SC. You use a variety of media to create your artwork. Why do you include also neon?
ES: In our installations we use various media in order to entrance the viewer into an overall sensorial space. there are various “tools” (color, size, movement, sound, overwhelm, light) and different mediums (wallpaper, performance, masks, sculpture, video projection, music, neon, laser, wallpainting, balloons, flags, etc) to trigger a full presence/participation/rapture/surrender of the viewer to our installations. obviously each medium has its own “role” in the final result but the most important is their combination into one “gesamtkunstwerk” where the audience is the icon.
SC: What does neon means to you?
ES: are light turned into a three-dimensional shape. They’ve got an irresistible and pleasing aspect to them. They’ve got an interesting quality of being a “technology from the past” which cultivates both melancholy and wonderment in you. It’s fascinating how soothing and alluring neons can be. We have also explored their “neurotic” properties mostly when we animated them. These dualities with neons have always appealed to us. And then there are also the words neons through which we investigate even another characteristic with them: I feel like they have a more “holy” existence, almost like a spell from God. That was definitely our intention with our avaf combo neons like “a very anxious feeling”, “another violet alien fetus”, “adore voluptuous actresses forever”.
SC: What does light means to you in an artwork?
ES: To be able to bring light into a “contained” space always feels otherworldly. It’s magic, hypnosis, rapture, worship.
SC: In some works the neon piece assume a sculptural element. Can you comment that?
ES: Neons are always sculptural. It’s shaped light turned into a 3D form. That is one of the most captivating aspects of a neon piece. But yes I know you are referring to more “stand alone” neon pieces we have produced – they have always been more “totem” like, at the same time hypnotic and sensuous – still carrying the characteristic commented above.
SC: Can the neon pieces (the ones that are part of the huge installations) represent an artwork themselves?
ES: Of course! From all the elements in our installations I would say that the neons are the most “independent” ones!