"My images and pieces are not a precise document of what was or is, but very much an interpretation of my emotions in relation to the subject."
Nicolas Kern left his home of Austria, and his half-finished studies in mechanical engineering, 15 years ago to pursue art in New York. He has worked in sculpture, collages and photography, but feels most at home in the latter.
Where are you quarantined? How did you end up there?
I'm currently based out of Foresthburgh, New York; 2 hrs north of New York City.
The thought was that we needed to get out of the city to be safe and give our son the opportunity to roam free, but wanted to be within striking distance. Ordinarily, we live in the West Village, the Disney World of NYC. That perfection and artifice can be really soothing in a chaotic world.
Who are you quarantined with? How is it going?
I'm with my wife and son and for us it has been a blessing. Its unprecedented for us to have this much time just the three of us. Of course there are rough days too, but mostly we've been enjoying this intense time together and are grateful for this luxury.
What is your current state of mind?
I'm incredibly optimistic at the moment. It's a bit ironic because habitually I can be quite cynical and pessimistic about humanity, our industry, and life in general. But I feel this crisis could be a wake up call for a lot of people -- a time of readjustment, to focus your sight on the things you've been missing in the past.
What was your biggest worry one month ago? What is it now?
Initially my core concern was for my work and our well being. Not much has changed in that regard, but I've calmed down a lot about the crisis. We are taking the threat extremely seriously, more than most it would seem, but we're also at peace with the thought that our best course of action is staying where we are and working as much as we can from here.
What was your most treasured possession one month ago? What is it now?
I find myself enjoying a new minimalism. I'm grateful to have all the tools I need to remain creative and keep working on my images while I'm here in the sticks.
If you could have dinner with one person this evening, who would it be? What would you eat?
Hard to choose. I'd love a round table of artists, musicians and writers. Both current and past, even long past. But then there's the whole thing about how one should never meet their idols. So maybe the most rewarding evening would be to crack some beers and have some peyote with Hunter S Thompson.
I feel like that would shake things up a bit.
What is your biggest pre-quarantine regret?
So much unnecessary stress about the minor things in life.
What do you value most in people?
I'm a bit of a scatter brain. I get very into specific projects or ideas and lose track of people in the process. I'm grateful for friends who can forgive that and with whom I can link up again after a while and continue as if a mere second has passed. Is that forgiveness and reliability? Could be. Maybe.
What do you value most in your work?
It's only a boring day if you want it to be one. That is to say, any day can be as varied or regulated as you choose it to be. Its a great freedom not many are granted.
What are you looking forward to?
Hugging my dear ones and a really good cup of coffee.
