#Meettheartist
Meet Stephen Spiller
Tell us your artist story, some biographical info, when did you decide to be an artist? Why
do you make art? Where did you study? Etc.
I’m convinced that life experiences, difficult or not, have an impact, certainly psychological (indirect/unconscious) if not otherwise (direct/conscious), on one’s decision to make art. And
so I’m certain that social, cultural and political issues dominate my work because, for example, my sister was killed by a drunk driver, my brother-in-law committed suicide, family members died in the holocaust, my children are adopted, and more.
I am self-educated, as an adolescent hardly being even aware of art which was not a family
pursuit. Then, about age forty-five, I visited Kenya and became utterly enthralled with photographing
animals, landscapes and people, shooting some fifty rolls of color film in a few days! For years thereafter I worked at street photography, haunting locations mainly in Los Angeles and New York City. Pressing the shutter was an instinctual matter. My approach was to shoot first and consider the metaphor later.
Eventually, I began digitally manipulating my work to better express my thoughts. For example I manipulated my submitted image, “You Have To Be Catholic To Get To Heaven” to try to maximize scorn such an idea.
The second image attached, one of many I’ve done on the subject of rape, also comes about from personal experiences, both as an attorney expressing outrage at legal defenses to that crime, and as man horrified by those denying rape as a crime of violence.
My work has been exhibited in over seventy-five gallery and museum shows in the U.S. and internationally, including Los Angeles (I’m a member of the Los Angeles Art Association), New York, Bejing, Tokyo and many more locations. I’ve also been published several times in Musee
Magazine.
What do you want people to walk away with after experiencing your work?
I care primarily about just one thing - that people will look at my work and think critically about their own beliefs on whatever subject is being portrayed. I ask others to consider: What does your own voice say on this matter? I challenge people to make an effort to think for themselves.
What influences your work? Why?
Of course, from what I’ve said above, developing my thinking and then being heard on subjects I have directly experienced is what drives me forward. Additionally, I am so often offended by superficiality in many arenas, e.g. politics, advertising, entertainment that depends on ever greater showing of violence, money as the report card on life, etc. I always want to make artworks on all these subjects.
What does it mean to you to participate in Hera an exhibiting artist for the In God We Trust exhibition?
I just returned from a show in Barcelona. It was the inaugural exhibit of a new gallery called Foto Nostrum in which I showed three images. I had lunch with the gallery owner and met a number of the artists. This experience created for me an opportunity to go beyond my zone of comfort showing my art and being with artists. It is the same with Hera Gallery. I am so happy to be recognized in a new venue and connect, even in a limited way, with new artists, particularly when the subject is of religious, social and psychological importance. I always love the idea of being the messenger in a new situation, and try to challenge the audience to unravel my message.
Stephen's work is available to view on his website: https://stephenspiller.com/home.html
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