From Vacuum-Packed Bodies to Seagull Hotels: Inside Lawrence Malstaf's Studio

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In this episode, we sit down with Belgian artist Lawrence Malstaf, whose innovative work exists at the fascinating intersection of visual art, performance, and theatrical experience. Based in Tromsø, Norway, Malstaf has earned international acclaim for his immersive installations that transform viewers into active participants.

Episode Highlights:

• Lawrence shares his journey from studying industrial design (rather than fine art at his parents' suggestion) to discovering how this technical background gave him invaluable skills in working with contemporary materials.

• We discuss Malstaf’s famous vacuum piece "Shrink" (1995), where participants are sealed between plastic sheets while air is slowly removed, creating both a striking visual image and physical experience that differs dramatically for viewers versus participants.

• His recent focus on sustainable art practices and an innovative project creating "hotels" for endangered kittiwake seagulls in Tromsø, transforming an urban nuisance into an interspecies art project.

02:44 Quick Questions

05:27 Childhood and Early Influences

07:51 Industrial Design and Artistic Beginnings

09:46 Theater and Installation Art

16:41 Creating Opportunities and Multidisciplinary Spaces

21:50 Sustainable Art and Seagull Project

25:16 Audience Interaction and Physical Experience

29:19 Behind The Scenes Challenges

32:48 Artistic Evolution and Viral Fame

38:22 Sustainable Art Practices

41:48 Income From Art

44:27 Proudest Moments and Career Reflections

47:42 Advice for Emerging Artists

49:44 Internship Opportunity

51:48 Dream Projects

58:46 Where to Find More Information

Lawrence Malstaf (b. 1972, Bruges, Belgium) is based in Tromsø, Norway. He creates installation and performance art that exists at the borderline between visual arts and theatrical experience. With a focus on movement, coincidence, order and chaos, he develops immersive sensorial environments that often position visitors as co-actors in the artwork. His background in industrial design informs his technical approach to materials and mechanisms, while his experience in scenography for dance and theater influences the performative aspects of his installations.

You can find out more about his work on his website: https://www.lawrencemalstaf.com/ and get the latest updates on his Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawrencemalstaf/

Malstaf is represented by Tallieu Art Office: https://www.artoffice.be/artists/lawrence-malstaf/

All images courtesy of the artist.

Also mentioned in this episode:

Ischa Tallieu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ischatallieu/?originalSubdomain=be

Tailleu Art Office: https://www.artoffice.be/ | https://www.instagram.com/tallieu_art

Bains Connective in Brussels: https://www.artfactories.net/Les-Bains-Connective-Bruxelles.html

Frankfurter Kunstverein: https://www.fkv.de/en/ | https://www.instagram.com/frankfurterkunstverein/ | @FrankfurterKunstverein

FILE Festival for Electronic Languages: https://file.org.br/ https://www.instagram.com/filefestival/

Paola Perissinotto: https://digitalartarchive.at/database/artist/1340/

Delphin Ruché: https://www.rissa-cs.org/ | https://www.instagram.com/rissa_citizen_science/

The Installation Art Podcast is a show about people who love and work with the contemporary art medium of installation. The host Anastasia Parmson, an artist herself, interviews internationally renowned artists and arts workers about the intricacies and behind-the-scenes stories of creating and showing work that is site-specific, ephemeral, large scale or immersive.

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