Interview with Credit Suisse 11/15/2004
"Money means nothing to me", says Rolf Knie, painter and artistic director of Salto Natale. After thinking for a few moments he corrects himself. "No, that's not right, it is important. It gives you freedom and independence and these are two key points for developing your creativity." But money is not an end in itself. The 55 year-old says he just wants to earn enough to maintain his standard of living. For him, retirement planning is not an issue. The older he gets, the more expensive his pictures become… and he's certainly not thinking about retiring. When he was 45, he designed and published a book of his own works, weighing four and a half kilos. The book, presented for the first time at the Frankfurt Book Fair, is called "Half time". He would like to make it to 90 and is even hoping for a few years beyond that.
But, to return indirectly to the topic of money, doesn't Rolf Knie have the feeling that he compromises his art to too great an extent for commercial reasons? Art critics do not always treat him with kid gloves… "My pictures are the result of feelings. That's why they are genuine and a total reflection of me. I believe that the best pictures are created spontaneously, in a single session. I can't always play around with my work, painting over layers again and again. If something's not right – and my wife is my best and most brutal critic – I'd rather take the garden hose and start again from scratch."
Two years ago he developed an additional lucrative source of income with Salto Natale."After eight intensive months in Mallorca what I need is not a vacation, but a new task in order to recharge my batteries. I live from painting, and Salto Natale is my hobby," Rolf Knie explains. Salto Natale marked the former clown's return to the circus world after 18 years. It combines the peak of circus art with a poetic story and is reminiscent of the Cirque du Soleil (Guy Laliberte and Guy Caron are friendly mini-shareholders in Knie's company). The show costs five million Swiss francs although it runs for just six weeks. The artistic director cites this as the reason why it´s not a money-spinner. The risk is calculable, however, thanks to generous sponsors. Knie is pleased to report that no fewer than 90,000 people saw Salto Natale two years ago. There is definitely a market for this special type of circus art, not only in Zurich, but throughout Switzerland and even throughout Europe …( I note this site below is connected with Rene Strickler, although obviously I can't read it. Rene was another of the great trainer's from my generation, who was connected with the Knie Family Circus for years.) www.arcanus.ch/.../
Monday, October 27, 2008
Rolf Knie
Posted by
Wade G. Burck
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2 comments:
This is Rolf Jr, who is brother to Fredy Jr. Their father was Fredy Sr. Franco and Louis are sons of the late Rolf Sr.
To complete the picture, Charles Knie is son of the sister of Fredy Sr and Rolf Sr.
John,
Thank you. This is what I found on the internet on wikepedia but it didn't sound right.
Rolf Knie (16 Aug, 1949 in Berne) is a Swiss painter and artist. He is the brother of Franco Knie, the technical director of the Circus Knie in Rapperswil, Switzerland. An uncle of them is Fredy Knie Sr..
He visited a business school and played in the junior team of FC Zurick. From the autumn of 1967 to 1977 he operated in the circus ring. He had passed its peak in 1973 as a clown, but remained of massive setbacks are not spared.
In 1977 gave him the comedian Emil Steinberger lesson in perspective drawing. Rolf Knie made himself primarily as a painter a name and developed its own distinctive style. His motives are frequently scenes from the circus.
Wade
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