Synopsis INTERVIEW

INTERVIEW allows an exclusive peak behind behind the scenes with an overview and intimate statements of some of the greatest contemporary artists worldwide from the superstars like Tracey Emin, Martin Eder, Damien Hirst, Jonathan Meese to the "little" street artists. The interviews are thrilling, in respect that you would never have expected such force behind art in its purity.

The documentary describes the evolution of contemporary art through interviews with the artists by asking questions about their motivations. No other art form is as personally motivated or as identifiable with the artists themselves than contemporary art. A wide range of artists, from the great pop stars of the scene to the lesser known street artists tell of their accomplishments, their vision, their impressions giving an inside spectrum from the non-transparent jungle of the world's art scene.

INTERVIEW, while portraying contemporary art, is playing with the instruments of the genre itself and forming a unique piece of modern documentary with graphic elements but without any off-comments.

Everybody knows about the art of Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin or Jonathan Meese (Berlin). But contemporary art also consists of the sparsely loved graffiti- and street art. Nobody looks at it properly, though it occurs to one on the streets of the big cities, presenting at every corner. Through artists like Banksy (London) or gallery owners like Jeffrey Deitch (NYC), it comes back to attention and let us remember the 1980's, when Jean-Michel Basquiat began to show in the world's top galleries. Very subliminal, the film deals with the question, if that could have had a negative impact on Basquiats fall.

Contents INTERVIEW

New York City is a melting pot for artistic happenings. P.S.1 , an institution of the MoMA, offers a forum for young artists who are being scouted by gallery owners. The Armory Show, which resides next door at the Manhattan docks is the largest art fair in America where gallery owners from around the world exhibit and sell their artists' works and display these works to access further marketing channels. The most influential galleries can be found in New York City. These present their artists in the most wonderfully provocative and complimentary spaces to potential buyers and to influential audiences, i.e. Gagosian Gallery, Damien Hirst, opening March, 2005.

Graffiti and street art originated in New York City, with the most well known artists of this genre being Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. Many of their colleagues, contemporaries and gallery owners of their time, among them Futura 2000 and Jeffrey Deitch are still very much at the height of today's New York scene. The young target group, which is comprised of consumers of lifestyle and music lay the groundwork for these artists, who choose not to travel the traditional path via the gallery circuit.

European cities like London and Berlin offer further attractions for contemporary art and its following. London is established in all fields. Media coverage is not underused. The London public is extremely culturally aware. Young British artists like Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin have risen high enough to enjoy pop star status. Both artists are represented by Jay Jopling, White Cube. At present, Tracey Emin has her own room in the Tate Britain. British Street Art is being very well received by the London audience. The most well known example is Banksy, who has introduced his art to many renowned museums, unpermissibly, and has become well discussed by the press. Banksy, who has designed numerous album covers for musicians including Massive Attack and Buju Banton, is being sought after by authorities while simultaneously being adored by the press and public alike.

Synopsis Credits and Cast Slideshow

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