Interview with Rebecca Horn
Why did you choose Masanori Handa as your protégé?
He was the youngest and the most original because so far away from any mainstream art direction. This I liked a lot: we are from such different worlds. My condition was that he should learn English, but he was very good at finding his way round Berlin. He’s quite independent, not afraid, and can survive.
Did you have a fixed plan for your mentoring year with him?
No. I never do with students, because it’s very personal and spontaneous. If I planned too much I’d be disappointed. I let it just happen – have a beer somewhere, find a dialogue and communicate. We both like cooking!
How would you describe the year of mentoring?
First, I invited him to the Academy where I was a professor. He didn’t want to come: “I’m not a student.” I think he was afraid because Japanese teaching is much more strict, but, in the end, I took him to performances and seminars. He made some friends, and told me that “I was a bit stupid at the beginning.”
Is it possible for visual artists to pass on their skills to younger artists?
Yes, the idea is to create something with deep roots inside you. But I don’t want to create little Rebecca Horns. It has to be your story. And he transformed his Berlin apartment in a totally crazy way: everything there was so Masanori!
Have you noticed a change in Handa during the year?
Definitely, because he really created something new in his different rooms in Berlin. Now he wants to show his work in a gallery, and he would like to have a life between Japan and Berlin. With the Rolex project, the nice thing is that it never finishes – it will continue to be something friendly between us after the mentoring finishes. When I go to Tokyo for my exhibition in October I will see him there.
How do you imagine Handa might develop in the future?
I have no idea, and this is good. It makes me curious about what he’ll do next, because I was so astonished what he did with the palm tree in his apartment. His earlier Tokyo work was more neat and precise. What’s new is something more destructive, more chaotic, more open and more free. It was tough, windy and stinky! This is a kind of crisis, but it’ll lead somewhere. We will see.