Interview with the artist Wolfgang Baldauf
Wolfgang Baldauf, a 35-year-old artist born in Halle, started out in fashion and product photography before switching to the artistic field in 2012. His passion lies in analogue photographic techniques. This involves projecting images from the camera onto other materials such as paper or glass and fixing them in place. It sounds simple, but it isn’t. It was only after about two years of tinkering and experimenting that the artist succeeded, thanks to special techniques, in projecting sculptures onto wood.
Every finished piece is unique, and demand for such special wooden artworks has now risen. Nevertheless, his motto remains: there is only one artwork or sculpture made from each negative.
In a personal conversation, I was able to find out more about the artist and his work.
How do you create your artworks?
“First, I draw a line that arises from an inner emotional impulse. The drawing gradually takes shape, and by the end I have created a sculpture featuring unusual, almost unnatural contortions and spiral-shaped forms. As certain poses aren’t possible in real life, I came up with the idea of this particular twist; it’s always spontaneous and intuitive,” says Wolfgang. This clearly shows how the artist allows himself to be guided by his emotions and channels them into his works.
Could you briefly explain the steps involved?
First, a sculpture is created using various materials. The sculpture is then photographed with an analogue camera and the film is developed straight away. The selected piece of wood is prepared for analogue development, i.e. it is coated with a light-sensitive layer. In the darkroom, the substrate is exposed and developed. And the artwork is complete!
What is your favourite material to work with?
You’ve now become a well-known figure in Hall and were asked to design the 2020 New Year’s greeting card. How did that come about?
I was, of course, very proud and honoured when the committee of the “Lambichler Social Fund” (founded in 2016 by the Marian Congregation of Hall) approached me last year and commissioned me to design the New Year’s apology card for 2020. Strictly speaking, these are 200 wooden panels, which I exposed and developed. They feature a section of the Langer Graben with a view of the Münzer Tower. I was very taken with the charitable cause, so it was a win-win situation for both parties. I began work on the project in the summer of 2019, and by November, all 200 wooden panels were complete.
Where will your next trip take you?
“You never really know, do you?” says Wolfgang with a laugh. In any case, he intends to remain true to photography and continue to tinker with his technique – or rather, try to refine it. He would also like to create hybrid works, i.e. try out his technique on concrete or river stones from the River Inn. After all, his motto is: “An artist must never rest!” According to the artist, decisions are therefore usually made quite spontaneously. So we can look forward to seeing what other exciting things the future holds in store for Wolfgang Baldauf.
Do you have a way of unwinding from the stresses of life as an artist?
He laughs again and says that his creative work isn’t really work. Rather, it is passion, obsession and an inner drive to bring something to completion. In his spare time, he is an ambitious bassist in various jazz bands. He has been making music with his sister Petra for around 20 years. Their current project is called Sassophonic, an electronic project featuring danceable jazz music. They produce their own videos. Curious about Wolfgang’s and Petra’s music?