interview with Darya von Berner
Ian Robertson

Where did your idea for a cloud in Puerta de Alcalá come from?
When we see the Puerta de Alcalá, we see something firmly placed on the ground. Yet, before it was built, it just existed in an architect’s mind. It was no more than an idea, a dream, a cloud in its creator’s head. We are desperately in need of dreams. If we are not dreams, we are nothing.

What did you do before making clouds?
Plenty of things all around the world. However, I’d rather not talk about that now.

Can artists make clouds and claim its art?
Sure! Artists can do whatever they feel like doing. That’s why they are artists. They only accept the limits marked by law.

Is art magic?
Art is not magic, but magic would love to be art, if it could.

How do you plan on making the cloud?
With a little help from my friends. With Vicente Matallana from LaAgencia; Reyes Abades, Spain’s best special effects expert; with Cecilia Bergamín, a superb graphic designer and a lovely person to boot; and my assistant Fabiola Vicedo.

Can anyone make a cloud?
Of course. But only if they follow the instructions for giants to be found on this website.

Why did you call this artistic intervention Atmósfera?
Because it’s simply much more appropriate to call it that than, let’s say, Metallurgy. Seriously, the inspiration for the name came from the book “Atmospheres” by Peter Zumthor, a gift from my friend the architect Felipe Leal.

Have you done anything similar before?
Yes. In several European countries and in the USA. In Spain, with Pere Soldevilla – an incurable dreamer – in Galería Metropolitana of Barcelona, and also in Madrid, where I can rely on my friends from Galería Moriarty, who are always ready to join any adventure of this kind.

Are there many other artists working with ephemeral art?
Loads. Ephemeral art already has a long-standing tradition within contemporary art. Gustav Metzger is one of the founding fathers. I am also very fond of the work of Ilya Kabakov and Mark Wallinger. You can find more about these artists on Internet. It is usually public art.

Is ephemeral art always public art?
Not in all cases. That said, we can sometimes be grateful that public art is as ephemeral as possible.