5 Questions for Jan Peter Tripp

20 October 2022

The
Temporary exhibitions at the LUDWIGGALERIE Schloss Oberhausen are based on the
Diversity brought by the artists shown.
Especially in overview shows such as the current exhibition “Robbers
Hotzenplotz, Krabat and The Little Witch. Otfried Preußler – character creator and
Storytellers” (18.9.2022-15.1.2023) different illustrators face each other
in the form of their artworks. With the series “5 Questions – 5 Artists”
We explore their views on the exhibited theme, on art and on life in
Generally on the trail.

For this we call
We would like to welcome Jan Peter Tripp. He is the son of Franz
Josef Tripp, who is known as an illustrator of legendary children’s books such as
Otfried Preußler's "The Robber Hotzenplotz" is unforgettable. Jan Peter Tripp himself
is known for his portraits of numerous personalities
from politics, business and culture, including the manager Wendelin Wiedeking,
the actor Bruno Ganz and the poet Hans Magnus Enzensberger. Today
He is one of the most important representatives of German realism. He lives and works
in Mittelbergheim in Alsace.

Fig. Jan Peter Tripp Photo © Klaus Hohnwald

Nathalie
Schraven: Your father, Franz Josef Tripp, contributed to the
“Robber Hotzenplotz” has achieved worldwide fame. To what extent were Preußler’s
stories present in your childhood?

John Peter
Tripp: Since my father was an avid reader, there were all kinds of books everywhere.
Books were circulated around the child. The child was exposed to works by Melville, Don Quixote
and of course to Preußler and Michael Ende.
In the latter case, the resulting illustration by the father was of course a
exciting process that was observed every evening by mother and child.

Fig. Illustration by FJ Tripp, Mathias Weber from
Otfried Preußler, The Robber Hotzenplotz © by Thienemann in the
Thienemann-Esslinger Verlag GmbH, Stuttgart

NaS: In the current
The exhibition features colorations based on the drawings
your father. How much did your father influence your artistic
career path influenced?

JPT: The
The fact that paints, brushes and drawing materials are everywhere
was in itself a nonverbal influence. The early
But the already constantly painting offspring did not develop a formation like in the school
Context.

NaS: If you have your
Comparing works from the past and present, what is the difference?

JPT: A
some success over the years in avoiding talkativeness in image or
Etching.

NaS: What
What does the term art mean to you?

JPT: Freedom.
Even in the face of self-inflicted incompetence.

NaS: What would
What advice would you give to someone who wants to become an artist today?

JPT: If you
are sure that your intentions are strong enough and that it find intentions
are: Don't give up. Straight ahead...