The AP Questionnaire: Stefan Saffer

Photo: Christianne Ebel

What was the last thing you made?
I created a conceptual café which I called David Buoy in Kingston NY and I created a mobile consisting of painted flat circles. These painings are also drums and the viewers can throw table tennis balls at them. Each time a ball hits you gear a sound from the paining , the mobile moves and the balls jump around in the space. It’s a lot of fun 

What was the last thing you read?
I read poetry by Rilke, some of the Exhibtion texts at the Venice Bienial and the manual for a new dishwasher

What was the last exhibition you saw?
The Venice biennial and Berlin Art Week ( numerous exhibitions )

Who do you most admire? 
My dog Ruby who is a Bernedoodle 

How has your practice changed?
It’s been changing constantly - sometimes a lot sometimes in little ways but it never stands still.

Raoul De Keyser, Come on, play it again nr. 2, 2001

What motivates your practice?
My motivation comes from people who appreciate art without having been art experts. I love to watch the reactions art can trigger. 

Your favorite artwork made before your lifetime?
There Is not the one and only. Starting with cave drawings all the way to Matisse, Jackson Pollock and beyond- there are many great great works. 

My most favorite artworks are those that cause a deep feeling of happiness in me ( like I had after the solo exhibtion of Phillip Guston's abstract works at Hauser and Wirth for example )

Your favorite artwork made during your lifetime?
Again too difficult to reduce to one work. I like too many artworks by Raoul de Keyser or Joseph Beuys and many more. My most favorite artwork is the one which causes a deep feeling of happiness in me ( like I had after the Belgian Pavillon with Francis Alys works at the Venice biennale )

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Not sure.

What is your most treasured possession?
My small but nice collection of artworks and one half liter beer stein from my grandfather.

What is it that you most dislike?
Bureaucracy and stupid rules.

What is your idea of happiness.
Sitting on a nice bench with a cool beer and watching other people doing their thing :-)