A R T S T A M P . D K

When death pays us a visit – that is the theme of Smike Käszner’s stamps. They are selected from a series of 10 drawings (ink/watercolour), inspired by Holbein the younger’s Death of Dance series. Hence the titles of these four stamps; Der Tod besucht den Künstler, Der Tod besucht den Einsamer, Der Tod  besucht den Gläubiger and Der Tod besucht die Hoffnung.

A reoccurring theme in Smike’s work is that of memento mori. Remember time is limited. And the only way to get more time is at the expense of space. In Smike’s mind time can be expanded if space is limited and vice versa. How much experiences can be put into a life – while still keeping a balance between time and space?

In this context Smike views himself more as an explorer rather than as an inventor. The role of the artist here is to map unknown territories and thereby witness and document alternative ways to fulfill the role of a contemporary human. How do we come yet closer to the question, of what we at the end of the day will regret we didn’t do?

Smike fans out his questions to involve events, graphic work, paintings, writing and video – the latter for example in the work done together with video artist Jan Krogsgaard, where the work consisted of 101 interviews with very old people, answering just one question: What here in life did you regret the most that you didn’t do?