Short interview with Petter Alexander Goldstine

Short interview with Petter Alexander Goldstine



> What is your background?
-I received my BFA (Bachelors in Fine Arts) in photography, focusing on social problems, working with homeless issues in Seattle, Washington, USA.
After graduation I traveled and photographed illegal immigrants in Italy, gypsies and orphans in Romania. I was trying to find the positive aspects in difficult situations.
After I spent some time in Israel/Palestine, focusing on the "peace" movement. I began to feel that photography as a communication tool, was hopeless because we (society) have been desensitized by the masses of images from the mainstream media and advertising industry.
At that point I began working/studying as an actor in a theater group called Nordic Black Theater, a trans-cultural theater group in Oslo, Norway, while searching for new ways to contact the viewer.
I now combine these two disciplines, performance and social documentary in an attempt to inform my audience.

> Where you from?
-I was born in San Francisco, California and raised in Seattle, Washington, USA.
My mother is Norwegian, which is why I live in Norway now.

> Who/What inspire your work?
-My work is inspired by all the wonderful people who have allowed me into their worlds; I want to do them justice. I am inspired by all of the generalizations I see in the world and I see in myself. I long to break myself of those generalizations.
I am inspired, even driven by, my constant fears and doubts that anything I do can make a difference.

> What is ART?
- Art is anything we put our whole mind, body and soul into. Art is anything that pushes our boundaries, those things that we are afraid to share with others because it is too vulnerable.
Art is visual poetry.

> Have you ever exhibited in Italy?
- I once had a show at the Palazzo (sic) Pio in Rome, while I was studying abroad with my art school. That was in 2000. Later, working with the illegal immigrants in 2002, gave me many ideas for public performances in Italy.

> How do you image your works in a city_space?
- I make work in the streets, in galleries and in the theater. In the city-space, I make work which breaks people out of their routine. I like this work to be playful instead of confrontational. The people of the masses will forget confrontation quickly, yet remember something
humorous or strange. Work in a city-space must appeal to that sort of an audience.
In fact I tailor all my work to the audience in that situation, in a way, site-specific.

- More about my work. I realize more and more that my work is how I push myself. I find the things that I am afraid of; talking to strangers, asking people for help, being vulnerable, standing in front of an audience, going to the bad parts of town, sharing myself. I don't believe that I am the only one afraid of these things, in fact, I believe if more of us confronted these fears the world would be a better place. If more people cared about what others think rather than convince other of what they think, we would have a lot less problems. Perhaps that is what my work is about.
In general I am very fortunate to have the upbringing I had, both the good and the bad, I am very fortunate to have the ability to learn from all that I receive in life.
There is a great photographer named Walker Evans, who once said, "Privilege, is an immoral and unjust thing to have. But if you've got it, you didn't choose to get it, and you might as well use it." This quote set me on the path that I find myself on today, to use what I have to help others.


The progress of my current project can be viewed at www.theamericandreamtoday.blogspot.com

Petter Alexander Goldstine also joined gallery2006