Artists in Lockdown: Olaf Otto Becker on Creativity and Routine

SOL: WHAT TIME DO YOU WAKE UP?
OOB: It varies. When I am in Munich, I usually get up around 6:30am. When I’m out with my boat in the Arctic, I usually take pictures from 11 o’clock in the evening until 6 o’clock the next morning. During this time the light is best when the sun is shining or the sky is only slightly overcast. When I am out in the jungle in the tropics, I usually get up 1 to 2 hours before sunrise so that I can take pictures at dawn.

SOL: WHAT DO YOU EAT FOR BREAKFAST?
OOB: I prefer to eat a fruit salad in the morning with a strong coffee. When I am travelling, I usually eat for the first time at noon or later. In the morning the light is usually very beautiful. Without food in my stomach I feel more awake and fitter when I am taking pictures.

SOL: DESCRIBE WHERE YOU PRODUCE YOUR WORK, AND WHY YOU CHOSE THAT SPACE.
OOB: My pictures are mostly created while travelling in the landscape by boat, car, bicycle or by foot. The slower I move, the more accurate the observation of the surroundings. The image editing takes place in my office in Munich. It has high ceilings with large windows leading to a park-like garden. Nobody disturbs me here and the view into the garden calms me. My print studio is a large space with no windows, just artificial light, so I always have the same lighting conditions when creating my prints. Above my studio is the gym, I spend the time waiting until bigger prints are ready doing fitness training.

SOL: DO YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR DAILY ROUTINE THAT HELPS YOU WORK?
OOB: When I am travelling, I explore the area all day from the first ray of sunshine to the last daylight. In the evening I edit some of the pictures on my computer. When I am in Munich, I usually work on my images during the week from 9:00 am until 10:00 pm or later. I usually spend the weekends with my wife hiking or mountain biking.

SOL: WHERE DO YOU GO FOR YOUR CREATIVE SPARKS?
OOB: Visiting exhibitions can be very inspiring. But I also watch many documentaries on a range of topics. When I search for motifs in the landscape by car, I usually listen to recorded philosophy lectures. I really enjoy this combination of philosophy and landscape observation. In this way I have found many images that I might otherwise have overlooked.

SOL: WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON?
OOB: I am currently working on my new book Siberian Summer. I took the pictures last year in the Siberian Arctic. The book will be published this fall by Hatje Cantz. The image selection and retouching are not yet finished. I would also like to write texts about the pictures. At the same time I am working on four other projects. Almost all my projects are long-term and have to do with landscape observation.

SOL: WHO WAS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT MENTOR OR INSPIRATION?
OOB: For several years I have been intensively engaged with the work of Heinrich Riebesehl, a German photographer. Most of the influences, however, come from my extensive collection of photo books and from visiting international exhibitions.

SOL: WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU NEED TO RESET YOUR MIND
OOB: I go fly-fishing alone on a beautiful mountain river very close to where I live.

SOL: WHO DO YOU SPEAK TO WHEN YOU NEED A SECOND OPINION OR WHO GIVES THE BEST FEEDBACK?
OOB: When a series of images is finished, I usually present the pictures to several colleagues. I observe their reactions when they flip through one of my book dummies. I usually don’t say much about the pictures. Afterwards I wait for their reactions. Mostly there is overlap in the feedback. That is what interests me the most.

SOL: WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN?
OOB: Follow your heart and your passions. Be considerate, respectful, honest and attentive to everything you encounter.

SOL: IF YOU WEREN’T AN ARTIST WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
SM: I could imagine working as a sociologist, I am very interested in research. I could also imagine sailing around the world in a sailboat and taking guests with me or working as a guide in remote areas. There are many great things that I would like to do as well as being an artist.

SOL: HOW DO YOU SWITCH OFF FROM WORK IN THE EVENING?
SM: I leave my office and go out into nature for a jog or a walk. Sometimes I meet with friends or go tango dancing. Sometimes I enjoy a good glass of wine or reading a book.

SOL: WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING RIGHT NOW?
SM: John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley: In Search of America, Ilija Trojanow, The Collector of Worlds and Fritjov Capra’s The Web of Live: A New Scientific Understanding of Living Systems.

SOL: WHO IS THE OTHER ARTIST WORKING TODAY THAT YOU MOST ADMIRE?
SM: I really like the work of David Hockney. I like the cheerfulness of his colours and the way he translates nature into his paintings. Gerhard Richter’s work is of a completely contrary mood, but I like it. I also admire the work of Hieronymus Bosch. Among the photographers I like are: Stephen Shore, Joel Sternfeld, Alec Soth, Paul Graham, Chris Killip, Emmet Gowin, Bruce Davidson, An-My Le, and Evangelia Kranioti.

SOL: IF YOU COULD HAVE LUNCH WITH ANY ARTIST FROM ACROSS TIME, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
SM: I would like to talk to Hieronymus Bosch about his paintings.

SOL: WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN YOUR CAREER?
SM: I am proud of all my books and that I was able to help myself in many life threatening situations during my projectwork.