Betony Vernon with Renzo Maggi at Atelier Henraux with Origin Chair
1.If you weren’t an artist, what else would you be?
I sincerely have a hard time imagining what my life would be if I was not creating something.
Maybe I would be an actor, but then, a good actor is an artist in his/her own right!
I consider myself fortunate to have experienced many of the worlds that interest me. I consider this integral to the art of living.
2. Can you tell us more about your work and what are the main ideas you would like to express?
My work is a celebration of the body, pleasure, sex…the art of loving. My vision is to dismantle the pleasure Taboo.
I am interested in all sorts of materials , and with the support of Henraux, I am now realizing my dream to work in marble.
3. How do you start the process of making work?
I often have visions, and when they occur, I put pencil to paper as soon as possible. Even the most primitive impulsive sketch serves to solidify the vision. Then I draw and sculpt the vision in clay or wax. These preliminaries lead to other visions, and other works. It is an ongoing process. The origin chair is a declination of a vision that I had after visiting the Henraux Marble quarry. I am thrilled that the original vision, called the Origin, is also coming to fruition. It is a 2.5 meter tall monument to man, woman and sex — our Origins in other words!
4. Do you consider the viewer, when making your work?
Absolutely. I want to stroke their eyes, and thereby their imagination. I want to turn the viewer on.
5. Name 3 artists that have inspired your work?
Louise Bourgeois, Hans Belmer, Carlo Mollino
6. Name 3 of your least favourite artists.
I prefer to refrain from making lists of things and people i don’t like. Afterall , what i don’t like is the measuring stick for what i do like. But In general, i am bothered by success that is hinged on marketing and the gratuitous powers of the grotesque, exhibitionism, and shock value.
7. What defines something as a work of art?
For me, a work of Art communicates that which cannot be said with words alone.It is an individual response, that reveberates in others. A work of art should inspire , if not leave the viewer awe struck. I removes us from reality, strums our immagination, feeds our souls with beauty, and make us ponder… and wonder. Good art that makes us feel angry , confused or sad, does so for good reasons.
8. In times of austerity, do you think art has a moral obligation to respond topically?
I like that you speak of “times of austerity.” Art is either a refuge from reality, or a response to it. Whether an artist invites us to escape reality, or face it is a deeply personal creative choice. Refuge or reality? They are equally important paths.
9. Anytime, any place – which artist’s body would you most like to inhabit?
Dali. I think he was having a grand time!
10. What is your favourite ‘ism’?
Agapism
11. What was the most intelligent thing that someone said or wrote about your work?
It was during a recent meeting at Rizzoli, NYC for my upcoming book: we were bouncing ideas around…trying to describe the essence of my work in one or two words. Someone exclaimed, “You are a sexual anthropologst!”
12. And the dumbest?
I am never impressed by categorization. Categories create limits.
13. Which artists would you most like to rip off, sorry, I mean appropriate as a critique of originality and authorship?
Hans Belmer
14. Do you care what your art costs? State your reasons!
Of course. The cost of my works are a reflection of both the material, spiritual and temporal costs that it takes to make them. If I could , I would use the bater-system, life would be simpler!
15. If Moma and the Tate and the Pompidou wanted to acquire one of your works each, which would you want them to have?
The Origin monument
16. What’s next for you?
I will be working on a series of works in marbel between one book signing event and another. The Boudoir Bible comes out with Rizzoli (nyc) in February 2013, so I have a lot of traveling in store too!
Triennale di Milano Curated by Silvana Annicchiarico
Origin and Origin chair together with some new Betony Vernon Jewels will be on display at The Exhibition Kama : Sex and Design at the Triennale Design Museum Milan
5th December 2012 – 10th March 2013
