We had the good fortune of connecting with Moritz Waldemeyer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Moritz, why did you pursue a creative career?
It was almost as if the career chose me, something like a gravitational pull that crystallised into a creative life over time. The path started at the polar opposite point: my first job out of school was at Deutsche Bank, I then went on to study international business in London, changed to engineering, landed a job as a research scientist and only then started working on more and more artistic projects. A big shoutout goes to Nadja Swarovski who nurtured creative projects and practically launched me into the design world at the highest possible level in the early 2000s. Luckily for me it was the right place at the right time, as there were very few if not any designers and artists with my technical skill set and I was able to establish my studio very quickly, pioneering the creative use of electronics and light across different disciplines. Now this setup is almost the norm and we have to be ever more creative to retain a cutting edge on the cross section between technology and art.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
In my artwork I try to evoke an emotional response in the viewer, be it by creating a magical atmosphere, an intriguing playful interaction or a past memory. I enjoy hiding technology in plain view, crafting electronics with sufficient mastery to make it the canvas of the art piece, rather than hiding it behind the scenes. Steve Jobs famously insisted that the circuit boards in his computers should be beautiful, yet he still hid them in a box. I like to go a step further and make the art work from circuit boards or at the very least integrate them in full view and give them an aesthetic that elevates the electronics to be an embellishment in the art work. The most extreme pieces to embody this philosophy are my re-interpretations of the famous Faberge eggs. Executed purely with methods from the electronics industry and yet emanating an air of luxury just as the historic pieces that inspired them.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’ve lived in London for all of my adult life, it’s certainly one of the most exciting cities in the world. I would make that trip as diverse as possible: a walk along the South Bank of the river for the best views, with a cocktail at the Shard, a visit of Shakespeare’s globe and late night at Tate Modern. The London Eye and Houses of Parliament complete this walk and no better place to chill out than Gordon’s Wine Bar on the Embankment. To experience the real vibrancy of young London the area around Brick Lane is fantastic (pay attention to the street art) and don’t miss Columbia flower market on a Sunday. Have lunch at Campania and drinks at the Royal Oak for a great pub experience. Some other favourite hang outs are Epping Forest for a magical escape to nature, Camden market and day trips to Brighton, Dungeness and Windsor castle to round off the experience of extreme contrasts.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
A little practice session for my Oscar acceptance speech: I’d like to give a shout out to my partner Nazanin, thanks for her support and patience with my antics, my family for sending me down this very interesting route and all the technical developers and geeks for their invaluable input such as Geoff, Justyn, Freddie, Imanol, Jacob, Maximilian, Damien and Franzo. A particular shout out goes to my late grandparents, the painters Heinz Felsch and Brigitte Felsch who passed down the family’s artistic DNA during many of my childhood holidays.

Website: www.waldemeyer.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mwaldemeyer/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwaldemeyer/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mwaldemeyer

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/moritzwaldemeyer

Other: https://www.mori.london/

Image Credits
Jamiroquai picture: courtesy of Jamiroquai

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