Eric Hubbes
Biography
Born on February 20th 1988 in London, UK, Eric Hubbes is a German-French artist living in Cologne, Ehrenfeld. He spent his youth in Frankfurt am Main and Cologne. After graduating from high school, he first studied geosciences and mathematics for a few semesters, but his passion for art took over and he went to the Utrecht School of the Arts for 3 semesters before deciding to work in an autodidactic fashion.
In the course of time, he developed his own personal style in which he combined abstract and figurative painting. Eric is continuously experimenting with acrylics, enriched with other media such as ball pen and charcoal. He creates a game between geometric shapes and writing, which manifest themselves in an attitude to be found throughout his body of work. One recognises not only abstract movement and organic forms but also figures from mathematics, geometrical figures like fractals, squares and triangles, which merge into shapes, giving the artist a feeling of bliss.
One could also perceive these as fantastic worlds that emerge from his subconscious. This idea arose primarily from the brooding that everyone tends to do. His main concern is to reflect the questions and ambiguities of our time in his pictures.
The subconscious is what connects everyone, it's a part of the stream of consciousness that flows beneath the buildings of rational thinking. Assuming there is no coincidence, and all events are subject to a cosmic order, art speaks a language that everyone understands. His pictures contain a lot of information that is related to each other. This means that the viewer can discover different things. But it does not lead to a conclusion. Just as rumination may be, so are the conflicts of our time. But in the fantastic worlds that his pictures reflect, one can have the distant hope that everything has a higher meaning. But not knowing the meaning is the mystical thing that he wants to reproduce in his work, because this is what drives us to live on and to want to rediscover every day.
Eric's openness to not only the figurative, the object and the language, but also to the higher being and mystic created a style which has not been witnessed before and gives room for further exploration.
The artist intends to open a door to art as a narrative medium to show a more critical view on society and the role of the individual within its structures. It should lead to a more liberal and tolerant state of being, without judgement.
What’s your background?
I attended the Glenalmond College in Scotland in 2005/06 with a focus on Fine Arts. After my Abitur I studied Geoscience for 3 successful semesters and decided then to give it all for Art. I took lessons in aquarelle painting, act painting and then took a preparation course in Alanus college of art for 5 months. After that I was accepted at the HKU Utrecht university of art. I studied there for 3 successful semesters before deciding that I wanted to follow my own path.
What does it mean to you to win the Collectors Art Prize?
It is highly rewarding and important to me because of the high reputation and quality of your magazine and his standing on the Art market. Being awarded was a great privilege.
What do you think is the role of art in the world today?
Art is always a reflection of the respective time and was always essential to our souls, but in these terrible times, with war, famine, migration, the world needs even more beauty, creativity, something that lets our heart speak and our soul heal.
What would it be if you could change one thing about the art world?
The art world is concentrated on known actors or people with connections. I would like to see young artists having more chance to start a career with good representation.
What are your most significant professional achievements?
My guess is that there are some paintings which I thought have succeeded very much and have attracted much attention. I am grateful to have been invited to various international exhibitions and was awarded a couple of prizes.
What do you wish to tell viewers about your work that might not come out explicitly? What do you hope to inspire with your artwork?
My main objective is to reflect upon the questions and ambiguities of our time. Intrigued by the psychological side of our subconscious and its impact on our spontaneous actions, I am convinced that there is a collective consciousness to which I feel connected to such an extent that it creates a mechanism, which makes me paint almost automatically. I liberate myself from all doubts and limitations and leave all the room necessary to my fantasy and thoughts. In this state of mind, I ponder with the conflicting aspects of the real world which results in the paintings telling not only of an internal event, but also of the surrounding situation. I intend to open the viewer an access to art as an expressive medium to provide a more critical view on society and the role of the individual within its structures. It should lead to a more liberal and tolerant state of being, without judgement.
What advice would you give to the upcoming generation of artists?
Do not despair, the way is long and difficult, but quality wins at the end or at least, I hope so.
In what direction would you like to see your career go in the next five years?
I would like not only to hear how great my art is, but also see results in Galerie representation and art sales.
Country Germany
Website www.erichubbes.com
