Music by Emilie Autumn, OPHELIAC
MIND MAP
INTERVIEW WITH DEAN TERCEL
Sometimes during an interview it seems as if a baby is running the tape recorder. And oftentimes interviews end up sounding like two infants not listening to each other at all.
Not so with Dean Tercel, a New Zealand born artist with a genial demeanour and a head full of quirky ideas about art and life. Not to say that Dean himself is infantile. He’s far too smart and funny. Well, babies are funny, too, but what I mean to say is that Dean Tercel is the kind of guy you can have a few beers with and not notice the time passing by.
I first met up with Dean around 4pm at his house, a very quaint villa that has been made into flats. I was welcomed by Dean sitting on the stoop drinking green tea, so bohemian! Dean had kindly set out some yummy nibbles for us to munch on, I was so focused, and I didn’t eat anything! We started chatting about art and literature and drinking German beer. After a few more beers we were getting along nicely, like infants in a sandbox.
Looking at Deans paintings, you would have thought he had a degree in fine arts, but not so; he’s self taught. With his ever quizzical mind he researched the old masters, spending hours reading and interpreting what he had just read. His painting style has developed extensively over the years; the constant has always been the human form.
Some would say the realness of his paintings could be viewed as portraiture, Dean isn’t duplicating life, he’s interpreting how he sees life through his eyes. He gives new light filled with fascination for the human body especially for the female form with its soft curves, exploring sexuality, feminism and gender stereotypes.
I enjoyed interviewing Dean, and we shared many similarities been that of the same theme; voyeurism and the female form. Deans take on voyeurism is alot gentler than my own, I did find myself in a type of trance looking at Dean’s paintings, and everytime I viewed them there was something new that I had missed the first time round. Dean’s paintings are striking and beautifully painted; I must say that I’m a big fan and will hopefully be at his exhibition in the New Year.
PODCAST OF MY INTERVIEW WITH DEAN TERSEL
http://www.thestrategicarchitect.com/melisa/MelisaMitchell_DeanTersel_Interview.mp3
DEAN TERCEL
DEANS WORKBOOK
