In this episode of The Art Bystander, Roland-Philippe Kretzschmar is joined by Alexandre Diop — one of the most compelling and radical voices in contemporary art.

Born in Paris in 1995 to a Senegalese father and a French mother, Diop lives and works in Vienna. His practice spans painting, sculpture, and assemblage, anchored in what he calls “object-images” — emotionally charged compositions made from discarded doors, rusted metal, fabric, and street debris. His work doesn’t just recycle materials — it resurrects them. Each surface holds a memory, each gesture a call to truth, justice, and spiritual reckoning.

Diop’s art operates in the tradition of Arte Povera, but is equally shaped by his Afro-European roots, Berlin’s rave scene, and Vienna’s expressionist legacy. At once poetic and political, his works are raw, deeply autobiographical, and grounded in the belief that art should speak directly — “from the street, to the street.”

In his most recent exhibition at CFHill in Sweden In Puer Veritas, Diop enters into a bold transgenerational dialogue with Keith Haring’s subway drawings. “In puer veritas” — “in the child lies truth” — becomes a mantra for both artists’ shared commitment to radical honesty, social responsibility, and art as public testimony. Diop paints on abandoned doors as Haring once drew on subway billboards — urgent, unfiltered, and unafraid. As Diop puts it:

“Children don’t judge. They see with clarity. Haring and I create from that place — not just for children, but through them. They inherit the world we paint.”

In 2022, Diop was selected by Kehinde Wiley for the Reiffers Art Initiatives mentorship, leading to major solo exhibitions and a residency at the Rubell Museum. In 2026, he will become the youngest artist ever to have a solo show at Vienna’s Albertina Museum.

This is an artist who doesn’t just challenge the art world — he reimagines its materials, its histories, and its soul. Let’s dive in.

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The Art Bystander No27: Marcus Jansen. In this episode our host Roland-Philippe Kretzschmar, sit down with internationally acclaimed artist Marcus Jansen whose work has been exhibited at the Bronx Museum of the Arts, the Smithsonian Institution, and Documenta among others. From his early years between the Bronx and Germany to serving in the U.S. Army and later becoming one of the most important painters of his generation, Jansen’s journey is as compelling as his art.

His new exhibition Faceless at CFHILL, Stockholm, in collaboration with Almine Rech and the Marcus Jansen Foundation, dissects power structures, anonymity, and the systems that shape our lives. Jansen’s raw, gestural abstraction meets a deeply political and emotional narrative, making his work a powerful lens through which to view contemporary society.

We talk about: His transition from soldier to artist; the unseen forces of control in today’s world; how his art challenges historical narratives; the intersection of street art in his practice and the socialist structure of the military.

Jansen’s work has been described as a 21st-century response to Jackson Pollock and Robert Rauschenberg, but his voice is distinctly his own—urgent, fearless, and unfiltered.

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In this episode of The Art Bystander, host Roland-Philippe Kretzschmar engages in a captivating conversation with Cristina Ljungberg, founder of the Firestorm Foundation—a non-profit organization based in Stockholm that was established in 2021 to support female and nonbinary artists while fostering inclusivity in the art world. Cristina opens up about the foundation's mission to champion underrepresented voices through impactful acquisitions, collaborations, and partnerships.

The Firestorm Foundation’s impressive collection features works by groundbreaking artists including Louise Bonnet, Louise Bourgeois, Arvida Byström, Ann Böttcher, Lena Cronqvist, Cecilia Edefalk, Marie-Louise Ekman, Dame Tracey Emin, Marisol Escobar, Leyla Faye, Edith Hammar, Katrine Helmersson, Sigrid Hjertén, Josefina Holmlund, Tove Jansson, Gittan Jönsson, Barbara Kruger, Lotte Laserstein, Martina Müntzing, Cindy Sherman, Monica Sjöö, Ylva Snöfrid, Paloma Varga Weisz, Ambera Wellmann, Ulla Wiggen, Kennedy Yanko, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Hilma af Klint, and Barbro Östlihn. Each artist represents a unique perspective and contributes to the foundation’s mission of showcasing art that challenges conventions and sparks meaningful dialogue.

Cristina also shares insights into the foundation’s partnerships with leading institutions such as Moderna Museet, the Guggenheim, the Swedish Institute in Paris, and the Stockholm School of Economics. These collaborations focus on research, exhibitions, publications, and artist dialogues that amplify the foundation’s impact on the cultural landscape.

Join us for an inspiring discussion on the transformative power of art, the importance of diversity and representation in the creative sector, and the stories behind some of the most influential artists shaping contemporary culture.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.