“Art for Art’s Sake is Important” - Zach Rockman And His Romantic View of Art
November 6, 2024
"Don't self-censor. If you can find something to supplement making art, then just do whatever the heck you want. A romantic view of art is good." - Zach Rockman
In the vibrant art scene of Melbourne, Zach Rockman emerges as a dynamic force exploring the intersection of painting, silkscreening, and assemblage. With a background rooted in traditional painting, Zach has expanded his creative boundaries by experimenting with new mediums and techniques, finding a unique voice in the process. His recent work, blending silk screening with assemblage, reflects a shift towards more organic and freeing methods of creation. In this interview, Zach delves into how his experiences and environment shape his artistry, from the influence of Melbourne’s art community to his evolving approach to different mediums. He shares insights into his process, the impact of his travels, and his now concluded exhibition, "Perfume Memoirs," which merged personal and global influences in a captivating new collection. Join us as we explore Zach’s artistic journey, his reflections on the role of art in his life, and his vision for the future. This is Zach Rockman..
Go ahead and tell me a bit about yourself—your name, what you do, your medium.
Yeah, so my name is Zach Rockman. I got into art through painting initially, and then that scope sort of broadened. I started thinking, "I'll try making images in other ways." That's where my recent interest in silkscreening has come in, along with assemblage—just kind of throwing random things together. I don’t have the most sculptural mind. I’m not super precise with things. I like to let those things happen organically, I guess. I work between painting, assemblage, and silkscreening, but I use silk screening as a way to make paintings. That’s been a recent thing for me, and it’s been really freeing. Painting can be very neurotic, you know? So letting go of that has been a big shift. I’m currently based in Melbourne. It’s a good place to be, but I like to keep looking outward in terms of what’s happening elsewhere. That kind of sums things up for now.
Cool. Could you tell me a little bit about how Melbourne influences you? Does the city play into your work or abilities in any way?
Yes and no. There’s a good community here. There’s a real sense of people making cool stuff, and I think that’s inspiring. The energy from the peer group here is strong. But making art in Australia is interesting because it’s very online and outward-looking. There’s this eagerness to participate probably because of the isolation. So, it’s fueled by a lot of things like peer group enthusiasm but also a lot of time spent hitting the books and going online.
Yeah, I remember we caught up a while ago. Since then, it seems like you’ve got more going on—exploring different mediums. Do you want to touch on how you’ve grown as an artist over the past couple of years?
Yeah, I think this year especially, after traveling post-Covid, my interests have broadened. Once I got home in January after visiting the States, which was really interesting, I felt more open to new things. I’ve also had this book, *Apocalypse Culture*, since around 2022, which has become a sort of conceptual bible for me. It’s been good for expanding my ideas. I’ve also started accessing my microfilm archives to create collages for silkscreening. That’s been a new and fun process. I think I’m leaning more into working with photographic material and silkscreening, but I’m keeping it very minimal—focusing on composition rather than adding too many colors. So yeah, I’ve changed a lot in that sense and narrowed down what I’m most interested in.
You’ve mentioned silk screening a few times. Do you want to walk us through that process and how you got into it?
Well, it’s not a process unique to me—it’s very prescribed, it’s just a mesh screen where you press the ink into it. But it suits what I’m trying to do. I use a lot of microfilm—photos or scans people take, which are usually degraded and always in black and white. That lends itself well to silkscreening. Yeah. Since it's already blacked out and in grayscale, I suppose, Photoshop terms—it just lends itself pretty well.
So, your exhibition is coming up. Do you want to tell us a little bit about that?
Yeah, sure. It’s in Sydney, running throughout most of July, starting at the beginning of the month. I’ve named it Perfume Memoirs, which reflects my interests at the time, like having a somewhat autofictive approach to art. It’s a collision of that former interest and my new interests in fringe series spiritual beliefs, and all the crazy stuff that's happening in the world constantly. So, it’s kind of a collision of the two. The technical term for it is something in German which I can’t really pronounce properly, but yeah, it’s just a melding together of two disparate things. It’s like the personal overlay and then all the secretive, kooky stuff that happens as well. So, yeah, marrying those two... I still probably need to write it out or figure out what it is a bit more. But I think sometimes you just have to make the work, and then the resolution comes afterwards. You know what I mean?..
Can you tell me how important art is to you?
Depends on the day. I’d say it’s very mood-dependent. Sometimes I think I’m quite nihilistic about it, like, why do I do this? And then other times, it’s the most important thing ever. It really depends on the day. I don’t believe anyone who thinks it’s the best thing in the world all the time. I think that’s just a lie; you have to be in the right headspace for it. Right now, it’s pretty important, I guess, for me personally, but that varies. When it’s important I think it’s because I’m very driven by a certain idea or thing that I’m making. When I’m convinced of its importance, I think, okay, this here definitely can maybe offer some enjoyment or spark someone’s research or whatever. But yeah, it really depends on the day. Sometimes it’s important and sometimes it’s useless. It totally depends.
What was your biggest takeaway from your artistic career?
