Florian Genzken

"When I studied archaeology in Munich, I focused on the prehistoric age. It was exciting to encounter some of the oldest surviving materials from humanity’s first settlements. When I later switched to studying both art history and fine arts, I understood even more deeply how ideas shape the objects and buildings humans create. In my work as an artist, I see that directly, since my own life experiences and cultural background inform the choices and decisions I make in the studio. I think understanding that connection helps me as a guide, since I try to give visitors a sense of the cultural ideas behind why an art object looks the way it does. I hope our Paris Muse visitors will take some of those various ideas home, and use them as inspiration in their own lives. Our future depends on what ideas we can imagine today, so it makes sense for us to try to understand the history of where we came from."