Meet Michael Sailstorfer, one of the most outstanding German conceptual artists today. In this video, he talks about his interest in transforming an existing material or thing into something new, such as hemp rope turned into brain-like sculptures: “The significance of the old object is thus integrated into the sculpture.” For a new piece, Sailstorfer not only alters the original object but also repurposes it. Every idea determines its own material and its size, just as the place in which it will be presented influences the size of the piece. In continuation of this, Sailstorfer is inspired by how a person or a sculpture takes up presence in a room and quotes Andy Warhol, who said that he was an introvert wanting to take up the same amount of space as an extrovert, which is why he wore a lot of perfume in order to have a greater presence in the room. Michael Sailstorfer (b. 1979) is a German Berlin-based artist. Sailstorfer is particularly known for his sculptures and installations, where he transforms ordinary objects taken from everyday life into sculptural works – such as streetlamps transformed into falling stars, a police car turned into a drum kit or popcorn made in a cement mixer. He has exhibited widely all over the world such as at CAC Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati, Goethe Institut Moscow, Fundación Joan Miró in Barcelona, Avlskarl Gallery in Copenhagen and Schirn Kunsthalle in Frankfurt. Moreover, his works are held in private and public collections including the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, Sammlung Goetz in Munich and S.M.A.K. in Gent. For more see: http://sailstorfer.de/about#biography
