Born in Schönebeck in 1980, Herzau studied art at the renowned Burg Giebichenstein Art Academy in Halle under Prof. Ute Pleuger, graduating in 2012. He now lives and works in Halle/Saale. He has received several awards, including the Halle Art Prize (2019), and exhibits his work in prestigious galleries in Germany. His work is also regularly represented at major art fairs such as Art Karlsruhe and POSITIONS Berlin.

How would you describe your studio?

Sebastian: The most important thing for me was definitely the size of the space. The location was secondary to me - I would have gone to the other end of the city. It was really about the space itself fitting. It used to be even bigger. But even so, it's perfect for my work.

What makes the room special for me is the even light and the ability to be loud without disturbing anyone. Over the years, it has become like a second home for me. You grow with the space, you know every move, every corner. I was just standing in the middle of the studio, turned around once - and realized: everything I need is there. Like a home, just for working.

Is there a particular moment in the creative process that is especially important to you?

Sebastian: Yes, definitely: the moment when it starts. It's often more important to me than the finished picture. This inner “Now I want to do this!” - that's crucial. Of course I paint every day and love it, but that starting point has to happen first.

It's a great feeling when everything is prepared: the canvas is built, primed, ready - and I can just get started. I don't have to go out to get anything else. Then every new process begins with fresh energy.

With every picture, I feel like I'm starting from scratch. It's never just post-processing or routine - I learn something new every time. Sometimes I really ask myself: how did I do that last time? And that's exactly what I find exciting.

How would you describe your art to someone who has never seen it before?

Sebastian: When I think of the current works in your exhibition “Head Full of Flowers” - the flower paintings are perhaps the easiest to describe. They are not quite tangible. You look at them and keep discovering new things, but as soon as you look away, you can't quite remember the details.

The pictures contain disturbances, blurs, smudges - all of which distract from the overall picture and leave you with a feeling instead. This feeling when viewing is extremely important to me. It should remain, not the details.

While we're on the subject of feeling - are there certain emotions or themes that run through your work?

Sebastian: Yes, definitely. I myself need a certain feeling when I paint - but also a new one every time. I'm not looking for the one image that I paint over and over again. A bouquet of flowers can evoke the same emotions in me as a portrait.

For me, a good painting is one that I can't take out of the studio straight away. One that has to stay a little longer - not just because it has to dry, but because I still need it. I'm really happy when I see it again the next day. Also because I sometimes have the feeling that I can't fully grasp it myself.

And sometimes it's especially nice when I get old works back - which is fortunately rare. Or when I see a picture of mine in someone's home, in their kitchen or living room. That has a magic all of its own. The fact that I'm always trying out new things and changing myself has led to the following situation: I remember a situation where one of my works was hanging in someone's home and I was completely delighted with it and asked who it was by - and the person thought I was just joking.

Is there a particularly cool place where your works hang?

Sebastian: Yes, of course - at your E30 Gallery in Frankfurt! (laughs)

But seriously: sometimes I get photos from buyers showing me where my pictures are hanging. And sometimes you just see the picture - but sometimes you also see how it becomes part of a life. It hangs next to other pictures, integrated into everyday life. And I am told stories about it.

A picture doesn't just hang in a frame - it finds a new frame, in a place, in a home. And that makes it special.

Is there anything special about your technique or the materials you use?

Sebastian: I attach great importance to quality and work classically with oil and acrylic. This materiality is important to me. I love the softness of the colors, the destruction, the rebuilding. That's part of the process - and it's simply fun.

There's almost something greedy about the way I spread the colors on the palette. It's particularly fitting for the flower paintings - this material lust is a central element there. Technique and material go hand in hand for me.

What inspires you?

Sebastian: It's often fleeting moments: a brief eye contact, a spontaneous encounter, someone riding past on their bike. But fun also plays a role. The joy of painting a bouquet of flowers - even if it's scratched and in a mundane IKEA vase. The title of a picture often adds the last spark of humor. Coincidences are important. Puns, little observations. I don't think I ever really have a break in my everyday life - my eyes and ears are always open.

Sometimes I just make a note of something - like the other day: “Dinosaurs and UHT milk”. I don't even know what that means yet. But something often comes out of that. Inspiration is an ongoing process for me - failure is also part of it. When something tips over, spills - that's also part of the whole thing.

Thank you very much, Sebastian.

Recorded on April 23rd.

Artist bio and available artworks.