Interview with Thomas Edetun

q)Please tell us your name and where you practice.

a)My name is Thomas Edetun i am a painter.

q) Why do you make art?

a)Working with art is special, there is no rules. But you have to find your own way and your own rules. In some ways it can help you understand what it is being a human and living in this world.

q) How do you work ?

a)I work mostly with painting in different media as oil, acrylic and watercolor. Sometimes i work with film, photography or art objects.

q) What´s your background?

a)Regular school education 11 years and 9 years in art school. There was no real interest in art from my childhood upbringing, my parents did not attend art exhibitions or other cultural events.

q) What role does the artist have in society?

a)The artist role today can be an economical investment or a mirror for the society (political). but in the long term i think that art can make people understand what the world is about.

q) What was a seminal experience for you ?

a)When i was young and experienced for the first time the freedom in art. That an art piece can make you think and feel something you did not knew existed before.

q) Has your practice changed over time ?

a)I now am more focused from the beginning in what my art work is dealing with, the actual work in my studio with the art piece is easier since i got more experience.

q) What art do you most identify with ?

a)I identify with any kind of art that for me have a meaning and not only are beautiful, but meaningful art can be beautiful.

q) What´s your strongest memory of your childhood ?

a)That must be when i first tried to understand the world around me, i sometimes sat alone and tried to work it out. What it was all about.

q) What themes do you pursue ?

a)I work with any themes that will come up, i try not to restrict my mind before i work.

q) Describe a real life experience that inspired you.

a)It happens all the time.

q) What´s your most embarrassing moment ?

a)None really, i think its human to make mistakes and therefore i accept it happening.

q) What jobs have you done other than being an artist ?

a)Working in hospital, art teacher, art photographer, cleaner, intendent at art museum, technician at museum, window cleaner.

q) What responses have you had to your work ?

a)I´ve had mostly good response in media and from visitors at my exhibitions. And sometimes also from other artists.

q) What do you dislike about the artworld ?

a)That it´s not as free as i thought from the beginning. But it´s like the real world.

q) What research do you do ?

a)I do research in technical things like using new materials and also through seeking out other artists work both from art history and from contemporary artists.

I like to look and experience art all the time.

q) What is your dream project?

a)To be in a situation where i can work for a long time in my studio to prepare a big exhibition which would be shown internationally.

q) What´s the best piece of advice you have been given ?

a)Why not make it the other way around?

q) What couldn’t you do without?

a)My eyes.

q) What makes you angry?

a)That some people in our world today have to struggle so hard to survive, that the world is not equal.

q) What is your worst quality?

a)That i can be too focused on my art, but that´s good too.

q) Dogs or Cats ?

a)Both.

q) Making art is a lot like being on lsd. Know what I mean ?

a)Making art can be entering a special room with is separated from the real world, with rules of it own. Sometimes when you get lost totally in that room you can fell free.

q) What does “ copy” mean to you ?

a)It´s a way to work with art, and a way to show understanding and appreciation of other artists. I have been copied and i get inspired from other artists.

q) What´s your favorite cuss word ?

a)None, i try to use as many as i can.