laughing, a nice cold tall one, enough rest, love,and rage.

Q)Do you think that art is a univeral language - transcending all the different languages, cultures and religions etc?

A)If you let it be.

Q) What are your artistic influences?

A)I love looking at 16th and 17th century botanical illustrations because of their distinct style,particularly artists like Maria Sybilla Merian.

Q)How are the reactions on your work in general?

A)People say “What…the Fuck?” Initially, I think people are attracted to the colors, and then they notice that there is some figurative aspect to the paintings, which gives them an element of surprise and curiosity to look further.

Q)Do you have many connections in the underground scene?

A)Sort of, Yeah

Q)Tell us about a recent dream you had.

A)Woke up singing a song that I was going to sound out on my guitar but got caught up on every day life and forgot it.

Q)What is freedom to you as an artist? Two things

A) (1). The process of painting, from the initial idea in your head to the end result to me is an amazing thing.(2) Selling a painting. Knowing that my creative output can actually make me survive in this f’ed up world full of money sucking politicians and lawyers.

Q)Are there any particular works you've done that stand out as your favorites?

A)My favorites sort of change on a daily basis.

Q) Last Books you read?

A)Webster’s Dictionary/Thesaurus

Q) Last records you bought?

A)Sloppy Seconds “Destroyed”.

Q) Who are your favourite artists & Your favourite galleries?

A) Francis Bacon, Dali, Neo Rauche, Cecily Brown. I like museums better than galleries. CHEERS

Q)Your contacts….E-mail…Links

A) http://Dansabau.com
http://Neoimages.net“Sabau”
http://Skeletonart.com