Meet Andy Hermann
An artist born in 1986 in Athens, Greece and currently living and working in Zürich.
His multifaceted practice, includes painting, mixed media, work on paper, photography with a special focus on conceptual art.
Hermann works with different materials and blends abstraction with conceptual art, using different elements and shapes, reflecting on today’s society.
The main Inspiration behind his work
“The main inspiration comes out of everyday life, of encounters with people but also of media, politics and technology”
In his conceptual work, Andy has embarked on a journey of experimentation with everyday objects, crafting new forms and sculptures to imbue them with fresh meanings.
A significant catalyst for this approach was his visit to the Pippa Garner show at Kunsthalle Zürich last April, curated by Fiona Alison Duncan, Maurin Dietrich, Daniel Baumann, Otto Bonnen, and Miriam Laura Leonardi.
For instance: “Team Jogging Shoes” by Pippa Garner ignited his imagination, while the timeless works of Rothko, at the Foundation Louis Vuitton, impacted his artistic journey.
This experience influenced his perspective on art-making, encouraging a newfound freedom in experimentation, embracing trial and error, curiosity, and inquiry.
This has subsequently led to an approach characterised by invention, keen observation, alertness, and discovery, shaping his artistic process moving forward.
Correlations with other artists
“It’s hard to just name few, since inspiration comes from living and deceased, it can also come intuitively and unplanned, subconsciously”
In the streets of Paris last November, he delved into a week of immersive research and artistic camaraderie, visiting the studios of fellow creatives at Cité Internationale des Arts.
Moreover, an informal exchange with a fellow artist, Joerg Hurschler in Paris, sparked a creative epiphany to introduce kinetic elements into his sculptures, resulting in the moving hat with an orange sculpture—a dynamic addition to his repertoire.
Drawing from a rich tapestry of artistic influences, he was inspired by the innovative work of Gaëlle Choisne, whose show he visited at the Reiffers Art Initiatives in Paris, Sterling Ruby, and Pia Fries, who masterfully wielded paint textures and a diverse array of materials.
In his quest to capture the essence of his sculptures through the lens, he found inspiration in the work of Thomas Julier, whose mastery of photography propelled him to hone his skills in this captivating medium.
His latest exhibition “Boundless Expressions” at the 8008 Studio
“This latest show is mostly focused on research and experimentation with different media and materials such as plastic, nails and nylon”
This exhibition marks a pivotal moment in his career, as he ventures into uncharted territory by seamlessly integrating conceptual elements into abstract paintings.
From the bold juxtaposition of a knife on canvas to the innovative use of plastic bags in sculpture, each piece exudes a sense of daring experimentation and creative exploration.
Amidst the buzz of the exhibition’s opening, he unveils his groundbreaking foray into a site-specific installation art with “Ich.” (In German “Me”) nestled within the confines of the bathroom, the installation captivates viewers with its thought-provoking elements, giving a sense of originality.
A lipstick-scrawled text on the mirror and other carefully curated elements converge to spark contemplation on themes of perception, identity, and the quest for meaning. It’s a bold statement that transcends traditional boundaries.
The Bergeller Granit rock was found on the river Sur Punt while visiting Muzeum Susch in August 2023 and made its way from Susch to St.Moritz in backpacks, trains, cars and storage spaces.
At Hermann’s studio in Horgen, the artist combined it with a soft pillow as an evoking contrast to the heavy weight of the rock.
It is a defining and starting piece of the exhibition, since during that visit new friendships and relationships were born and strengthened, like that with Christine Goehler, the owner of the 8oo8 studio and Carolin A. Geist, who initially introduced Hermann to Christine’s studio and is also credited for the exhibition text.
Journeying into Artistry and the Zurich Showcase
“After being fired from a job after one month of arriving in Switzerland, I spent several months looking for new opportunities to survive”
Despite challenging circumstances, he embarked on his art drive by launching an art blog, featuring interviews with renowned artists such as Ai Wei Wei, Simon Starling, Tom Sachs, Julian Charrière, Thomas Hirschhorn, and Lena Henke while covering exhibitions across Switzerland.
Simultaneously, in 2016, he began creating small-scale drawings using watercolours, text markers, and oil paint, therefore over the years, these initial forays evolved into larger, more intricate works of art, that we are now witnessing all over Zurich.
Therefore, the city of Zurich holds a special significance in his trajectory because it’s where he first dipped his toes into the world of art and established his studio in Horgen, positioned by the lake.
Regardless of its modest size, Zurich boasts a vibrant art ecosystem, enriched by esteemed museums, off-spaces, invaluable research opportunities, and a thriving community of art collectors, curators, foundations, and historians.
The Role of Plastic
“Most of this plastic and bags are mostly from waste; I use them in my works, to give more flowing form to the painting and shapes that go off the canvas”
Throughout his work, Andy aims to draw references to labour, focusing on individuals who work daily with various materials, including those often overlooked in factories, constructions, restaurants, or supermarkets.
His work seeks to uncover the fascinating yet untold stories of these “unnoticed” individuals and their contributions to society.
“It is a tribute to the anonymous men and women whose incredible act of perseverance is their everyday survival.”
The exhibition “Boundless Expressions” is extended until the end of February with the finissage taking place on the 29th of February at 6PM.
Carina Schuster is a multilingual tech and science editor for The London Financial & a podcast anchor and producer for SciTech Suisse, covering groundbreaking stories in the matter of disruptive technology developments and interviewing top experts in AI, the Metaverse, Web3, Blockchain and scientific research. Throughout her experience as a journalist in the editorial and digital worlds, she was selected by CNN Money Switzerland in 2020 as a digital producer intern and has demonstrated a collaborative and creative spirit, working alongside talented journalists and delivering impactful stories with the main aim of simplifying the complexity of technology.
You’re making a positive impact with your blog.