A MunichNOW Interview
MUNICH — (MunichNOW Life ) — We have been seeing some postings on social media about an event this weekend with the unusual title of “500 Artists Say Hello” and wanted to find out more about just what this is. We managed to track down the busy woman behind it all, Emmy Horstkamp, and she was kind enough to give us the scoop on the this unique art event.
MunichNOW: Five hundred artists? Really? There will be that many participating? We understand there are two locations. How does that work?
Emmy Horstkamp: We have more than 600 artists who consider themselves Munich Artists. We picked 500 in the hopes that we would have that many attend. We have more than 100 art pieces in the installation that will be on the wall. We will meet at Quiddestr. 45. on April 23, 2016 and in august 2016 , there will be a video installation shown in a window in the Odeonsplatz Subway station but the artists will not physically be in the window.
MN: Are the artists from the Munich area, or from all over? When can we attend?
EH: The artists are Mainly from Munich. We have three artists from other areas who have submitted their work because they follow our website. The installation can be viewed Saturday from 1400 to 1900, Sunday 1400 to 1900 and Wed, Thursday , Friday from 1500 to 1900. Everyone is welcome to come on Saturday and participate. We start at 14000.
MN: What kinds of art will be shown? Is there a theme of any sort?
EH: This is an installation and that is the main art piece. I’m using Munich Artists artwork to create it. The theme for the submitted artwork is Hello and the artists were asked to keep the artwork smaller than 30×30 and in shades of blue or monochrome. We have paintings, sculpture, jewellery and photography.
MN:. Will the public be able to buy the art and take it home on the spot?
EH: Some of the artwork is for sale but this is an installation and the pieces must stay until i take down the installation. Artists are welcome to sell their pieces but the buyers may not take the pieces off the wall.
MN: What is the genesis of the this huge project and how did you ever find a space large enough to display it all?
EH: I submitted an idea to the city earlier this year to create a 500 artists installation but the city classified it as public art and it was not funded. I shelved the idea until Ingrid Mueller announced the space was available. I decided to reinterpret the original idea into an indoor installation and event and ask the artists to help pay for the expenses through a participation fee (which covered printing and rental of the space.)
MN: Will the artists be there as well? Will anyone be creating art there?
EH: All artist whose work is on the wall must be at the event. If an artist is unable to attend, I’ve asked them to send a representative. This is a brain-storming, networking, casual get together of artists. Art in Motion will be dancing at 1600 but the rest of the artists will be busy meeting each other and picking artists for projects. If you attend the event, you may be a part of the installation shown in August at Odeonsplatz.
MN: Are there any additional events that we should come and see during the exhibition?
EH: The main event is April 23 and is an effort to bring artists together and celebrate their creativity.
On Sunday April 24th, I will be giving an artist’s talk about the installation and Munich Artists.
MN: Are there other Munich Artist events we should be watching for in the coming months?
EH: We are participating in international print day in May. We will be making Risograph prints and sharing them with the public and hopefully we will be doing Art in the Park again in July.
MN: How would you describe the art scene in Munich?
EH: I would rather you experience it at a Munich Artists Event.
MN: We understand you are behind a group called “Munich Artists”. Tell us about that… tell us about you…
EH: I started Munich Artists in 2013 in an effort to find Munich Artists and I found lots of them.
About me. I’m a Munich Artist. I focus on installations, street photography and participatory art projects. I also like bringing ideas into reality – The ideas do not have to be art related, I just like the process of brainstorming and seeing if things will work.
Thanks, Emmy, we will be there on Saturday afternoon for the opening. It will fun to see all of the artwork and to meet the artists.
