Michael Sailstorfer

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portrait by Maxime Ballesteros

interview by SVEN SCHUMANN
portrait by MAXIME BALLESTEROS

 

Michael Sailstorfer’s art is accessible. Whether it’s a machine that fills the room with popcorn, a tree exploding out of the ground 10 meters into the air, or a spacious room full of artificial clouds made from inflated car tire tubes, his art pulls you in from the moment you experience it — and not just visually. Sailstorfer lives and works in Berlin.

SVEN SCHUMANN — Why does nature play such an important role in your art?
MICHAEL SAILSTORFER — I grew up on a farm in the Bavarian countryside and just started out using what I was surrounded with. As a kid, I would go to the forest, see what was lying around there, and start to build things, like a shed or a bunker or weapons. That’s how I grew up….