Denis Flueraru is a new media artist whose interests revolve around connecting the art and craft of sound and visuals with digital and analogue technology. The underlying concept of his work is interactivity, as he constantly strives to innovate and raise awareness about a variety of facets that encapsulate the idea of the contemporary human habitat. By immersing users in live performances, interactive installations and written works, Denis attempts to push the boundaries of their perspectives and therefore instil new interpretations.
You can follow Denis on his Instagram profile: https://www.instagram.com/denisflueraru/
Q&A with Denis Flueraru
When did you discover your passion for art, and what does art mean to you?
I could say that my passion for art began during high school when I started skateboarding. Through this sport, I was able to explore the city from a different perspective. I enjoyed filming a lot and then combining it all in a very technical style with a soundtrack. This was the spark that set me on this path, from which all my other artistic practices stemmed in the search for expressiveness.
Art, for me, represents creating a favorable framework for an experience.
Describe yourself briefly: what do you like, what moves you, what revolts you?
I like cold and foggy mornings.
I am moved by music specific to the aesthetics of melancholy.
I am revolted by the lack of a sense of community.
Describe your artistic vision: sources of inspiration, methods, messages you want to convey to the audience.
Among the sources of inspiration are, first and foremost, various aspects of the surrounding space, ranging from its tangible dimensions to the factors that influence the quality of life, as well as the systems that encompass it in its entirety.
I really enjoy using interactivity as the basis of my work, trying to immerse visitors in a labyrinth where, in the end, they become performers. Likewise, sound is a primary medium of expression, with the majority of my works having a sonic dimension.
Through my works, I encourage the audience to discover peculiar aspects of the habitat and to realize the multitude of ways of expression that surround us.
Who has influenced you on your journey so far and why?
First and foremost, some of the teachers I have come into contact with over the years of study. Additionally, a significant impact on my development and the reason I chose these modes of expression comes from artists like Paul Kalkbrenner, Brian Eno, or Ben Howard. However, the fusion of sound and interactivity was established by Olafur Eliasson’s installation titled “The Blind Passenger.”
Which of your works do you like the most, and what does it mean to you?
“Interstatic” pays homage to my radio amateur grandfather, who taught me the Morse code language from a young age, as well as activities that today are attributed to the concept of sustainability. At the same time, the installation draws a parallel to the current situation regarding war. Using a Grundig microphone and a radio specific to the Eastern Bloc, VEF 202, I wanted to recreate key media moments from the Cold War era.
When the person interacting with the installation utters the word “antenna” into the microphone, the radio searches for a frequency and then plays an audio recording specific to that period.
Both elements, the microphone and the radio, were found non-functional at an antique fair, with an advanced degree of degradation. I took the time to understand the functionality behind them so that I could later refurbish them, resulting in an interactive installation. The refurbishment process involved creating a new automated mechanism for the frequency band, as well as adjusting the speaker with a jack output. I was very keen on ensuring that the apparatus didn’t lose any of its original elements, so the “operation” was as non-intrusive as possible. The main modification, but also the most demanding one, was the prototyping of a 3D mechanism that was to be automated by an Arduino Micro (development board) through a servo motor.
What has been the most joyful moment in your career so far?
Probably the moment when I DJed at the Ministry of Sound in London, where I felt for the first time the relationship between artistic creation and the audience. This experience represented a blend of emotion, joy, and a confirmation of my efforts in this direction.
What do you expect from the Accelerator Brașov program?
A comprehensive experience of how the artistic field operates, as well as the development of a language that creates a common bridge between the work and the visitor.
Which other artist do you like and find inspiring, and why?
During a workshop, I managed to get in touch with a duo called Void Collective. Their passion and projects, through which they manage to communicate to the audience the definition of “sound” in its most primitive forms, have had a significant influence on me.
What are your future plans?
I want to continue developing my skills at the same pace as before and, at the same time, initiate new collaboration opportunities. Furthermore, I want to develop a cultural hub that represents the catalyst for new voices in the creative community. On a secondary note, the indecision of whether to stay or leave the country consumes a lot of my inner energy.
Work of the Artist
in Fabulating About a Gelato Machine Exhibition
