Udo Kittelmann

Do you have a daily ritual that gives you structure or inspiration?
Above all, my two nine-year-old children give structure to my daily routine and provide the most wonderful source of everyday inspiration.

What would you do if time, money, and other resources were no object?
Looking back, I realise I’ve probably had the great good fortune of always doing whatever I felt drawn to or whatever presented me with a new creative challenge. And that remains true today. Of course, I wish I had more time for my family and my truly good friends. That’s something I still need to get better at.

Has there been a book that fundamentally changed your perspective—and why would you recommend it?
No, there wasn’t one particular book. There are so many that have undoubtedly influenced both the way I think and the way I feel. But it probably all began with Erich Kästner’s ›The 35th of May‹, followed much later by Thomas Mann’s ›Tonio Kröger‹, then Laurence Sterne’s ›Tristram Shandy‹, and Kafka, again and again. More recently, I’ve found myself turning more to non-fiction, such as Asma Mhalla’s ›Cyberpunk‹, which I’m reading at the moment.

What do you wish you had known earlier?
What really matters in life! Literature, and even more so art, ultimately provide only a means—albeit a wonderful one, and one I have always welcomed—of coming closer to understanding the complexity of a human life. Life follows its own paths towards greater contentment and inner peace. And, of course, the sooner you recognise them, the better.

Where do you recharge your batteries?
If only I knew exactly! What kind of energy are we even talking about here? But certainly with my family, and increasingly through my belief that there are no coincidences. 

Is there a work of art you would love to have in your home?
I’ve had the privilege of working closely with On Kawara on several exhibition projects in the past. That alone was an extraordinary gift. But if I could choose a single painting now, I’d pick one of On Kawara’s ›Date Paintings‹, no matter which date. Or a painting by Seffa Klein, whose work I only recently discovered in Los Angeles and which made a great impression on me.

Which exhibition venue in Berlin inspires you?
It’s not so much a particular exhibition venue. It’s always individual exhibitions—and above all individual artists—that inspire me.

What fascinates you about Berlin?
That every day brings something unexpected, whether surprising new encounters or other events, preferably ones that initially strike me as completely incomprehensible and absurd. In short: Berlin simply keeps me alert and on the move.

What’s one item you couldn’t live without?
Books! Books, always and again, from every era.  

What keeps you going?
Curiosity!

Which personality would you like to have a conversation with—and what would you talk about?
Right now, as I prepare for my project with Çağla Ilk for the Maxim Gorki Theater, I’d love to have a long conversation with Samuel Beckett, if he were still alive, about his visit to Berlin in November 1936 and, more generally, about the absurdity and unpredictability of time and people.

What do you look forward to when your working day comes to an end?
Usually, the next day!