We all are very fascinated with the technique you are often using on your artworks, elaborating old music cassettes. Is there any particular reason you choose this medium?

When I was developing my work in the nineties, cassettes were still commonplace and daily companions. Everyone owned a cassette recorder and a few cassettes. We all made mixtapes and even the car radio had a built-in cassette recorder. I had studied painting in Mainz and wanted to paint pictures that felt like songs by The Cure or Sonic Youth. I only made one or two paintings per semester, but I produced artist books to accompany them in which I compiled thematic references to the paintings. In my work “Wie die Motten ans Licht” (“Like moths to the light”) I came across a song by Einstürzende Neubauten called „Falschgeld” (“Fake money“), which I absolutely wanted to include in my book on this work. At that time, in ‘97, it felt logical to me to simply record the song on cassette and then stick the recorded tape over the pages of my book, strip by strip. I liked it so much that I wanted to make a whole series with this technique, and this series hasn’t stopped to this day.

What is the importance of music in your art and why?

My paintings, or rather artworks, are charged with the music that I like, admire and adore. I also like the idea that a particular song is hidden within a painting. If I really like a song, I will listen to it over and over again and yet never quite get a grasp on it. The immateriality of music really kills me. I would love to be able to see, touch and taste good songs. My record-bowl ready-mades are motivated by the idea of drinking music.