Interview with Chris von Szombathy

q)Who are you? Where are you from and where do you live now?

a)Chris von Szombathy. I live in Vancouver BC and I was also born here.

q)What is it that you do? What media do you use?

a)I make audio and visual work and I use a lot of different media.

q)What do you think sets your work apart?

a)Hm. I’m not sure if I’m really qualified to answer that question clearly as I don’t really spend a lot of time looking or listening to related works in my “field”. I like what I do, I believe that there’s a certain type of richness in it that I relate to. If anything, I am just working towards a type of clarity in visuals/production and ambiguity and relativity in concept. That’s what I believe is happening at least. I don’t really control it, but I do guide it from time to time.

q)How long have you been showing your work for? Did you have a “big break?”

a)2006 was my big break in the sense that it was the year I started re-showing my work a little bit after disappearing for 5-6 years for health reasons. But perhaps the next “big break” will be when I stop showing my work.

q)What are some things that have inspired you?

a)Being alive is the most inspirational thing. Having ideas is the easiest part of the job, we have them all the time. We tend to just put ideas on a conceptual ladder of value and they don’t develop easily that way.

q)What have you been working on recently?

a)I’ve been working on a couple of sculptures in my sketchbook: prepping ideas for a show that’s coming up closer to the end of the year. It’s the second best part of making something, developing something. The best part is finishing it (for me at least).

q)Do you listen to music while you create your work? If so, would you give some examples?

a)If I’m working on non-musical stuff I will occasionally put music on, but a lot of time if I’m working on producing an album then that album will be on repeat as I need to take notes. In the last month though I was listening a lot to The Harp of New Albion by Terry Riley, Climate of Hunter by Scott Walker, a bunch of Amon Duul II, 10cc, George Michael and UZEB.

q)Do you do work in any other media? Other projects not necessarily related to your main body of work?

a)Well… I have been working on video projects for a bit of time now with a small crew of dedicated professionals: AJ Bond and Amy Belling. It’s very difficult for me to work in video as I don’t have the technical experience and I like to be facile when working with anything. Facility equals flexibility so the more flexible you are, especially with video and camera’s and stuff, the more allowance there is for problem solving and creating on the spot. I consider everything I do to be part of the main body of work. Art is part of the main body of work.

q)What advice do you have for artists looking to show their work?

a)I think it would really depend on why one wanted to show their work in the first place. The drive to make work and the need to show it can occupy two totally different areas and can be the result of two totally different neuroses. A lot of time showing work simply means addressing a bunch of stuff that, personally, you might not care about but have to consider so although you might never have a “real” answer to the questions you will face when showing work you will have to know how to navigate them.

q)Do you have any upcoming exhibitions of your work that you can mention?

a)Yes, I have a solo show in Vancouver at the UNIT/PITT Project in June and am also showing in the massive Cheaper Show here also in Vancouver at the end of June. Those would be the closest ones to today.

q)Where can people see more of your work on the internet?

a)The best place would be my website: www.chrisvonszombathy.com.