Artist Statement

(1) I believe in the power of art. I think art continually has to find new images for the time we live in. For the conditions and issues we deal with: existentially, politically, physically, and globally. Searching such images is what I am aiming for.

(2) Going back and forth between knowing and doing feeds what we ultimately call culture. It is important to me to be involved in art practice from both a theoretical and practical stance. I usually get most inspired by artwork that comes from a balance between aesthetic form and conceptual content.

(3) I do believe in an intriguing encounter between art producers and the public. To embrace education is a rewarding way to expand our creativity. Audiences can make us learn better, and see things we would not have known of. I understand both, intelligence and creativity to be profoundly social.

Artist Biography / Biographie

Richard Jochum is a Visiting Scholar and Artist in Residence at Columbia University. He works as a media artist since the late 1990s setting up exhibitions all over the world. Being an Austrian citizen Richard received his MA in philosophy from the University of Innsbruck, and his PhD from the University of Vienna dealing with strategies of coping with complexity in contemporary philosophy. He got his MFA in sculpture and media art from the University of Applied Arts in Vienna before he moved first to Berlin and later to New York. Richard’s art practice is accompanied by lectures in the field of contemporary art practice and cultural theory. He has been awarded several grants and prizes. One of his most recent installation - 30 light boxes as a flip book – is exhibited in a railroad tunnel in the Austrian Alps since June 10, 2009. More information can be found at http://richardjochum.net

Richard Jochum, geb. in Vorarlberg, Studium der Philosophie, Bildhauerei und Medienkunst in Innsbruck und Wien. Seit 2004 Gastdozent an der Columbia Universität in New York.

Zahlreiche Ausstellungen und Screenings im In- und Ausland; gegenwärtig:
Flavors of Austria, TAF, Athen (Griechenland), 19. Mai - 30. Juni 2009.
Video Awards im Rahmen von Global Warming bei der Volta Art Fair / Art Basel 2009, 12. Juni 2009.
Hana Art Gallery, Seoul (Korea), 24.-30. Juni 2009
Dowd Fine Art Gallery, SUNY Cortland (New York), 17. Juli - 26. September 2009