Q&A with Marcus Jansen: Artwork Winner, Creative Works Competition 2010

The Aesthetica Creative Works Competition is open for entries! Now in its fourth year, the competition is dedicated to celebrating and championing creative talent across the disciplines and welcomes entries from artists working in any medium including sculpture, textiles, photography, ceramics, digital art and more, as well as poetry and short fiction.

The competition has three categories for entry: Artwork; Poetry and Short Fiction. One winner from each category will receive £500 and winners and finalists will be published in the Aesthetica Creative Works Annual, available throughout select galleries and online.

The Artwork Winner for 2010’s competition, Marcus Jansen, describes his artwork below:

“E Pluribus Unum is about freedom of expression and a resistance to traditional norms in painting. It is about finding order in chaos and creating an experimental platform while inviting viewers to have an open mind to the unseen and unknown. The work centres on contemporary reality and a transforming world order. Jansen’s work shows an aggressive battle or war among colours, textures and emotions that are delivered instinctively.”

The Artwork section is judged by Aesthetica editor, Cherie Federico, and last year's other winners were Carol Parikh (Fiction, Judge, Rachel Hazelwood) and William Doreski (Poetry, Judge, Kate North). The Aesthetica Creative Works Annual is available here.

We caught up with Marcus to see what he’s been up to since winning the Artwork Category in 2010. For more information about the competition and to enter visit www.aestheticamagazine.com/creativeworks

Q&A with Marcus Jansen

What is it that motivates you to make art?

I guess my naturally given infinite creative nature, which is in every human being. It is not something I try to do, but rather something that I acknowledge as a gift and task.

How would you define your style and how has it developed? Have you been influenced by any particular artists?

I would rather not define it, although many labels can be placed on it for identification purposes perhaps. It's an emotional and spontaneous style. I've been influenced by many artists, from graffiti works on murals to great contemporary masters and children's work.

You were a member of the US army for seven years. How do you think your experiences in the military have shaped your art?

I believe it was quite significant. The experience of great fear and encountering life threatening scenarios changes a person and more importantly his or her outlook on life and ones self perhaps. It may have given me a hyper awareness about my surroundings. Yes, maybe it has actually, which could explain my sense of details in my works.

What advice would you give to other aspiring artists? Any tips on how to enter creative competitions?

Just do your work and do it well. When you find yourself in your work, it becomes the best there is because there is nothing to compare it to. That's where you want to be.

Can you give us any insight into the projects that you are working on at the moment?

I just completed a project for ABSOLUT VODKA, who commissioned me just recently and am getting works ready for at Art Basel Miami Beach 2011 and The Armory Show in NYC 2012.

Image:
Courtesy the artist