We recently had the chance to connect with Kevin Hoth and have shared our conversation below.
Kevin, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
I’ve wanted to finish writing a feature film screenplay ever since the idea came into my head years ago after lying down on the mat after a yoga practice. I have an outline and fully fleshed-out characters that have popped into my head and now I just need to set aside the time in my week to do a little every so often so it doesn’t feel so daunting. People have done this before! It’s not impossible.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a professor of media production at CU Boulder and have been an exhibiting artist working for over thirty years. I’ve been working with photographic media since my last year of college (many moons ago now!) and my work leans heavily into experimental territory. One of my favorite responses to my work is that the viewer hasn’t seen any work like mine before. That tells me I am on the right path. I have many bodies of work, but what is on view now at the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities is some of the most recent large-format instant film collages. These are less like typical photographs and are more like scuptures or installations.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I don’t know if this is my earliest but one that stands out is when I found skateboarding. My older brother was always more athletic and coordinated than I was, but when we inherited a skateboard from a neighbor I realized I had picked it up faster than he did. This became my thing for many years and it shaped my personal life, my outlook, and my immediate community. My closest friends all skateboarded and listened to punk rock. This sub-culture (at the time of the late 80s and early 90s skateboarders were really demonized) was a huge foundation for me in terms of seeing discrepancies between the banality of mainstream life and culture and the other things that were possible. For a midwestern kid raised in a very homogenous suburb, the music and skate culture of my community were so refreshing and matched perfectly with my teenage era as well as my identification as an artist.
Do you remember a time someone truly listened to you?
I had a spiritual teacher come into my life soon after my divorce and I really think he helped save my life. I was devastated and at rock bottom. I was expressing myself through photography but he said something I will never forget. He said “I am here for you always, all the time. I will never leave you.” It’s the most profound thing anyone has ever said to me, because I knew in my heart and body that he truly meant it. It was him saying “I got you.” He gave me his number and said call me anytime day or night any time at all, even the middle of the night. When was the last time someone told you they would never leave you? Even my own parents had never outwardly said this even though I do know now they would say the same thing. I have since said this to other people when I could see they were deeply struggling.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
David Byrne is one of my all-time creative heros. He is a polymath but I think it just springs from his openness to expressing himself in so many ways: music, photography, sculpture, writing. He is a soft warrior for the creative community, but also for all humanity. He’s a connector, a community organizer and he seems to do it with this lovely, light demeanor. There’s almost a gee-whiz aspect to his personality which feels very disarming. He created the Reasons to be Cheerful website and newsletter and I feel like he’s led the way again by steering us away from the constant gloom of the mainstream news cycle.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
I’ve found that there is always a let down after the opening reception of an exhibition I am in. Even the ones I’ve worked really hard on. I made the work, it’s on the wall, I’m in a new art venue that has some prestige to it. I’ve read that we should beware of things that come with prestige. Titles, awards, etc. Good artists are always on the move, onto the next project, onto the next show. I’ve realized that I care less about the CV lines, accolades, and praise than the gathering of people with whom I like to share my work. As you get older you realize that sharing time with friends and family, and being physically active are the most important things to engage in.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kevinhoth.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinhoth
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinhoth/
Image Credits
Kevin Hoth
