Simon Surjasentana is studying in the Fine Art degree programme at the Faculty of Art and Design at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar since 2016. To finance his studies, he works part-time in the intensive care unit of the Sophien- und Hufelandklinikum Weimar. He processes his impressions as a nurse in his painting.
Simon Surjasentana's career stages are anything but straightforward. At first, he completed an apprenticeship as a commercial assistant, but quickly realised that his everyday working life would not make him happy in the long run. So he took a »time out« and did a voluntary social year in hospital. When he came into contact with a patient requiring artificial respiration, he decided to continue his training as a nurse.
It is precisely this circumstance that is now attracting the attention given to Surjasentana. Because it didn't stop at the nursing profession either. In 2016, the artist began his fine arts studies at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, but did not give up his job as a nurse and continues to work in the intensive care unit. »I have been taking photos of my everyday life on the ward for a long time and process the impressions in my paintings,« Surjasentana describes. »I have been working like this for quite some time. The fact that my paintings have a greater relevance now that we are living in times of the pandemic naturally pleases me, even though there are tragic fates behind the scenes captured.«
»Simon Surjasentana's paintings offer a unique insight into the reality of life for all people in caring professions worldwide - but from the perspective of an artist," explains Roman Liška, Artistic Associate at the Experimental Painting and Drawing Professorship. "He works from an authentic position, as he knows the consequences of the pandemic first-hand, and skilfully processes his impressions in these paintings. He thus places his work in the context of socio-political painting with role models such as Jörg Immendorff, Daniel Richter or Kerry James Marshall. His works visually mark the era of the pandemic as a contemporary document and are thus of outstanding and enduring relevance beyond the art context.«
Various media have already reported on the »painting nurse« Surjasentana. You can read the interviews under the following links (some require subscriptions):
Arte Mediathek:
https://www.arte.tv/de/videos/108379-000-A/simon-surjasentana-intensivpfleger-und-maler/
MDR-Kultur »Nächste Generation« (Next Generation):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZPiiJbNWBY
Deutschlandfunk Nova:
https://www.deutschlandfunknova.de/beitrag/krankenpfleger-simon-und-seine-gemaelde-von-der-intentsivstation
Süddeutsche Zeitung:
https://www.sueddeutsche.de/projekte/artikel/kultur/simon-surjasentana-malt-die-lage-auf-den-intensivstationen-in-oel-e655617/
Stern:
https://www.stern.de/panorama/simon-surjasentana--kuenstler-auf-der-corona-intensivstation-31586580.html
Monopol Magazin (subscription required):
https://www.monopol-magazin.de/interview-simon-surasentana-maler-intenvipfleger-zwischen-intensivstation-und-atelier
Spiegel online (subscription required):
https://www.spiegel.de/kultur/kuenstler-und-pfleger-simon-surjasentana-ich-male-patienten-am-beatmungsgeraet-a-8cbeee14-4fa7-42cd-98fe-9a247d70327a
Lübecker Nachrichten (subscription required):
https://www.ln-online.de/Nachrichten/Kultur/Kultur-im-Norden/Zwischen-Kunst-und-Koma-Student-malt-Bilder-von-der-Intensivstation
Thüringer Allgemeine (subscription required):
https://www.thueringer-allgemeine.de/regionen/weimar/kreative-verbindung-zweier-welten-in-weimar-id234233981.html
Report on the Bulgarian television station "BTV" (in Bulgarian):
https://btvnovinite.bg/predavania/tazi-sutrin/medik-v-germanija-presazdava-usilijata-na-lekarite-v-kartini.html
A portrait will soon be published in the format "Next Generation" by MDR Kultur:
https://www.mdr.de/kultur/naechste-generation-sachsen-sachsen-anhalt-thueringen-100.html
Simon Surjasentana is a diploma student with Jana Gunstheimer, Professorship »Experimental Painting and Drawing"« and has also studied with Prof. Björn Dahlem and Visiting Scientist Simon Wachsmuth at the Faculty of Art and Design at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.
Contact Simon Surjasentana:
www.simonsurjasentana.com
www.instagram.com/simonsurjasentana/
twitter.com/surjasenatana
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Romy Weinhold, Press and Public Relations Officer at the Faculty of Art and Design, by telephone on +49 / 36 43 / 58 11 86 or by e-mail to romy.weinhold[at]uni-weimar.de.
Changes from color to monochrome mode
contrast active
contrast not active
Changes the background color from white to black
Darkmode active
Darkmode not active
Elements in focus are visually enhanced by an black underlay, while the font is whitened
Feedback active
Feedback not active
Halts animations on the page
Animations active
Animations not active