"my poetry is the world". Interview with herman de vries

Abstract

At 92 years old, he continues to work every day. He enjoys strolling and exploring what, for him, is his workshop: the immense forest surrounding his home in the small German town of Eschenau, in the Steigerwald Nature Park. There, he finds branches, roots, soil, humus, leaves, and other materials with which he creates his artwork. According to him, art has the function of (re)connecting us with nature to delve into the spiritual essence of life. He praises the infinite variety of forms and expressions of life, the uniqueness of each being, and advocates for the equality and unity of all living beings. In rejection of hierarchy, he always writes his name in lowercase. In 2015, he represented the Dutch pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale, and in 2017, MUSAC dedicated a major retrospective to him. He trained as a horticulturist, worked as a biologist, and his work focuses on the processes of natural phenomena. He uses the scientific method of observation, collection, and classification, seeking objectivity and avoiding intervention as much as possible. A great traveler, fascinated by Eastern cultures and influenced by Buddhism, Taoism, and Zen, he aims to awaken humanity's consciousness and build bridges between modern man and nature with his art. For this interview, he welcomed us into his home with his wife Susanne, opened his studio full of creative experiments, his library filled with books, and his deeply authentic heart.