Tomislav Topic is a site-specific artist whose colorful installation will be completely transforming the Caleido Space, a new city hub in the business area in Madrid. By installing a 20 meter suspended sculpture, anyone who is in the Spanish capital will be able to visit it.
Born in Hannover, Topic is widely known for belonging to the former duo Quintessenz, now he focuses on his solo career by creating work that sums up the two essential elements of art: color and form.
His work represents abstraction through the creation of installations that allow the audience to experience art in a real and direct way by giving importance to color and form. Topic’s art combines the uplifting force of beauty with the rationality of science to encourage us to observe our surroundings from a different perspective. His art, whether painting or installation, has the power to connect globally as an internationally genuine form of expression while also uniting individuals from very diverse cultures via art.
We wanted to talk to Tomislav and learn more about his behind the scenes of his free time and find out what he enjoys to read, watch or listen to. After taking a 180 degree turn in his life and going from the city life to the countryside, his free time has been mainly focused on nature and art.
“About a year and half ago my girlfriend and I purchased a former Apple-farm close to Berlin. My life then switched between art productions, travels around the globe, renovation of the new studio space and gardening of about 5 hectare land – which I love but it also leaves little time to enjoy some cultural aspects, like watching movies or proper reading.”
However, he still finds moments to disconnect and learn new things. We talked to Tomislav to see what he has been enjoying as of lately. Check it out!
What to read
“Right now, I’m reading a book called’ ‘The Secret Life of Trees“ – you might imagine why I read this book. It’s wonderful and fascinating how trees communicate with each other and many other aspects which I didn’t know before. This book helps me to understand my current surroundings, and this really connects me again with nature. I also feel that my art starts a synergy with it.”
What music to listen to
“I got really open-minded to different genres over the last few years. It really depends on the mood, I definitely enjoy the neoclassical genre, such as musicians like Nils Frahm. He is composing wonderful pieces which have a perfect balance between traditional structures and new experimental aspects. His tracks totally help me to get away from my to-DO list and help me concentrate on the moment, like right now while I’m answering your questions.“
What podcast to listen
“So, most of the things I do doesn’t give me space for reading or watching movies, but I do have time to listen to podcasts or music. I love the podcast “Alles gesagt“ by a big German newspaper. In each show they invite experts from various fields and the moderators have a conversation with them. The guest decides when this show ends. I think one of the longest episodes is about 9 hours long. But I also like silly podcasts which might at some point be senseless, but they make me laugh out loud in my studio or somewhere in the public”.
What to watch
“There was a time when life wasn’t as busy. I do have a favorite movie from this time, called “Flickering Lights“, a Danish film production. This film is the opposite of typical Hollywood blockbusters (which I abhor). It’s not a film with many effects or artificial conversations, but even if it is a bit of an unrealistic story, it feels very familiar and somehow normal. I love the Scandinavian way to make movies, they really catch me in an intense way.”