Artist recommendations by Tammo Rist
We recently visited the studio of Tammo Rist, a multifaceted artist whose journey has traversed the cultural landscapes of Berlin and Oslo. During our visit, he also shared his personal recommendations of fellow artists on Atelie.
Originating from Germany, Rist's artistic odyssey commenced with formal education at the Universität der Künste Berlin and Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, ultimately leading to a settled existence in the Norwegian capital since 2006.
While his roots lie in traditional forms of expression, his practice has evolved over the years to encompass digital media, photography, graphics, light objects, painting, and performance. This diversity reflects his insatiable curiosity and my desire to constantly challenge artistic norms.
When asked about his decision to become an artist, Rist shares: "Probably only because of one person: Celia Caturelli. She is/was a painter and my teacher at the Design college in Düsseldorf (Fh Düsseldorf) in the late 90s. She persuaded me to paint more and really managed to convince me :-) Obviously because she liked my style of painting at the time. So I embarked on this journey and created a “Mappe” for the entrance examinations at Kunstakademie Düsseldorf–at the time a mystical place for me–and I got in at once! In an entirely nostalgic fashion I can say that this year was one of the best of my life 😭"
Regarding his current work, Rist explaines: "For the last couple of months I worked with old maps and topographic drawings which I first restore and then add elements of colour in order to break the rigid structures of its didactic purpose. Many of them are several hundred years old. I guess I am mostly fascinated by the mastery of these artists and their work depicting the world with the means available at the time, making it more comprehensible. The outcome of my translations are often (relatively) big-scale graphic works / paintings, containing both the underlying lines and dots of the map, and the abstract shapes applied with big brushes."
In addition to his own endeavors, Rist enthusiastically recommends fellow artists whose work resonates with his sensibilities:
Christian Berg Gravningen
"Pure expression, thick brush strokes, simple sujets, yet so complex. Incredible mastery of dark sentiments and auras, like a film noir. And in between all this melancholy sticks out humor, some displaced objects to complete the ride, leaving you with a big fucking?"
Go to Christian's Atelie profile
"Great stroke, great colours, he loves the smell of oil paint. The right amount of humor and sarcasm to deal with this ridiculous world, a “fuck you” mentality with reason. To me he represents a young bohemian life-style, decadent and poor at the same time, just arrogant enough to rather be admired than hated. His Stilleben-series is one of a kind!"
"Cecilia is weird, her photographs are weird, they almost feel random but for some reason inevitable. With great mastery she balances the ugly and the beauty, even with kindness. Her work feels experimental, unfinished and restless, fragmental, always aware of what’s happening around her in every very moment. The camera is truly her tool to give the world sense to her, which she obviously is looking for to decipher."
Go to Cecilia's Atelie profile
"simpel and pure, no excessive gesture, pointing fingers and bold statements. Instead a sincere devotion to the cause, the pencil, the shape of a body, a facial expression. Timid, almost shy but at the same time so strong and devoted."
