INTERVIEW: Aron Wiesenfeld compiles recent paintings into new book, ‘Travelers’
Photo: Aron Wiesenfeld’s new book project is called Travelers. Photo courtesy of the artist / Provided by Superfan Promotions with permission.
Aron Wiesenfeld, the acclaimed artist, has been busily working for a number of years on a variety of fascinating visual art. His work often features lonely figures in solitary landscapes overflowing with isolation and somberness, depictions that only gain in poignancy during a pandemic filled with, well, isolation and somberness.
To celebrate his work over the past six years, Wiesenfeld has compiled his art into a new compilation book called Travelers, which is currently raising funds via Kickstarter and will be released by Clover Press. Fans can expect a 10-by-10 art book that features the artist’s work in charcoal, oils, watercolor and pencil (a similar book called The Well covered Wiesenfeld’s career before 2014).
For comic book enthusiasts, Wiesenfeld’s name should be familiar. He was a comic book artist who gained great notoriety for a number of high-profile projects, including the covers of Y The Last Man and several titles for Marvel, DC and Image. Although he has left comics behind in favor of his current painting career, the influence of the superhero world is never that far away.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Wiesenfeld about the new book. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What can fans expect from the new book Travelers?
My goal with my paintings is always to invite viewers to participate in the telling of a story, or be engaged by a mystery. Putting this book together presented an unexpected creative opportunity to take that a step further by juxtaposing images in a progression that suggested different, larger stories. That was a surprise which made designing the book especially fun and fulfilling. I hope that will come through to readers.
How long has this book project been in the works, and what motivated you to compile and curate these recent pieces?
The book represents the past six years of my work. The motivation is mainly that I want to share my work with people, but it’s more than that. When I was a kid I discovered virtually all the art that I loved in books. I lived in a small town without galleries, and the internet didn’t exist. It was all in books, so in my mind there has always been an inseparable link between books and art. Back then my definition of ‘making it’ was seeing my work in books, so it’s especially meaningful to see this book come out.
Do you feel that the experience of seeing these works in a book is vastly different than seeing them in person?
There is no substitute for seeing paintings in person; the scale, the physicality, and the transparency of a painting can’t be replicated. But if you can’t see the work in person, as most people are not able to, experiencing art in a book is far superior to viewing it on the internet. Print resolution is way better than jpegs, books are color corrected, and the works are presented in a meaningful order with accompanying text to give context. Plus a book is a physical object that you can hold. In my opinion, that engenders an intimate connection to the artwork that is very different than in a digital form.
Have you permanently left the comic career behind in favor of painting and solo exhibitions? Do you miss it at all?
I do miss the medium. I have thought a lot about returning to it.
Do you feel that comic book art is still not treated with enough respect in the industry, as compared to other forms of visual art?
Yes. It’s easy to dismiss comics, but there has been a gradual change in that respect. I don’t know how anyone could maintain the notion that comics are ‘low art’ if they are familiar with the works of creators such as Chris Ware, Joe Sacco, R. Crumb and Art Spiegelman.
How has it been working with Clover Press?
Great. Robbie Robbins and Ted Adams co-founded one of the most successful publishers, IDW. They recently left to form Clover, where they focus their experience and energy full time on a handful of high-quality publications. I couldn’t ask for more.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Aron Wiesenfeld is currently raising funds via Kickstarter for his new book project, Travelers. Click here for more information.