To paint fast and not be precious about it. Just paint quickly. I think often, fast is better than technical proficiency. That might sound kind of soulless, but we live in a very fast-paced world. Doing more is good. It’s relieving for you as well. I’ve spent half a year on one painting before, and it just burned a hole in my psyche. So, yeah, I don’t think you should do things for too long. If you’re going to, just do quick sessions on things. For instance, my most recent pieces ended up being a series of quick sessions. I haven’t touched them for weeks and have just worked on other things. Even though it’s a culmination of quite some time, it’s become less and less precious as it approached the due date. So, the biggest takeaway is to paint fast, but unfortunately, that comes with time and practice. Get to the stage where you can paint fast, do things quickly, and just produce as much as you can. That’s my biggest takeaway.
You say "Paint Fast" but how do you know a painting is done?
That’s a good question. You’ve really got to know when to give it room to breathe. It has to be able to breathe, you know? It’s like a steak, I guess—it’s probably better underdone than overdone. So, it's better to err on the side of underdone because often the viewer won’t know. You just have to treat the viewer as if they don't know.
What's the most important thing you've learned through art?
The most important thing I’ve learned through art, and I guess about life as well, is that there’s a fine balance between having a solid conceptual footing and not becoming too highfalutin. That balancing act is crucial, especially when it comes to life lessons that art can teach. One thing I’ve come to believe is that art for art’s sake is important. For example, when you look at something like The Death of Sardanapalus in the Louvre, it’s this guy self-immolating with all his favorite earthly pleasures. It’s kind of a romantic description of art, where it’s saying: do what you want, total freedom. Figuratively speaking, it’s about indulging in what you love. There’s this one artist whose career I find fascinating—German painter Jorg Immendorff. He started as a young left-wing political idealist, but as his career progressed and the 20th century unfolded, his hard-left politics didn’t quite pan out. He leaned into being a debauched hedonist and began exploring the idea of art for art’s sake. His narrative really tackled the question of the social function of art too. I think the lesson I’ve taken from all this is that I have a romantic description of art and that it can purely exist just for pleasure. That’s not to say it shouldn’t be political or have a deeper meaning, but it doesn’t have to be. I guess I’ve learned to balance idealism without falling into nihilism—maintaining a healthy outlook in that regard.
Where do you see yourself in a few years?
Hopefully in America—New York or L.A. I love L.A.; it’s a great place. I’m not a fan of winter, and people say the constant sunlight is oppressive, but I don’t agree. Good lighting is good lighting. But Europe could be an option too, especially since one of my best friends lives in Berlin. Ideally, I’d like to be somewhere more connected to the world, somewhere a bit crazier than Melbourne. That said, Melbourne has been a great springboard. The peer group here is fantastic, and the quality of art is really good. The geographic isolation forces people to nerd out, hit the books, and really know their stuff. I’ve had the best of both worlds, growing up in a great incubating place like Melbourne, but now I’m ready to move on to somewhere a bit crazier. That’s the goal!
What's your process for a piece like that, from inception to completion?
Well, this is how I’ve been making art for the past two years, but things have started to change recently with the introduction of silkscreen and other methods. Also, with these more loose pieces, it all comes from existing source material because it’s figurative painting. No matter how much of the artist's hand is involved, a figurative image is still a figurative image, and it almost pre-exists in a way. So, essentially, I usually start by shooting my source material on my iPhone. For example, for this painting, I had my friend smoke a cigar in a bathtub. I then use this source material as a foundation and just paint from it. It’s a simple figurative process. Before working on the actual source material, the process begins with reading something, looking at something, or just having an idea and thinking, “What epitomizes that?” Figurative painting can be quite literal, so that’s essentially the process for this sort of work.
What would be a single nugget of wisdom you’ve learned from your years of working?
Good question. I’d say this might go against some people’s advice, but hit the books hard, and look at a lot of contemporary art. It’s important to have a strong foundation in knowledge. The internet can fry your attention span, and there’s just too much information out there. You need to be selective, have some finitude when looking at things. Books help you do that. You’ve got to fail through heaps of stuff until you finally hit on something that resonates. And when I say "resonance," I don’t mean approval. It’s about finding that connection with the work. Use the internet, of course, but try to limit yourself to the right amount. It’s like printing things out and being able to focus on something tangible. Finding the right bookstores can help too.
Do you want to add anything before we wrap up?
I guess, don’t self-censor. If you can find something to supplement making art, then just do whatever the heck you want. A romantic view of art is good. I’d probably leave it at that before I say too much.
As we wrap up our chat with Zach Rockman, it’s clear that his journey through painting, silkscreening, and assemblage is a testament to both his personal growth and the dynamic nature of the art world. Zach’s work showcases his ability to blend personal and global influences, while his now concluded exhibition, "Perfume Memoirs," demonstrated a fascinating exploration of the collision between personal and universal themes Zach’s approach to art highlights the importance of experimentation and staying connected to the wider art world. As he looks toward future opportunities in major art hubs, we’re excited to see how his work evolves and continues to inspire. Thank you, Zach, for sharing your insights and creative process with us. If you enjoyed this blog and want to read more like it or join the Seminal network, visit our website for more insightful content and updates. To see more incredible art from Zach Rockman, follow his work on Instagram @hot.coffeemod. Click the links below to join our community and stay connected with Zach’s remarkable work! Join Seminal Today! Explore more artist interviews! Follow Zach Rockman on Instagram!
