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A Multifaceted Artistic Background
Joas Nebe is an artist, curator, and academic who after graduating from the University of Hamburg, lectured on film analysis at the university and analyzed election campaigns for Reemtsma. Since 2000, Nebe has been working as an artist and freelance curator with projects showcased in various international cities such as Berlin, Milan, and Tehran. Some of his more notable exhibitions include “Climate Change Cartoons” at the 2011 UN Climate Change Conference in Durban and “Machine Fair” at Moscow's Museum of Modern Art in 2012. Nebe’s films have also been featured in numerous international festivals, such as Les Instants Video in Cairo, Videoformes Festival, Sustain Our Africa, Madatac in Madrid, and Papy Gyros Nights in Hong Kong. With numerous awards, stipends, and residencies from various countries under his belt, Joas has developed a diverse artistic perspective.
Portrait of Joas Nebe in front of one of his pieces.
Artistic Inspiration and Themes
Nebe’s artwork is inspired by a deep exploration of light and shadow. His "Houses of Shades" light sculptures, which blend sculpture and filmmaking, were influenced by shadow theaters from Indonesia, Turkey, and the Near East. This fascination naturally led him into lens-based media. Nebe’s work delves into themes of communication and ideology, examining how language and images shape human interaction. His 'Grammar Serial/Gangland' series critiques the manipulation of language and images. In terms of his creative process, thorough research and conceptual development are involved, whether using traditional or digital media. For example, his “Whiteblack Project” combines traditional drawing with photography to bring forms to life.
The Impact of Digital Platforms
Nebe sees social media, especially Instagram, as having simplified the buyer-seller relationship. "The customer/art collector can learn about their favorite artist's offerings via social media, negotiate directly with the artist over price and conditions, stay informed about their latest projects, and communicate with the artist about the background of a piece they are interested in acquiring," he says.
Untitled - Joas Nebe 1997. 80 x 100 cm egg tempera, graphite on burlap. Photo credits: VG Bildkunst.
AI-Generated Art and the Contemporary Art Landscape
Regarding AI-generated art, Joas noted, “I see a certain potential for artists who engage with the workings of AI and use it for the production of their artworks. The prerequisite for this is that the artist develops their own language, using prompts to instruct the AI on what to produce. It seems likely that the subtleties of language will become increasingly important, and a visual artist may perhaps become more of a writer. It remains to be seen how AI will translate complex literary works into images and videos.” Nebe is optimistic that with more formal recognition, there is potential for him to expand his artistic expression into the realms of AI.
The Merging of Art and Technology
Joas is excited about the diversity of new possibilities that come with the merging of art and technology. He shared, "I have always been an artist who came from traditional techniques such as egg tempera—a technique from 15th-century Italy—gouache, and woodcut, and who later embraced new media, particularly video art.” Today, Nebe describes his work as using both traditional techniques, such as analog collage techniques, and modern techniques with technology that allow him to digitize parts and compose independent videos.
“Relief Me From Politics” - Joas Nebe 2024. Film still from a 4k single channel video. Credits: VG Bildkunst.
Innovations in Art Display
Joas hopes to see his works as interactive, immersive installations. He wishes for viewers to experience his work “in a kind of 3-D installation, where they can walk through them, circle around them, much like we do today with sculptures.”
Final Thoughts
Joas Nebe's insights offer a fascinating glimpse into the world of art, from the impact of digital platforms to the potential of AI and the future of traditional galleries. His work and ideas are sure to continue inspiring and challenging audiences for years to come.