We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Maison Douce. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with the art collective below.

Maison, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

In the summer of 2023, we set out on a field trip to Los Angeles, California. There are few places in the world as closely related to big dreams, arts, music, and entertainment as the City of Angels. So we spent a month there to dive into the radiant art scene, explore the omnipresent new age vibes, and find new sources of inspiration. All staged between natural beauty, a consumerist utopia, and unleashed social conflicts.

Since LA is, maybe more than any other place, a „choose your own adventure“ playground, we intuitively ventured into unknown territory, unbiased and ready for new experiences. We followed rumors, hidden messages, and personal invitations more than the latest „hot tips“ from a hyped-up app. This allowed us to experience the (obligatory) shiny and glamorous side of the art world as well as gritty little pop-up galleries and DIY opening parties.
What we found was at times more of a collective hysteria than a dream, a self-fulfilling, never-ending repost of the #sunshine #blessed #goodlife. But, thanks to new friends and the kindness of strangers, we were also able to slip between the cracks and discover raw talent, pure inspiration, resilience and the unstoppable will to create.

One of these encounters took place in Compton where we got introduced to Mr. Wash, whose life was changed by art. While incarcerated, he started painting portraits of fellow inmates and capturing their stories. Today, the painter is not only displayed in museums and galleries but also establishing a neighborhood community center to share the power of art. The property is surrounded by a long wall, filled with works by local artists. We were invited to paint a part of this mural.

We decided to add one of our portal paintings, which connects creatives and ideas physically and virtually to the Mothership, our Hamburg-based studio and gallery space. We leave portals, sometimes as paintings, other times as objects or performances, all over the world where we find inspiring places.

The findings of our trip to LA can soon be seen as a documentary on our website.

Maison, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

We are Maison Douce, an interdisciplinary art collective from Germany. We set out to explore the transformative power of art and ritual through immersive performances, artworks, set design, music, and brand collaborations. We believe art is a practice, a process, and a way of conducting life that is deeply rooted in culture and community. From the first cave paintings and sharing stories by the fire to AI channeling our collective subconscious.
Art doesn’t have to take place in museums or white cube galleries, but in the moment. Art has the power to transcend everyday life – to access the unconscious and invite an audience to delve into the unknown. We call that „artistic interventions“.

Maison Douce is Lotte Hauss and Marc T. Suess. Lotte’s old masterly paintings, felted sculptures, and mysterious installations are offerings, amplifying the holy. Her art is a portal to connect to the eternal cosmic forces, and an invitation to step out of the personal into the realm of eternity. Marc is a multidisciplinary artist, musician, and creative director who uses storytelling and creativity to connect with audiences. He runs a design studio, produces podcasts, and teaches at the Berlin School of Popular Arts.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Connections. To the past, present and future. To traditions and new technologies. To the most foreign, weird and f*cked up ideas, as well as to pop culture and the Zeitgeist. To every experience coming you way, good or bad, as being part of a creative journey. The playful and the divine. The whole world and the great big fat lurking nothingness. But most of all, connection to yourself and other people.

Maybe you are not into art. I mean, who really needs it? But do you remember a time when your life was in turmoil? When you were so madly in love that you couldn’t find a way to express that? Were you picking songs for a mix tape or whispering romantic poems? And even in times of great sorrow when you felt lost and lonely, do you remember finding resonance of your emotions in artworks, even a glimpse of hope? So to answer the question „Who needs art?“ is simply: everybody. Maybe you don’t enjoy it every day. Maybe you don’t want to spend hours in a museum or the opera. Fair enough. But there will come times in your life when art will express what you can only feel. Art is like pilot’s training. You can think you don’t need it when everything is going smoothly. But when engine two is on fire and you’re losing altitude – that’s when you’ll need art. And you know what? Art is gonna be there for you.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Our mission is to create artistic interventions – by breaking the habits and routines of our audience. We combine visual art with performances, music, and rituals, drawing inspiration from ancient traditions as well as popular culture.

Art today is drifting in two extremes: as high-priced investments in sterile gallery spaces and museums on the one hand, and on the other you can find millions of „artists“ on social media, using canvases and studios as backdrops for their influencer content. To us, both approaches lack the spirit and impact that we believe art should have.
Art is as important as always – maybe even more in times of ever-present distractions, fading attention, and a disconnect to traditions and interpersonal connections. That’s why we work on making art accessible and and the same time reconnect it to the meaning and importance it had culturally over thousands of years.

Besides artworks, installations, and performances, we have founded our own studio and gallery space in Hamburg, Germany, called „The Mothership“. It’s a space dedicated to fostering creativity, culture, and connections within the vibrant art, culture, and creative entrepreneurial community. Our mission is to provide a home for a wide range of events and activities, catering to art enthusiasts, music lovers, and creatives alike.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.maison-douce.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maisondouce_art/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MaisonDouce
• Other: Our studio & gallery: www.mothership.hamburg

Image Credits
All images © Maison Douce