Extraordinary Art Stories: Jana Schumacher

Hi Jana, thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. Can you tell us about your artistic background and how you became a full-time artist…

My artistic development started as a teenager, with my mom as a great drawing teacher. As a high school student, I had the opportunity to spend one year in the United States, in a small town close to the Canadian border. It paused a year of my German Gymnasium, which did not offer any creative programs. Instead, I took a year of full time art making. This experience helped shape my passion and dedication for the artistic profession I have chosen.

What’s the biggest inspiration for your work?

An abundance of accessible information shapes my perceptions of culture and society, and influences my artistic process. I draw from a variety of sources; including literature, politics, weather conditions, storms, the nature of time and space and astrophysics.

Do you have an artistic role model? Which artist has had the greatest impact on you and why?

During my 20s I have looked up to Kurt Schwitters; I admired the flexibility of his ideas, his attempts to mix and reorganise genres, as well as his use of humour and language. Buckminster Fuller and the creative genius, Nikola Tesla, have also been an inspiration for me. Through studying their philosophy and work, I see the potential and extraordinary influence ideas can have on society.

I mostly follow artists who keep exploring and shifting their artistic identities. And at times may even pause a career for artistic growth.

When was the first time your work was at an Affordable Art Fair?

The first time my work was exhibited was at Affordable Art Fair Hamburg in 2014, as an emerging artist, curated by Judith Waldmann. It had a really positive impact, as some of my major works were sold during the preview.

As a result, a gallery contacted me and invited me to be part of their program. The collaboration lasted about seven years.

Your artistic work often deals with the connection of arts and natural sciences, but also integrates religious-esoteric symbolism. What makes this connection so interesting to you?

In my most recent works, I am investigating the experience of chaos, moments of uncertainty and the destabilisation of systems in the centre of the human experience. I research strategies that individuals or societies develop to understand the unknown, and to create a sense of security and even empowerment.

The establishment of science as well as powerful belief systems, can be considered so-called “strategies of action”. Even in consideration of their contradictory nature, they are two sides of the same coin.

Within my art, this idea can be seen in my recent installation, “Puzzle” as well as my newest series of wax pieces which take inspiration from the achievements of astrophysics.

Currently, your work is part of The Beginning of Everything at the Museum of Work in Hamburg – an exhibition exploring the history of the universe. You’ve developed work that deals with questions about the infinity of the universe. Can you tell us about the creative process of this work and the collaboration with the scientists?

For the art–meets–science exhibition, Wie alles begann at the Museum of Arbeit, I am one of five artists who are exhibiting work that offers different points of view to the scientific exhibition.

In consideration of my history of collaboration with scientists from the DESY Institute, I created an installation that refers to the search for Dark Matter. It also addresses the quest of humanity for the mysteries of the cosmos.

A mountain of black puzzle pieces are piled up on a large round table. The scenery is illuminated by a ring of light. The setting refers with the blink of an eye to Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove, showcasing an eerie centre of power, where important decisions are made. The black puzzle is in its nature unsolvable, but at the same time teases the audience playfully to try it out.

In what ways did the development of your artistic work for a science-focused exhibition differ from the preparation for other more artistically focused exhibitions?

Artistically, I follow a few different pathways as forms of expression. My drawings are indicative of abstract systems that can be read intuitively. Other forms of art, such as my interest in science, tend to acquire more preparation and research upfront. The technical execution of an installation project demands resources in terms of funding and help from contractors. As I am very curious, I tend to also spend a lot of time experimenting with new materials and approaches. Every artwork or exhibition I create influences further artistic work.

What’s next for you – what are you working on and looking forward to?

I am working on a variety of upcoming exhibition projects and new publications, including the “Papier und Klang” Festival, taking place this summer in Berlin.

We love revisiting artists that have exhibited at an Affordable Art Fair! Huge thanks to Jana Schumacher for taking the time to respond to our questions. We can’t wait to see where Jana’s career takes her next. Stay updated with Jana’s practice and find out where to view her work by giving her a follow on social media or check out MeetFrida Art Foundation for more information.

Main image: ‘Puzzle’ by Jana Schumacher at the Museum of Arbeit in Hamburg