O-A: What is art to you? Is creating an urge, necessity or maybe an incontournable, essential way of life?
Daniel Buchner: My artistic career actually started with music. Being the son of a Jazz musician, music has always been an integral part of life. I play piano, drums and compose and produce songs. Being a Dutch kid, going to museums to see the work of the great Dutch masters is part of most kid’s upbringing. But my interest in visual arts really started blooming in my twenties when I was struck by the work of Dutch abstract guru Piet Mondrian and his fellow De Stijl comrades. I researched their ideas about art. Read up on De Stijl founder Theo van Doesburg, visited a great exhibition on Gerrit Rietveld in my hometown of Utrecht and got interested in Bauhaus, Constructivism and modernist architecture. With that the urge to own a piece of their work started to grow. At the time this was financially unattainable. But a poster wasn’t going to cut it either. In 2012 I decided I was going to create my own art. Art I would want to hang in my living room. As a substitute for the ‘real deal’. But I wasn’t a schooled artist. I didn’t know the way to achieve my goals with paint and paintbrush. So I turned to my computer. Because I did know how to use the computer to manipulate images. And so my art came to life.
–
O-A: What wouldn’t you do without art? What did you discover, achieve with it?
Daniel Buchner: At first my art filled a void. I wanted to own a piece by a De Stijl member, but it was impossible. I created my own art out of a necessity. And now creating art is a great way to relax and feel excited at the same time. To create balance where there is chaos by only using form and color. Allowing the art to speak for itself, like the greats did before me.
O-A: If a person, artist or not, influenced you, what kind of question would you ask him/her?
Daniel Buchner: I would ask Piet Mondrian how he managed to create so much emotion and resonance with so little actual result on the canvas. This is what I always admired about his work.
O-A: Who or what inspired you artistically; a person, artist, event, experience…
Daniel Buchner: I’m inspired by everything I see. I take minuscule pictures of inspiring photographs, art pieces etc. I take out all color gradients, this way hard edged colour pixels remain. Then I edit, rearrange, cut, paste and combine – compose like my music, if you will – these pixels to become new works of art.
–
O-A: What is a vivid memory of a remark concerning your art that got stuck with you?
Daniel Buchner: A remark I truly loved was: “I really don’t get abstract art, but your work really relaxes me.”
O-A: What was the most interesting statement you heard about your work?
Daniel Buchner: Someone once said: “this is what true balance in life must feel like.”
O-A: How do you search for inspiration and themes for your work?
Daniel Buchner: I really enjoy searching Instagram for art that resonates with me. Discover new artists and new art. From that I draw loads of inspiration.
O-A: How has your art changed over time? Why?
Daniel Buchner: Yes, at first it was very simple and straightforward. It became more intricate and engaging. More colors, more lines and I created a way to incorporate great works by other artists into my own. Creating my new and exciting Counter Compositions.
–
O-A: Are you a synesthete? Have synesthete ever commented on your paintings? How?
Daniel Buchner: No, sadly not.
O-A: What names do you give your artworks?
Daniel Buchner: Titles of my compositions always refer to the original picture of which I created the pixels I work with. This way the old always stays connected to the new. Capturing the present perpetually.
O-A: What do you usually talk about with your collectors?
Daniel Buchner: What I would talk about are rooms and situations that best complement the piece they’re interested in. My pieces are colored vividly and belong in a complementing environment. It should balance and harmonize a room and not create additional chaos. I really enjoy to engage in these kinds of conversations.