Washingtonart interviewed Michael Gessner in May 2001, during the third week of his very successful exhibit at Gallery K (13 pieces sold, and one piece was commissioned). Gessner has been active on the Washington art scene since the late 1970's, creating and exhibiting 3-dimensional works in many media. To learn more about his working process and the pieces displayed at Gallery K, read on!

washingtonart: Does your work progress in phases, or bodies of work, and if so, does the show at Gallery K present a single phase or body of work?

Michael Gessner: Originally, I was aiming for just one body of work, as my exhibit was going to be in the smaller space, downstairs. But when I was invited to use the whole upstairs floor, more of my work got incorporated into the show. The large central piece is older; most of the work is from the 90's, but three pieces are from the 70's. So it has a retrospective feel now, I feel it works well, I think Komei (who chose the pieces) knows how to curate well.

washingtonart: How clearly do you visualize a piece from the outset?

Michael Gessner: Some pieces I only see where they're going after I've started. For example Louise*, which is an homage to Louise Bourgeois, didn't; start out as an individual piece at all; I carved one of the rounds forms and was going to use it for another piece. But then I liked how that looked, and decided to keep on going, and that's how the concept of the piece came to me. Other pieces I can see pretty clearly from the start, usually because the form is already there in the wood, for example The Last Drop.

*(third piece from left on photo 5)
**(third piece from left on photo 4)

washingtonart: Do you work continuously on your pieces?

Michael Gessner: If I'm on a deadline I do; otherwise I often put them aside for a while, then return to them.

washingtonart: what is the most satisfying part of making art for you?

Michael Gessner: well, showing the work can be satisfying, if there is a good response, but you can't always count on that. I'd have to say the most satlsying part of the process is when I discover the concept of a piece, what's hidden in the piece for me to uncover.

washingtonart: do you feel there is a big difference between your figurative and your non-figurative work?

Michael Gessner: well, I think the figurative element in my work has sort of gone underground. I don't want to be too literal when I do figurative work. I don't think of my self as a narrative artist, narrative is'nt my strength.

washingtonart: there seems to be a playful suggestion of figurative elements in some of your more abstract pieces, the small branches jutting out seem like human limbs or organs.

Michael Gessner: I guess I've always seen connections between living things: when I heard about the human genome study, that the DNA of everything is supposed to be about 99 percent the same--every living thing, a tree, a banana, a person--I wasn't surprised. I've always, ever since I was little, observed, and looked, and seen that kind of sameness.

washingtonart: thanks, Michael, that's a great note to end on.

a tour of the exhibit, clockwise around the gallery

1. Local Girl, Face #2, Needlehead, Mossy; above: Flyaway Sprout

2. Natureeyes, Lively Thing, Primal Segmentation, Fruit of the Vein, Branch Composition, 3-Eyed Torii, Mr Peanut

3. Strange Ganesha, Ttree of Desire, The Morsel

4. Snakeboy, Slice, The Last Drop, The Hand Reaches, Cedar Bra

5. Fantasy Anatomy, Louise, Tantric Art