We were lucky to catch up with Kilian The Phantomat recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kilian, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you recount a story of an unexpected problem you’ve faced along the way?

After receiving an art prize in Vienna the president Karl Fisher invited us to a reception in a room covered in gold. I didn’t expect him to make jokes with me and suggesting that I should fill my jacket pockets with food from the buffet.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I never stopped drawing since I was a child. I didn’t get there – I have always been there. I go on shamanic journeys and document the worlds I have seen. There is a lot of blue. Colours bleeding on silk. Sometimes people call my work decorative – I disagree with that. It took a lot of courage to make beautiful art. It’s mostly abstract because I feel the communication is deeper that way. It is reminding us of how little we know about the world and our existence.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

My art was becoming too much of a routine..I was too sure of myself. If the work doesn’t excite me it won’t touch anyone else. Like art like entrepreneurship you have to walk on ice sometimes. That’s why we are not comfortable employees. But the market clings to old fashioned ideas of branding. That we always have to do the same again and again. I think that means to underestimate people and collectors.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

When I went and studied art my parents cut the contact but after a year returned my calls. I guess I am headstrong and I can’t change it. I don’t think my life would have been significantly different if I had studied something else. Eventually I would found art.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ThePhantomat.com
• Instagram: @the_phantomat