// September 29th, 2010 // View Comments // b-Crowd
STROKE Urban ArtFair is nothing but a fusion of graphic design, comic art, graffiti and illustration. The exhibition offers unconventional interpretations of the so-called Urban Art, often ignored and unfairly perceived as the poorer relation of Classic Art.
Stroke is the first such event in Europe- and perhaps the world - to present both known and emerging talents involved in this already global trend. The exhibition takes place twice a year – in spring as Stroke Munich and autumn as Stroke Berlin. Both cities are hugely important German art centres.
The brains behind the idea are Marco & Raiko Schwalbe from the Intoxicated Demons Gallery, and, so far, the event has attracted dozens of galleries from all over Europe. The four day-long exhibition literally bursts with guests – offering the opportunity to not only experience or buy Arts, but also watch artists at work, listen to live music served by DJs and to meet a wide range of interesting people.
Stroke.03 Berlin (October, 2010) will take place at The Station- the former postal freight of an underground station Gleisdreieck located in the heart of Berlin, between Deutsches Technikmuseum and the Neue Nationalgalerie.
And b-uncut is pleased to introuduce one of the gallery’s featured artists, Daria Kudla.
Daria’s graphics were first chosen for Stroke. -02 Munich (May, 2010), an exhibition involving more than 9,500 visitors and 55 international galleries displaying over a thousand artworks. Daria’s pieces included ‘The Meadow Grazer’ and ‘The Guardians and The Art of Taming Fear’- under the Graphic Design label.
Daria will be showcasing oil and other media paintings – including “Winter is Coming, Dear Riding Hood” and “Fitchers Vogel (for Monika) at the Berlin exhibition next month.
Winter Is Coming Dear Riding Hood
Here’s the Daria Kudla interview!
b-uncut: What was your very first artwork?
Daria : If you mean the very first drawing I made, then it must have been a long time ago – I believe I have always been drawing, and colouring books or pencils were the best present for me. I remember well the first big format piece of mine, however. It was what i did to my parents’ balcony wall once, as a perhaps 6-year-old child – I covered it completely with drawings and used everything I had at that time – pencils, chalk, markers – and the parts unspoiled only showed that my hand could not actually reach that high. I remember how angry my parents were when they found out about that silly graffiti of princesses, hearts and horses. I can honestly say my first big piece was an act of pure vandalism 
.
The First Significant One, though, would be two equally important pictures – one was a pencil sketch I made some 8 years ago. It showed my face partly visible in a tall winged window. I value this piece very much, because it marks the exact moment I started expressing myself more freely on paper. I know it still hangs on the wall in the room of the person I made it for. The other is a canvas painting I made some 5 years ago for my then-best friend and now-partner as a gift. It showed a winged woman’s body with a monstrous bird’s head. I like the dynamic impression it makes – the creature fighting against some force pushing it back to where it is coming from – its giant beak open, screaming with desperation. It is, I think, the first non-static piece. Also, the first time with oils. And first experiment with colours. Nearly all my works before that canvas were pencil drawings.
b-uncut: Describe the piece you love the most—why?
Daria: If you mean my own piece – it is really difficult to say. All my works relate strongly to emotionally extreme moments. It would be The Guardians perhaps, because these two dogs have always been nesting in my head, standing for some specific Split of my personality – the very heavy, difficult, static and the undescribed, somewhat not sticking to actual contours, floating spheres of mind. I am strongly attached to this work and I guess it also affects people looking at it.
The other one is The Art of Taming Fear – I created it during a very difficult moment in my life. It shows my struggle to overcome depression.
b-uncut: What are your methods? Your inspirations?
Daria: Except for my true love for ink, I enjoy mixing everything – like putting charcoal or pencil on oil paints. It is a lot of fun with the ultimate effect. I like mess 
My inspirations happen suddenly. I am very emotional when painting or drawing, it is always extreme feelings pushing me to work. However cruel or strange it may sound, Anger or Sadness are, by far, the constant source of inspiration.
b-uncut: What did it take to make it to where you are now?
Daria: Hmmm…I guess the push I receive from the people I love. My wonderful sister, Monika, has always stood there for my weird experiments and been the Safe Place to turn to. My boyfriend, Jens, has from the very beginning been there, convincing me to continue doing my thing and bravely fighting the unpredictability of my wild mood swings. It has been his idea to start looking for Galleries in Berlin to work with. And voila! I can say that if not for this support, I would never have met Marco and the Intoxicated Demons. And that moment opened the door to exhibitions.
Fitchers Vogel (For Monika)
b-uncut: Do you make a living from your artwork?
Daria: I used to. It was the time when I still lived in Breslau. Now, I am looking for some better place of my own in this very specific to grasp world…Hopefully, I will be able to do it again.
b-uncut: Who has helped you along the way?
Daria: As I have said – my wonderful sister and parents and here, in Germany – definitely my boyfriend and his fantastic family.
b-uncut: What five artists (dead or alive) would you invite for the ultimate dinner party?
Daria: I guess I would be absolutely happy with just these three: Zdzislaw Beksinski and Gustav Klimt for their divine artistic skills, and Salvador Dali for his extreme personality.
b-uncut: Your favourite curse?
Daria: oh, when I get angry, I tend to swear quite an impressive lot. But I don’t want to write these things down – it’s rather embarrassing. But it may be the “standard set”…
b-uncut: Qualities a man needs to seduce you and the flaws that will repel you?
Daria: On the seductive side: originality, IQ, wit and the ability to make me laugh – especially when I’m down. I love people who laugh!
On the repelling side : vulgarity, playing the tough guy, showing off and bragging about money
b-uncut: Your biggest (albeit endearing) flaw?
It must be my unpredictable moods – as annoying as cute (at least from what I heard) …
b-uncut: Your parents advice you should have followed, but didn’t?
Daria: I have no idea – obviously, I haven’t followed it. I guess they’d be happier if I had turned out a medicine or law student…I, on the other hand, chose the difficult career of working with languages.
b-uncut: The power you wish you had?
Daria: Reading people’s minds ! I like knowing what others really think and hate being with or listening to people faking their respect or friendship. Uncurable hypocrisy is something I detest.
b-uncut: Who would you chose to rule the world?
Daria: Julius Caesar. Somebody who can really handle being Big.
b-uncut: Favourite ice-cream?
Daria: Everything with chocolate !
b-uncut: Where do you see yourself in…..
-One month?
Daria: At Stroke.03 together with my sister and friends in my wonderful Berlin
b-uncut: One year?
Daria: In big Berlin and London galleries
b-uncut: One decade?
Daria: I don’t know where but definitely with my works hanging on important walls.
Further information on the forthcoming exhibitions can be found on the following websites:
Intoxicated Demons
http://www.intoxicated-demons.com/
Stroke.02 Munich
http://www.stroke02.com/
Stroke.03 Berlin
http://www.stroke03.com/
Stroke.03 Blog:
http://blog.stroke-artfair.com/
Modern Art is increasingly becoming all about grabbing our attention. There aren’t many artists out there that achieve that as successfully as Li Wei…
