Andy and Tom Lohner – a pair of brothers originally from Graz, Austria – have just released a video documenting their artistic process as they prepare for their upcoming show, Spin that Record, which will debut on April 22, 2010 at the MuseumsQuartier cultural center in Vienna. The video was produced by Austrian filmmaker Christian Gstöttner and features the music of Seattle band Fantasytank.
Click on the image to view the video (via YouTube).
Working under the moniker Loslohbros, the pair have turned 12″ vinyl records into acrylic art pieces and collages. They will also paint on Aerial7 mannequin heads and headphones, as well as a drum kit from Californian-based company Shinedrums, which will be the centerpiece of the exhibition.
Tom Lohner says that by turning songs and lyrics into artwork, the exhibition explores the close connection between visual and aural art.
“Each piece is a reflection of the images we perceive when we listen to a particular song. Whether it is album artwork or a seemingly unrelated illustration, we always work best to a soundtrack. During the creative process, we cannot get the image quite right without hearing music. As music influences our work so intensely, we started dedicating pieces of art to what we listen to,” he says.
Andy Lohner says the project began when he stumbled across a pile of records outside a gallery on Portobello Road in London. “I quickly picked them up, ran into the store, breathlessly saying: “Man, you are loosing all your vinyls!” He added that the shopkeeper then told him they could have the records. “When we spun the first color on these records, it clicked!”
This is not the first time the brothers have recycled found objects in their art and design projects. They have previously used broken snow, skate and surf boards as blank canvases, most notably in their Wild Painting series that recently toured Europe. “Painting on a wrecked snowboard, skateboard or vinyl is just more exciting than using a plain canvas,” Andy says.
One of the pieces Tom Lohner contributed to the show is called “Change,” inspired by the song of the same name by the Deftones.
“It tells the story of an angel who is a victim of his own habits. It is the first piece of art I’ve done that includes a cross, which is uncommon for us as religious symbols do not usually appear in our work,” Tom says.
Andy Lohner painted a record inspired by Elton John’s The Rocket Man, which he says reminds them of a childhood adventure on a river. Andy remembers going with Tom to “surf some river waves” and seeing his older brother “totally relaxed and enjoying the moment.” “The rocket man is a symbol of freedom and simplicity,” he explains.
After its premiere in Vienna in April, Spin that Record will tour other countries and galleries throughout the rest of the year.
