An Interview with Artist Saskia Wendland

Many will never make the effort to meet their heroes. Blocking the way is a great psychic chasm between desire and fulfillment, between the imagined and the real. If the distance seems too great, a letter might never be sent. A number might never be called. A move might never be made. 

When I met the German artist Saskia Wendland at a dinner in New York City, she told me a story from her past: about twenty years ago, she had made the call, sent the letter, and she had fulfilled a desire. She had reached out to her hero, the famously reclusive painter Agnes Martin.

Although Wendland lived in Berlin, Martin’s work had moved her and she wanted to get closer. The trip to New Mexico was more about going to the source and meeting the woman responsible for the great art Wendland had seen in books. There was very little documentation. There was nothing to get. It was the sort of story you tell a stranger at dinner. 

—Chris Cobb

THE BELIEVER: Can you tell me the story again? The story about how you met Agnes Martin?

SASKIA WENDLAND: Sure. It was at the studio of a painter friend of mine in 1995. I was twenty-two and came across Martin’s Schriften [(Writings translated into German)].

I borrowed it and from that moment on I was kind of “inhaling the thoughts.” It became like a bible to me.

So, I actually met her first through her writings, and then through her paintings, which maybe is uncommon, since people usually first encounter an artwork and then after start to read about the work and the artist.

Later, I found the book Who is Who in American Art, and I looked up her name, address, and phone number.

BLVR: You just called her out of the blue?

SW: Yes. I remember her voice on the phone—very warm. She was a bit surprised, and said something like, “Sure you can come by, but Germany is far, far away. Just call me back when you’re down here in New Mexico.”

BLVR: How far was it?

SW: There are about 9,000 km (5,592 miles) between Berlin and Taos.

BLVR: That is far.

SW: Luckily my cousin’s friend was staying in Santa Fe at the time. I was able to stay with her.

BLVR: So it’s plausible that she might not have believed you would actually come all that way?

SW: Well, as soon as I arrived in Santa Fe, I made sure to call her again....