Jack Frost
Date: 18/11/2020
Place: Sitting by a window (first floor), Nuremberg
This month I’m filling in for Lydia and bring you a very special artist who is also very reclusive – I would say even more reclusive than Banksy. Like Banksy, his fascinating work is known for appearing suddenly overnight, usually outside, and in all sorts of locations. But unlike Banksy, some of Jack’s best work is created on glass or out in the landscape and is, dare I say, far more ephemeral.
I remember noticing Jack’s work for the first time when I was four years old. We lived in a poorly insulated house, and Jack even came inside our home, quite often in fact – mind you, he always stayed by the window. Although he’s been around recently, the last time I encountered him physically was last winter. Fortunately for both of us, it was a sparklingly clear, freezing cold, blue-sky day, and Jack was at his prime. He’d been bounding across the landscape since the very early morning, making use of every opportunity that came his way to release his boundless creativity in infinitely varied forms and structures and, as always, using only a one colour pallet – white. He’s a particularly idiosyncratic character, at once incredibly productive and creative but, not uncommonly, with his presence comes a fierce frosty bite.
So, as with so many interviews these days, this one was also conducted at my computer screen, which also allowed me to look online at some of Jack Frost’s best work.
Chris: Good morning Jack!
Jack:
Jack:
(Jack is not terribly talkative, but with just a pinch of creative license, I persevere)
Chris: So Jack, just to let you know, before we start: I’m sitting in for Lydia and following her non-traditional interview technique by asking you 15 questions, both common and uncommon. I would ask you to answer them as best you can, please.
Jack:
Jack:
(He takes a while to warm up)
Chris: Okay, so let’s start; here is my first question for you:
- Chris: Are you a night owl or an early bird?
Jack: I’m definitely an early bird.
- Chris: Where do you get your inspiration for your art from?
Jack: I get my inspiration from nature, mainly geometric and molecular structures.
- Chris: Do you have any artistic role models?
(Jack gives me a glacial stare which chills me to the bone)
Jack: I don’t have a role model. Creativity comes to me naturally.
- Chris: Do you get angry about criticism?
Jack: Not at all; I’m cool about it. In fact, you could say it leaves me cold.
- Chris: What are you proud of?
Jack: The way people react to my work, especially children and adults who haven’t lost that sense of wonder in nature.
- Chris: Where would you like to be exhibited once in your lifetime?
Jack: On the Moon, Mars perhaps …
- Chris: What is your favourite place and your favourite part of town in Nuremberg?
Jack: Oh, there are so many places in Nuremberg, the old castle is a special place for me, the parks too.
- Chris: What is your favourite dish?
Jack: Ice pops, TV dinners – before they’re defrosted, – haha.
- Chris: What do you always have at home in the fridge?
Jack: I don’t have a fridge. Frankly, I don’t need one, and besides, they’re too warm for me, except the ice compartment.
- Chris: Who would you definitely not want to sit at a table with?
Jack: Cleopatra, Helen of Troy, Marilyn Monroe
- Chris: What character traits do you appreciate or value in others
Jack: I like Cool Dudes, I like ingenuity, a love of nature, hardiness, you know, not being afraid of the cold.
- Chris: How do you relax?
Jack: Sitting at the window, observing life go by.
- Chris: Where is your next trip going to be?
Jack: This winter, I’m hoping to get all over Germany. I’d like to cover much of Europe too, perhaps most of the northern hemisphere. I’ve even thought about travelling south but with climate change, that’s becoming increasingly difficult. The climate emergency really isn’t good for me, although I must admit I do sometimes have an attachment to high altitude aircraft.
- Chris: What dream do you want to fulfill yourself?
Jack: A permanent winter exhibition in Germany. Perhaps when the North Atlantic Current finally comes to a halt, I will be able to achieve that.
- Chris: Life is too short to…
Jack: Sunbathe
Chris: Thanks Jack, for this interview. Take care, and stay cool!
Jack: (Cringes and crackles)
Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash
