Serious And Not-So-Serious: Paul Landauer in 14 Questions

THE TRACE OF THE UNSEEN 

At IdeelArt, we believe an artist’s story is told both inside and outside the studio. In this series, we pose 14 questions that bridge the gap between creative vision and everyday life—mixing professional insight with the personal quirks that make each artist unique.

Today, we meet Paul Richard Landauer. After a career spent capturing the world through filmmaking and photography, Landauer turned to the canvas to explore what lies beneath the surface. From his studio in Belgrade, he treats painting as an act of "controlled coincidence," where the goal is not to depict an object, but to leave a trace of a feeling. Discover why he views his works as living organisms, his unexpected love for the "Pink Panther" theme, and how he balances the intense silence of the studio with the vibrant chaos of life.

The Not-So-Serious Questions

8 questions to reveal unexpected quirks and everyday life of Paul Landauer.

1 - If your art was a song or a piece of music, what would be playing in the background?

It would be a baroque aria, like "Il Giustino" of Vivaldi. The raw, but sensual beauty of the music reflects and supports my search for purity and authenticity in human emotions and their expression.

2 - What's something you're obsessed with or have a strong interest in that has nothing to do with art?

This is a tricky one! I feel, that everything in my life is related to my art. Absolute center of my attention is the exploration of human emotions and how to create a maximum of consciousness. Reiki and meditation are what I spend the most time with, daily.

Paul Landauer - Movement 2 -  2023

3 - Coffee, tea, or something stronger while you work? Or just light and silence?

Only water, or lightly flavored water and a lot of it. Silence, or classic, or meditative music. Best in combination with oriental incense sticks.

4- If you could meet with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?

God or Jesus. I think I wouldn't ask them anything, but would just try to relax and feel their presence.

Paul Landauer - Flag No 2 - 2024

5 - If you weren't an artist, what would you be doing?

Dancer. Moving my body seems to be one of the most vulnerable aspects of my existence, but it deeply attracts me. Would love to experience that one!

6 - Can you share a short story or moment from your life that had a strong impact on your life as an artist?

I became an artist late in (at 44) after having said "no" for the first time in my life. 

Being able to say "no" to something, was probably one of the first significant acts of being fearless and self-carrying. It was a turning point in my life and the beginning of my artistic journey.

Paul Landauer - Movement - 2023

7 - What does a good day look like for you, outside of the studio?

A day without making art, isn't a fulfilled day. In cases of not being able to make art, I try to work on my consciousness, read and listen to music. Making love with someone you trust and respect is to me a form of meditation which crowns a day that has everything else.

8 - Is there something about you that would probably surprise people who know your work only through your art?

When my wife was pregnant with our first child, I started cooking in order to secure a healthy nutrition for her and the unborn child. Today, 19 years later we have two children and I still cook every day, sometimes running out of ideas. Any recipes to share with me?!

Paul Landauer - Reconstruction Of A Memory II  - 2023

The (More) Serious Interview

6 questions to look deeper into the ideas, experiences, and hopes that shape Landauer's creative journey.

9 - What themes or questions keep coming back in your work?

Fragility, fears, belonging, love, liberation, the human existence as a journey, the search for my purest core, overcoming the ego, liberation and eventually freedom.

Paul Landauer - Helen's Garden (Behind The Gate) - 2024

10 - Can you describe a pivotal moment in your journey as an artist?

The most significant moment in my art career was painting the first painting.

11 - What materials or processes are most important in your practice, and why?

The most inspiring and important material I work with are natural soil pigments, which I collect myself every summer at the very same place, an island in the Adriatic Sea. I try to find other soils, but often I don't succeed to export them, because the border police confiscates it.

I love to work with soil, because it has the energy of nature. It has its own character and resists in a way, that it stimulates a conversation between me and the material. In some paintings it stays hidden behind layers of oil paint, but the final work got initiated by this magic dust and its strength to be my mirror.

12 - How do you want people to feel when they experience your work?

I hope that my work inspires people and comforts their soul by resonating: It's OK to be human. We all have our fears and darkness, you're not alone.

Paul Landauer - The Conversation - 2025

13 - Can you walk us through a typical working day in your studio?

Routine is important to me. I go to the studio every weekday at a similar time, no matter how I feel, or if I'm inspired. Once I arrive in the studio, I try to let go of any ambition and bring my mind into a state of openness and curiosity. I find things, unfinished works, materials and try to follow my intuition as unfiltered as possible. 

Then I lose the sense of time.

14 - What dreams or hopes do you have for your artistic journey?

Absolute fearlessness and connection with my instincts and intuition.

By Francis Berthomier
All images ©Paul Richard Landauer

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