a cura di  VitoCamarretta  09/04/2007

Finalista alla biennale di Taiwan, Murcus A.Jansen e' considerato uno dei pittori piu' espressivi del XXI secolo, nonche' leader di quel movimento pittorico che lui stesso definisce Espressionismo Urbano Moderno, che trova giusta consacrazione in questo libro, recentemente pubblicato da Jansen, contenente numerose gustosissime illustrazioni con alcuni dei suoi lavori -molti dei quali esposti in notorie gallerie europee e americane- piu' rappresentativi, in cui Marcus fa confluire espressioni contemporanee quali il graffitismo, l'aerosol art e gli stencils nell'arte pittorica. Uno scorcio urbano puo' diventare uno "state of mind" al di fuori della geografia cartesiana del "reale", la tela puo' diventare un collage emotivo o simbolico ai limiti del puro astrattismo, un luogo rizomorfico nel senso che Gilroy dava al termine. Inaugurando un percorso nell'arte moderna con evidente intersezioni con l'espressione musicale (apprezzato il jingle di K&D che suona nel sito di Marcus) che speriamo sia di interesse per i nostri numerosi lettori, abbiamo fatto due chiacchiere con Mr. Jansen, in occasione della pubblicazione del suo libro, da cui abbiamo preso alcune illustrazioni. Buona lettura! Hi Marcus. First of all, how are you? (not an easy question for an artist sometimes!!!)Thanks Vito. I’m alive and I am thankful for that. I got fascinated from your recent art-book. Could you tell us something about "Mordern-Urban Expressionism"? Any relationship with what is generally considered as "Expressionism" (especially the German one)? The style developed in the late eighteen and early nineteen hundreds in Germany. The movement such as Die Bruecke, was in many ways a rebellious movement and response to poverty, social changes and War. It influenced artists here in the US and branched out into a form of Abstract Expressionism with such artists as Jackson Pollock and de Kooning etc. I always felt there was no better time than now to use these genres and include what has been happening in the inner cities “Graffiti art movement” from New York, now a worldwide phenomenon. Perhaps another form of expressionism. I felt that all three genres had much in common but was upset with a negative stigma that had been imposed by some on graffiti art with the term. Expressionists, reflect inner feelings, thoughts and soul using sponteanous energy and often violent or destorted paint useage to express what and how the artist sees his enviroment. Mostly with a social or political edge. Graffiti artists are apart of a similar movement now for over thirty years and still getting stronger because of it's free nature, but because of the surface that was initially selected to paint on elegal "walls" the ideas and creative messages themselves received also much critisizm. My syle Modern Urban-Expressionism incorporates various of these elements taking a new look at our urban communities in particular but not only that. This hopefully gives a rebirth and platform for discussion and for all to be apart of while shining a light on what needs attention. If you look closely art can be all around us, just a matter of perspective. I've seen you integrate stencil art in your workouts as well as contemporary techniques such collagism and canvas style? What was the orgin of this "versicolor" melting-pot? Complexity I guess..as an artist matures in his work, work should change or transform based on your experiences etc. As an artist we do this by taking risks to strech the imagination and that of what we already know. Adding the additional featured was just part of what I felt and saw around me. I've visited your website, as well. You like K&D sessions... What's your relationship with music? What are your favourite musicians? I like a variety of music, depending on how I feel. I grew up with Music in the Family. My Grandfather was a pionist and my Mother a singer in the church choir. I would say I don’t have any particular favorites. I am a big fan of the “poetry” that came out of the Bronx and other parts of New York City in the seventies. I was intrigued by the message that was sent and how this was able to reach a young world audience over years telling a story about social injustice and poverty that was and still is a necessity to be addressed. It is the mutual understanding of the "underdog" that is of course growing that made it more and more popular around the world among many different groups and classes. A very raw and direct approach. I believe that made an impact on me early on that influenced what I do today. Today depending on what I paint I listen to classical and Jazz alot as well. The most important lesson you received from your masters? Search and you may find... You depicted some sketches of modern suburban life... Is it a way for denouncing contradictions of a "wealthy" society? It is simply pointing out these contradictions and perhaps reminding us that by having a wealthy society somewhere there is also one that is not. As you may have noticed, I use paradoxes in most of my work. They are there as in real life we have a constant balance of good and evil, that becomes center to much of the work. Indeed one can not do without the other and one seems to always reminds us of the other.We are fed with images of big cars and big houses, as it is easy to overlook the areas that need attention.Perhaps my work can shine a light on that while still showing the beauty in it. Could art solve (or give a suggestion to solve) social problems instead of just representing them in you viewpoint? It may not be able to solve it on it’s own, however I would hope that it can suggest, at very least it encourages the viewer to think about the subject at hand. It is certainly up to each one of us to take action and to allow what he or she has seen to have in impact on us. But clearly we are all contributors, a big family living in one big back yard called Earth. What's your favourite media? I personally love working with paint using it as my foundation, the material I use it on is not that important to me and may change. But I have chosen largely the traditional canvas for now. Are you going to make any installation in Italy? I hope soon. I would be open to any invitation from Institutions or Museums etc. I would love to show in Italy. My representing Gallery is in Paris American Art Gallery, so we are not that far. I visited when I was fourteen years old to Venice and remember my stay quite well. Are there any differences between way of perceiving your artistic language in Germany and USA? We found that there actually is a deiiferent perspective from which the two world see the work, not surprising of course. But Europeans on a whole precieve the work as more American in style and Americans on a whole preceive it very European in execution. This is of course a general statement, but sort of where I wanted to be to bring all to one table.