What Does Reality Mean in Contemporary Art? A Conversation with Michael David Volkmer
- Selfless Art Gallery
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Contemporary artist Michael David Volkmer explores reality not as a fixed state, but as something shaped by perception, memory, and inner experience. Through figurative painting, his work centers on quiet, often overlooked moments that reveal psychological tension and emotional vulnerability beneath everyday life. Influenced by artists such as Francis Bacon and Peter Doig, Volkmer’s practice translates internal states into visual narratives that sit between observation and introspection. In this conversation with Selfless Art, he reflects on how reality shifts between the artist and the viewer and how contemporary art becomes a space where these interpretations coexist.
Tag am Meer, Acryl auf Leinwand, Kreide, Stoff, 120 x 150 cm, 2022
Q: Let’s start off with a fun icebreaker: If reality had system settings, for example, anxiety, people-pleasing, or overthinking, what would you immediately turn off and why? A: I do like to overthink things, but if there were one mindset I could switch off instantly, it would be the constant need to please everyone. It holds you back on so many levels that you can easily lose sight of yourself. It’s similar in art: when you focus too much on what others expect, your work quickly becomes interchangeable, and its expressive power fades. One could almost say that those who try to please everyone end up with no one truly seeing who they really are.
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your background and how you came to be an artist?
A: I developed a deep passion for art at a very early age. For me, it has always functioned as a form of therapy, a means of escaping reality, processing it, and ultimately making it my own. I began with self-written lyrics and poetry, which initially served as the conceptual foundation for my work. Over time, this no longer felt sufficient, and I turned to painting to translate my narratives into a personal visual language. I am self-taught, and my practice has been strongly influenced by Francis Bacon and Peter Doig, particularly in their emotional intensity and their treatment of space and the human figure.
Q: Your work often highlights quiet, ordinary moments and inner thoughts. How do these moments connect to your idea of reality? A: For me, reality lies less in the spectacular than in what happens quietly and almost unnoticed. Silent, everyday moments are not marginal aspects of reality but its core. It is in them that we reveal how we think, hesitate, hope, or conceal things from ourselves. Inner thoughts are not an escape from reality, but an extension of it. Perception is always filtered through memories, expectations, and fears. Between everyday life and memory, inner images emerge, sometimes calm, sometimes like vivid nightmares. When I make these inner movements visible, it is not about inventing something abstract, but about taking seriously the invisible forces that shape our actions. For me, reality is not an objective state, but a web of external situations and inner reactions. My work is an attempt to look behind the façade of the everyday, to those quiet moments in which this web becomes especially clear, precisely because nothing seems to be happening. In stillness, there is often more truth than in the grand event.
Q: Building on that, there is a tension in your subjects that feels both fragile and confrontational. What inner states are you most interested in capturing through the human figure? A: In my work, I am concerned above all with engaging with my own reality. Many of the motifs function as snapshots from my life, often my reflection, sometimes hidden behind a mask, as a way of processing my personal history. At the same time, I observe the people around me in cafés, on trains, in everyday situations. In contrast to the perfectly staged images that surround us daily, I am interested in what lies beneath: vulnerability, uncertainty, cracks—all the things we tend to conceal. The human figure allows me to express this ambivalence, between protection and exposure, between presence and withdrawal. It is precisely this fragile reality that fascinates me most and that I seek to make visible.
Q: Shifting from your perspective to the viewer’s, if someone looks at your work and sees something completely different than you intended, is that part of reality too? A: Yes, I think that’s definitely part of reality. Every person brings their own experiences and perspectives with them, so the interpretation of my work can be completely different from my original intention. For the viewer, this perception is real, and it shows me that work often creates a living dialogue between creator and viewer. Besides, it would be pretty boring if we all saw the same thing in everything, it’s precisely the diversity of interpretations that makes creative work exciting. As long as there is respect for my work, I find such different perspectives not only exciting but also enriching.
Q: To finish up, fill in the blank: Reality to me is ______.
A: Reality for me is a picture that constantly redraws itself.
Through his figurative paintings, vulnerability, hesitation, and internal dialogue are brought into view, revealing the subtle, often overlooked forces that shape how we experience the world. As viewers encounter his work, they contribute their own memories, emotions, and interpretations, allowing each piece to take on new meaning with every engagement. This interplay between creator, artwork, and audience transforms his paintings into a living dialogue, in which reality is continuously examined, questioned, and reimagined.
In this way, Volkmer’s practice demonstrates that contemporary art is not merely a reflection of the world, but a space where the invisible, the intimate, and the psychological can be made tangible.
To see more of Michael David Volkmer's incredible work and stay updated on his latest projects, be sure to follow him on Instagram and visit his website!
Disclaimer:
The views, opinions, and perspectives expressed by artists featured, interviewed, or presented on this site are solely those of the respective individuals. They do not necessarily reflect the views, beliefs, or opinions of Selfless Art Gallery, its staff, or affiliates.
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