Florian In Excelsis

"FLORIAN IN EXCELSIS"

Florian Van Jannel

Old Lynn's own "Conceptual Artist", the eccentric-yet-endearing Florian Van Jannel, recently made headline news for his Deceased-Rodent-Spleen-Mary installation at the Washlands Gallery (December 2013-February 2014). There were whispers of outrage and shouts of indifference from every corner of the East Anglian art circuit; cliques were being clicked, and peacock feathers were being ruffled, basically speaking.

And we have him right here for you, today, in our very offices, to explain himself and to answer the burning questions that YOU, our favourite Quicklime News readers, want to ask him. So, without further ado;

Q1. "Hi Florian. I really love your work. You are waaaaaay out there man. The degradation looks so beautiful and beige. Anyhoo, I went to a gallery opening for regional pop artist Dick Slap esq. the other night. A rather mediocre show itself, but I swear I saw you handing out drinks and food to the gallery visitors wearing a gas mask. Was that you??"

A1. Why yes, it was indeed my good self there, helping out good old Dick. We go back a long way (I first met him at one of my happenings 7 months ago). The way I see it, all of my performances and secret/unbilled appearances are a good way to bridge myself between major installations - it also keeps my public profile very, um, well, public! Its all good clean fun - except when its dirty. Good question!

Florian Van Jannel. Backstage during one recent gallery "performance".

Q2. "Hi Florian. I just wanted to say that I don't really rate your 'work', such as it is, at all really. I find it moribund at best. Am I missing a trick here? Am I getting it all wrong?"

A2. No no. I would say that 'moribund' covers it nicely. Its just how you market that moribundance that matters. Good question!

Q3. "So then, big fella, what do you have in store for us in the future then, eh? EH?"

A3. Lots. To tell you the truth, I am so overworked at the moment, I just find myself falling asleep all the time, often without warning. Which is helpful, as I am otherwise terribly lonely. The Deceased-Rodent-Spleen-Mary installation makes its way to Munich at the end of the month (see you there!), then on to Michigan, and then on to the McBain Gallery in Malta. If you haven't guessed already, I plan to work my way through the alphabet of countries & cities with my touring works. Arf. Alongside other projects that I cannot talk about at the moment (because I haven't thought of any yet), I will also continue to do unscheduled gallery appearances whilst wearing all kinds of breathing-restricted masks. Good question!

Q4. "Hi Florian. Big fan. What do you say people who just don't 'get' conceptualism or modern conceptual art in general?"

A4. I'd recommend them to look again. Good question!

Q5. "What is your most proudest moment in your art career?"

A5. Ah, now that's easy; Eating a fish supper with Joel-Peter Witkin. Paris. 2007. Good question!

Q6. "Are you not more of a bourgeois situationist troublemaker than you are a Fine Artist?

A6. "Well, I don't know about all that. I am just being me. I tend to attach labels to myself and my work only when I can't sleep at night (which, as I say, is quite rare at the moment). Oh, and I'm not a Fine Artist. I am a Damn Fine Artist. Good question!

Well, a big thank you to you all for your questions, and I hope to speak to you, my audience, again very soon indeed. Hugs & kisses, Florian x

"Claret Trees in Motion" 2014. Florian Van Jannel.

Along with all of the above-mentioned projects, Florian's future includes a digital exploration of trees, his "Claret Trees in Motion" work already causing a major stir on the continent, and a planned multimedia collaboration with Russian cannibal celebrity Виталий in late 2015. Rest assured, we will be seeing a LOT more of our controversial golden boy in the very near future.

Whether you like it or not.

Quicklime Newsdesk.
May 2014.

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