Flowsofly
The Lines of Life

Art and Design

Flowsofly is one of the most exciting line art artists of our time. He captures intimate moments and genuine emotions with minimalist drawings—without putting down his pen. He has designed a limited edition for Maison Ë, which is included in selected issues of our Founders Edition. In the interview, he gives us insights into how his art can also be read between the lines.

The artist who wishes to remain anonymous.

MAISON Ë You have decided to remain anonymous as an artist. How does this affect your relationship with your art and your followers?

Flowsofly Anonymity allows me to bring my pictures to the center of attention. My art plays a lot with imagination, inviting you to read between the lines. People usually want to interpret a picture through the eyes of the artist, but I, on the other hand, would rather encourage viewers to embrace their own thoughts, feelings and interpretations. Of course, anonymity also poses its limitations and challenges, especially when it comes to sales. Buyers who spend large sums on a unique piece often want to know more about the artist. I’m now happily complying with this request.

M.Ë Your works are comprised of only a few lines, and yet they are so expressive. How do you achieve to convey so much with so little?

F. There’s always something you can add. It’s more difficult to take something away. Only when you can no longer take anything away is the work finished.” This motto, which has molded many designers, has also influenced my art. Which elements are necessary or superfluous in a work of art is a matter of personal judgment. My visual language has developed over around 10,000 drawings and ten years in such a way that I am always looking for a balance between specific and abstract, precise and open, explanatory and mysterious. In the creative process, this usually means making several iterations. As lines are difficult to undo, that often means starting from scratch again.

When you say that my lines express a lot, I would also like to praise and acknowledge your imagination, because in reality it’s the viewer’s fantasies and interpretations that fill my pieces and give them meaning. Some people are more open and receptive to an interpretative journey of thought, whereas others prefer to sit back and have the whole story narrated to them.

M.Ë Do you believe it’s the freedom of interpretation that captures the imagination of so many people?

F. I think it’s also a mixture of style and subject matter. The lines are specific yet abstract, but my themes are human, often interpersonal. I feel that as humans we crave stories. In particular when these stories address repressed interests and needs, such as sexuality. We want to look for and find ourselves in these stories.

M.Ë Intimacy is a recurring theme in your art. Where does this fascination with human relationships stem from?

F. I like the word intimacy and the diverse interpretations of it: many people first think of physical intimacy, perhaps even sexuality. But emotional intimacy is also a big topic for me. Everything is connected to honesty, nudity, naturalness, vulnerability. In our technological age, we long for that more and more, often concealing it all the more with superficiality. I think it’s a return to the essence of humanity that drives, excites and intrigues me.

Few lines with great expression.

M.Ë You have a huge following on social media. How do you use these platforms for your art? And do you feel that social media has changed the way we perceive art?

F. Sometimes social media feels like I’m in a packed soccer stadium and all of a sudden I’m handed a megaphone and have two seconds to say something. What do you say to 300,000 people when you get the opportunity yet only have two seconds to do so?

It’s crazy how much content is circulating on the internet and on social media. Which can be fantastic but also very overwhelming. That’s why the role of curation is becoming increasingly important. Sometimes this is taken on by people, organizations or media companies, but for the most part it is done by algorithms. And it should be apparent to everyone that these algorithms are not focusing on aesthetics, social value or sustainability. Instead, engagement and provocation are encouraged. This has changed the entire media landscape, politics, but also art. These algorithms work on a Darwinian principle in which the “strongest” content survives. However, in theory, every post has the potential to become a global hit. This democratization is helping many artists, including myself, to circumvent barriers in the art world that exist due to certain galleries and institutions at least to some extent.

At the same time, social media has also degraded many art forms to content and made them copyable. And since marketing also increasingly takes place via Instagram & Co., we’re being conditioned to shout out loud and frequently instead of patiently working on the actual artwork.

After more than 15 years as an active user on social media, I have a differentiated view. Social media was and is extremely beneficial for me. Creatively, socially, politically, entrepreneurially. I’m in contact with so many ideas and individuals, which would be unimaginable in the analog world. The most enriching aspect is definitely getting to know new people and interacting with my community.

M.Ë I would imagine that people react very differently to your art. Was there ever an interpretation that particularly touched or surprised you?

F. I believe that sometimes we’re longing for ways of identifying and communicating that go beyond words. Or for places we can turn to where we’re not asked who we are, where we come from or what we look like, but where we are simply allowed to be and are embraced. When my art can take on such a role, it touches me deeply. Since many of my works address interpersonal issues, I get a lot of feedback from people confiding in me about their heartache, their traumas, their romantic odysseys or fantasies.

“I’m always looking for a
balance between specific and
abstract, precise and open,
explanatory and mysterious.”

In his work, Flowsofly faces his thoughts, fears, and fantasies.

M.Ë What drives you on a personal level and as an artist?

F. I feel that life needs curiosity and lightness. In my work, this means stepping out of my comfort zone and facing my thoughts, fears and fantasies. Like many others, I sometimes steer clear of them, sometimes I get a benevolent kick in the butt, and other times I muster up the courage to face them. Questioning yourself and your work can have existential consequences. However, these reflections are crucial in order to continue developing and to recognize that the world keeps turning outside and inside of you. Clinging desperately to something is really just denying what is new in the present. You have to learn to free yourself from the past and keep the baggage that we all have to carry light, and make peace with it.

M.Ë Are there any particular topics or areas that you are keen to explore?

F. I’m always trying to continuously develop further. My current focus is on the creative process. Thematically, I’d like to devote myself to other natural themes in addition to human nature, perhaps botany. In terms of materials, I’d like to experiment again. Color is also a major topic for me.

One project I’d like to hint at here is jewelry. After experimenting quite a bit with shapes and materials, we’re making great progress in turning my art into wearable sculptures and jewelry.

M.Ë How do you define creativity?

F. The etymological origin of the term creativity lies in the Latin verb creare, which means to create. I like that a lot because it emphasizes the action. The idea of creation. So when you create something, you act. For some, starting is difficult. But for most people, the hard part is actually following through. Whether it’s a diet, marathon training or creating art, I admire people who persevere with discipline and enthusiasm.

M.Ë Many of your works capture fleeting moments. Is art a way of making these instants last?

F. Yes, a piece of art is something static. Yet the interaction with it takes place in the here and now. And depending on what is currently on your mind, a different picture will emerge in your head.

Making a moment, a feeling, a person tangible and then tangible yet again is a beautiful idea. And, mind you, one that may change, that may develop new associations, thoughts and feelings when you look at it once again. That’s why I like a certain degree of abstraction in art, it encourages progressive and versatile thinking and feeling.

WORDS

Taskin Yüksel

Photography

Stefan Fürtbauer

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Flowsofly The Lines of Life

Flowsofly
The Lines of Life