By Kenia Cris
Artwork and images by Dennis Seide
Born May 5th 1977 in the northern parts of rural Denmark, Dennis Seide turned to drawing at a young age. Throughout his youth he kept expressing himself visually through drawing, until he visited a local art-supply store in 2005, where he purchased his first brushes. His melancholic paintings soon caught the attention of a local gallery, and within 6 months after finishing his first painting, he was offered his first exhibition.
In 2011, Dennis Seide has established himself as an internationally recognized artist with several group- and solo exhibitions in France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Lithuania and Denmark. Although successful in his field, he remains humble: “It’s all about having fun, and I’d be doing what I do, even if no one but myself saw it – success is more or less a byproduct for me. I ended up where I am now, by pure coincident; I’ve never contacted anyone in the art community and asked them to look at my art, so I feel incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to show my art to other people“.
Did you go to Fine Arts college in Denmark?
No, I’m more or less self taught. I’m an educated graphic designer, so I know about colors, composition etc., but I’ve had no formal training in arts.
Where do you get your inspiration for paintings?
Everything I do is inspired by my life; the joys, sadnesses and frustrations that life confronts you with, the people I am surrounded by and the world I am a part of. For me, that’s what it’s all about; trying to make sense of my own existence and the stuff that surrounds me. The process varies, though; most times I am inspired by a particular feeling or event, that sparks my creative process, which leads directly to something visual. At other times it might inspire me to write a poem, which acts as a catalyst for creating something visual.
Do you work in silence or do you listen to music?
I always listen to music when I work. At the moment I’m very fond of artists like Hymns From Nineveh, Bon Iver, Elliott Smith, Chet Baker and Sufjan Stevens; all pretty melancholic stuff.
Out of all the paintings you have painted, do you have a favorite? Which is it and why is it your fave?
As I mentioned earlier, I try to make sense of my own existence through my work, and as such, each finished piece of art – whether it’s a painting, sculpture, drawing or something else, has brought me some sense of closure. I might return to the general theme, but the the particular time-specific feeling has been processed. I guess you could say that I have put the theme that it represents behind me, and since I’m focused on the stuff happening right now, my favorite piece of art is always the most recent.
Who is your favorite artist and how do you connect with his/her works?
My favorite artist is recently deceased Danish artist Poul Anker Bech. He lived in the same part of Denmark as where I grew up, and made some amazing melancholic area-specific paintings, which reminds me of my own childhood.
If you could not be creative through the medium of painting, what other medium would you choose?
In a lot of ways, I consider myself a storyteller. Although my goal is to depict feelings and events, which are very personal to me, I am aware that it is something most people can relate to in one way or another. In relation to that, almost every piece of art I do has a title with a sender and a recipient; much like a story. If I couldn’t paint, I’d probably write or make movies. I actually do write, and I’m planning on getting my hands of a video camera, too. I guess you could say, that what drives me is the story I have to tell, and not so much the medium through which I tell it.
What kind of impression do you hope to leave upon others who see your images?
I hope that people can relate to the paintings I do, and maybe use them in some way, in trying to make sense of their own existence. I try to bring out the beauty in feelings and events that are sometimes very hard to cope with, because I believe that there is a lot of beauty in every aspect of life – even when it gets rough. If I can somehow help people to see this, I’ll be very pleased.
You turn everyday life objects into art, and you put art into everyday life common areas. You’ve drawn a friend a tattoo project and you’re surrounded by paints and brushes – what is magical about art to you?
For me, the most magical aspect of art is that it permeates everything; every aspect of life can be artistically expressed, and for me, that brings so much joy.
For more of Dennis Seide’s amazing paintings and exhibitions dates and locations, visit his website: http://www.haervaerk.dk/
