Jason Gringler
How would you describe yourself ?
I am soft spoken and thoughtful whenever possible, however I am also extremely obsessive, self-critical and a harsh editor. I try and learn from my mistakes.
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What are your inspirations ? what influences your work ?
I am currently very interested in translating (the language of) digital media in to highly formal studio objects using industrial materials like steel, mesh, glass and posters.
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Have you always been interested in art, what was the trigger ? and what’s your oldest memory about art ?
I was not raised with art, so it has been an arduous process functioning as an artist with an active daily studio practice.
I began by drawing cartoon imagery as a child and picked up painting when I was around 20 years old. I quickly realized my hand had no determination as a painter so my larger body of work comes out of the simultaneous rejection and study of painting.
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You seem to be attracted by roughness (smashed mirrors, pieces of glass, industrial architecture, manual hardware, steel etc.) and yet your work is very precise. How do you explain this gap / difference ?
The materials I work with are quite unforgiving and when a piece is not functioning properly it gets destroyed. It is the gesture of destruction (a kind of unmannered mark-making) that contributes to the rougher features of my work. I try to recycle materials in order for each piece to contain marks that could not be made intentionally.
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Do you ever think about working on other medium ?
I experiment with other mediums continuously while my main practice evolves. Currently I am producing small table top objects using discarded technology and concrete. I also have
a large body of paper work mostly using collage and overpainted photographs of my studio.
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What is the thing that you are the most proud of ?
I have had the good fortune to work with some very kind and generous people.
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What 24 hours with you look like ?
I typically wake up around 9 and have coffee, look at images and read. I go to the gym around 11-12 and then I am in the studio for the day. In the evening I definitely like to drink a few glasses of wine.
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Interview by Fiona Vilmer, writer specialized in contemporary art.
Photographs and text courtesy of the artist.
Photographs and text courtesy of the artist.
