I have always sketched and drawn wherever possible, on trains, on planes, during meetings. I always carry paper with me. And I have been keeping diaries for over thirty years now, every single day, to record details on my private life but also on what I see around me. My diaries consist of notes, drawings, video fragments, photography. The diaries help me to discover connections. They are like a script, a storyboard, and can trigger an idea, or something can fall into place.&nbsp;For instance: I see a rotating disco ball reflecting light and record this in my diary. Later, I may see the link with a poem describing how something, the spirit or an object, cannot lighten up -illuminate- without some action. Helped by my earlier diary note, I can then show &lsquo;light&rsquo; in a simplified way, without words but with expressive visual language.&nbsp;I work at reduction. At first glance my work is graphic, at second glance the object is separated from the environment and reduced to the essential and elementary. Feeling, spontaneity and premonition are a part, but these emotions are restrained in the process. It is a complex process. My approach is very simple: all my work is a simplified version of a given. However, the creation requires a wealth of thinking material &ndash; this needs to be released, to get to the very core. I rely heavily on my sensitivity to do the right thing with the right feeling.

How do you work?

Explore the artist's unique creative process fueled by decades of diary-keeping. Dive into the connection between daily observations and the artistic expression of simplicity. Discover how emotions like feeling and spontaneity play a restrained yet crucial role in the intricate process.

Artistic Journey: Unveiling the Creative Process of Diary-Inspired Work

For the limited use of colour there is a simple and practical reason. I am spontaneous and use the material I carry with me, often just charcoal and pastels. As my mind never stops it is good for me not to have too many options, otherwise I lose myself. I do like black, not an easy colour. It contains all colours, and they may be wonderfully reduced with black. Or used in extreme opposites, as I previously did in my project CityNoCity, contrasting geometry with the lively images of the series Clouds and Cloudburst. Of the many colours I have used before, black was the only one which gave me satisfaction.&nbsp;But commencing the Japanese House-project, out of curiosity I bought red and blue ink. I started illustrating on handmade paper and realised how Japanese coloured ink has the same qualities that so fascinated me in black.

Earlier artwork

Explore the artistic journey of simplicity and reduction in color with insights from the creator's spontaneous sketches and diaries. Learn how the limited use of color, particularly black, serves as a powerful tool in expressing emotions and connecting elements in this intricate creative process.

Limited color palette
Black as an artistic tool
Japanese colored ink
Simplified artistry
Creative simplicity

Simplified Artistry: Unveiling the Essence with Limited Colors

This may look more complex than it really is because all the illustrations are on one sheet. However, this single illustration is also based on the principles of simplicity and reduction. What is presented here is more of a narrative of day sketches and night sketches. I was fascinated by the constant ability to capture different impressions over a long period of time, with the same colours and graphic elements.

Intricate patterns

Discover the artistry behind a seemingly complex illustration that embodies simplicity and reduction. Explore the narrative of day and night sketches, capturing a variety of impressions with consistent colors and graphic elements. Unveil the fascinating journey of storytelling through a single, visually rich composition.

Graphic storytelling
Day and night sketches
Single illustration narrative
Simplicity and reduction in art
Capturing impressions over time

Simplified Storytelling: Day and Night Sketches in a Single Frame"

My work varies a lot, from small formats to large pictures of 100 by 140 centimeter. What size Alexandra Kern, the architect, would choose for the physical Japanese House was unknown to me. I have left that entirely up to her.For me, sketching on small format, A3 and A4, makes it possible to work in a restricted space and yet accomplish large-size works. Small pictures can be combined to form a large one. My &lsquo;Composed Pictures&rsquo; are a concept, it is connected work that can be part of a large composition. But to me the process is the most important, the development. Not the final product.

Which size?

Explore the dynamic range of artistic expression, from petite sketches to grand 100 by 140 centimeter masterpieces. Delve into the unique concept of "Composed Pictures" where small works coalesce into a larger composition. Experience the creative freedom of working within restricted spaces and discover the artist's emphasis on the evolving process over the final product.

Artistic versatility
Small format sketches
Composed Pictures concept
Large-size works
Creative process in art

Artistic Versatility: From Small Sketches to Grand Compositions

It is as if many different elements have come together to form an overall picture. The concept was a treatise on an imaginary journey from southern to northern Japan consisting of various texts, sketches, drawings, images and photographs, all leading to a house, the Japanese house. &nbsp;Originally The Japanese House was pure fiction. I had clearly defined in my head what the house should look like, and which materials could be used. But then I asked an architect to design and work out the real house for the exhibition. I gave the architect, Alexandra Kern, total freedom. My only wish was that the house was actually habitable, with everything you need in a house - toilet, bathroom, kitchen. But apart from this the built house is her own approach.

Your largest project yet

Embark on an imaginative journey through southern to northern Japan, culminating in the realization of The Japanese House. This treatise combines various elements—texts, sketches, drawings, images, and photographs—all converging to create a unique dwelling. Witness the transformation from pure fiction to a habitable reality, designed with total freedom by architect Alexandra Kern.

Imaginary journey
The Japanese House concept
Architectural freedom
Alexandra Kern's vision
Habitability in house design

Imaginary Journeys Realized: The Japanese House Concept Unveiled

INTERVIEW

‘At first glance my work is graphic and minimalist, at second glance the object is separated from its environment and reduced to the essential and elementary. ‘Feeling and spontaneity’ are a part, but I restrain this in the later process. It is a complex process but my approach is simple: all my work is a simplified version of a given.’ 

For Carmelo Buffoli, Swiss-Italian conceptual artist, grasping the essence of existence is his core subject. It is a constant search, using various techniques -images, illustrations, installations, video- to express his discoveries. Meticulous diary keeping is an important part of this process. Buffoli’s acclaimed work is sold in his native Switzerland, in the USA, Canada, Italy and Germany.