Interview with Marco Riha
Originally from Austria, Marco Riha started his long creative journey in Sri Lanka in the mid-nineties. After painting and traveling for some years, he found his creative home base in Mexico. André Breton describes Surrealism as ‘psychic automatism in its pure state.’ For decades Riha has been experimenting with this automatic painting technique, unaware of being a modern-day Surrealist.
Marco, your art has evolved to incorporate a strong socio-political narrative, especially in response to recent global events. Can you elaborate on the specific incidents or realizations that triggered this evolution in your work, and how you reconcile the need to express personal emotions with the broader societal messages you aim to communicate through your pieces?
Throughout my creative journey, it has been a merging of the two, expressing personal emotions coupled with a broader societal critique. Already in 1995 I had created a surreal anti-peace dove with the ironic title 'pigeon of shiva'. Over the years this critical voice only became louder and had reached its crescendo by 2021, my most productive year so far. In a true Surrealist manner, none of it was ever planned, I allowed those images to simply appear. Only after a painting is completed do I bring my reason back to help me interpret the deeper meaning, find hidden messages and decide on titles. So, it wasn't a particular incident or realization that led me to express societal messages, but the fact I stayed loyal to psychic automatism for all those years.
You’ve described the recent period as a return to the “dark ages,” characterized by fear and psychological manipulation. How do you translate such a complex and intense personal and societal critique into visual art? Could you walk us through the process of how these abstract concepts become tangible in your work, from initial inspiration to final execution?
Yes, I have mentioned in my personal Blog that in 2020, I felt like thrown back into the dark ages. A rebranded Holy Inquisition had entered the world stage once again, attacking everything human, natural, healthy, organic or simply beautiful. My artist heart was bleeding for the world. After a long grieving period, I started to process these dark times with my art. But as mentioned before, my conscious self can't really take credit for the outcome.
Your artwork often delves into heavy themes such as liberty, tolerance, ecocide, division, and unity. How do you manage to balance the weight of these subjects with the aesthetic and stylistic elements of your art? In what ways do you ensure that the message does not overshadow the artistic value and vice versa?
Those are not heavy themes to me, but very important vital topics. In fact I sense our very survival depends on our willingness to reflect upon them. Philosophical and spiritual concepts or ironic provocations are an essential part of my Surrealist approach to art. Instead of overshadowing the artistic value, it enhances it in my eyes. But ultimately, it helped me liberate myself of those concepts all together. Once I dealt with a subject, it feels like having shed it. The final goal is complete inner emptiness to create space for radical new ideas.
The 'colorDrops' series from 2014 signifies a pivotal moment in your journey towards abstract art. Could you discuss the creative and emotional processes behind this transition? How did this series serve as a foundation for your later works, particularly those that address more complex socio-political themes?
The emotional backdrop for diving into abstractionism was the rekindling of my love affair with Nadja, my long-term partner, actually named after André Breton's novel. After a two year break, I was literally kissed by the muse again, seducing me in a whole new artistic direction. The work created during that time did become a solid foundation to build upon since the positive feedback received on social media at the time, encouraged me to continue on this path.
Influenced by the Québécois movement 'Les Automatistes,' you have embraced a philosophy of 'total refusal' and an unacademic approach to art. How have these principles shaped your creative methodology and thematic explorations? Could you provide specific examples of how this influence manifests in your artworks and artistic decisions?
I was introduced to 'Les Automatistes' by Nadja's father, who had translated one of their compilation books into English. Learning about them and their revolutionary approach to art, gave me, as a self-taught artist, a boost in confidence to continue with my unique unacademic explorations. They didn't influence any of my artistic decisions directly but provided me with a home in art history - a resplendent anarchistic art movement for artists with 'an untamed need for liberation'.
Having exhibited your work internationally in renowned venues like the Saatchi and FOLD Gallery, how do these diverse cultural contexts and audience receptions influence your artistic perspective and thematic choices? Can you share specific instances where an international exhibition or interaction significantly impacted your work or artistic outlook?
By the time my art got some international recognition, I had been painting for over two and half decades. I was glad to see the world slowly take notice, but it had not impacted my artistic outlook or perspective in any way. Since Surrealist Automatism is and always will be my preferred modus operandi, it gives me the freedom of not knowing where the journey takes me, and I get to be surprised by the results.
Your artist statement reflects a profound disillusionment with societal responses to recent global events, emphasizing the manipulation of fear and psychological terror. How do you use your art to critique these phenomena? Can you provide insight into specific works or series where this critique is most evident, and describe the reactions these pieces have elicited from your audience.
The need to counterbalance the world's doom & gloom had pushed me to work overtime in the last years. It motivated me to produce uplifting, inspiring and thought-provoking works. For example, the two-piece series, '2sides' and '1heArt' offers a critique and a solution at the same time. At the hight of polarization I painted '2sides', a reminder that we were just witnessing two different sides of a story. I chose not to pick any, but tried to stay equanimous in the midst of madness. '1heArt' attempted to mend the fracture and reminds us of our common humanity. This painting received valuable reactions and won an award.
In response to the tumultuous events of 2020, you created the 'otherworlds' series as an imaginative escape. Can you delve into the conceptual and emotional underpinnings of this series? What does each piece represent in terms of your personal coping mechanism, and what messages or emotions do you hope to evoke in viewers encountering this series?
‘Otherworlds’ did become my escape series from a dreadful year. The subtext being, if this world becomes unkind, let’s create another one, or others. Piece by piece I dove deeper into the process of withdrawing myself from a traumatized world by creating colorful new worlds to enjoy, while helping me heal. I can only wish it has the same soothing effect on viewers.
Given your critical stance on major institutions like the media, government, and other influential entities, how do you navigate the complexities of promoting and sharing your art in an environment often dominated by these very institutions? What strategies do you employ to maintain your integrity and message while reaching a wide audience?
Great question, I suppose I am not yet dependent on these very institutions; though I already know, I will never give up my integrity for some worldly success. There comes a time in human evolution where ethics and one’s personal truth are paramount. I feel this time has arrived. In my view, it was and still is the artist's role to playfully and humorously provoke and challenge official narratives, especially if they are inhumane and cruel. I resonated with a quote by Cy Twombly: 'Stay ignored for as long as possible'. In my case it has been 25 years, I don't mind if maintaining my integrity means returning to being ignored again.
