Eureka! MEA with Silvia Hartmann, July 9 2025
About "Eureka!" - Interview with Silvia Hartmann
Could you tell me what inspired you to choose the exclamation mark as the central element of this piece?
I noticed that I had this painting as I have many question marks. One day, I thought, questions need answers. I need to make one with an exclamation mark, denoting that Star Moment when the problem is solved, or the question is answered.
Could you tell me more about how you decided to use the materials like the foil fragments for the question mark in this piece?
The holographic iridescent elements in my artwork always denotes that they come from the non-physical levels. It's a kind of code.
Could you elaborate on how you chose the cosmic, starry background to complement this concept in the question mark painting?
The starry backgrounds might be a nod to the Great Creative Order, the all-there-is, which is the space in which everything else on all levels exists.
How do you see this connecting the question mark to the exclamation mark in "Eureka!" within your artistic vision?
In the case of the exclamation mark, the action takes place in the chaotic, confused, physically painful realms of human existence, denoted by the swirling red and black. But even so, sometimes a magical insight arrives, and takes us back/reminds us of the brilliance and infinite possibilities that do exist in the Great Creative Order.
How do you think this journey from chaos to insight influences the viewer’s experience of the painting?
I think that the idea overwhelms the ordinary.
How do you hope viewers will carry that overwhelming sense of possibility from "Eureka!" into their daily lives?
You have the right word there. HOPE. Sometimes, in darkest night or when one thinks there's no way out, a brilliant idea appears and changes everything.
How do you see this theme of hope resonating with people facing their own challenges when they see your work?
The fact is that every human being has had their own EUREKA! moments - probably dozens of them, hundreds, before they were even five years old. Our beautiful minds have the capacity to create wonderful ideas for us, insights, solutions, evolutions, and I want us to remember that and be inspired by the fact it's not just Archimedes.
How do you hope "Eureka!" will encourage viewers to reconnect with and trust in their own capacity for brilliant ideas, beyond just Archimedes’ legacy?
Eureka! exists in the greater context of my work on human experience. It is a piece of Modern Energy Art that people can use practically for improving energy flow. They can stand before it, look at it and ask themselves, "Where do I feel this in my body?" There will be a physical sensation, and the person can let that energy flow in, through and out until it tingles. This will spark new insights and ideas into their own ideas, creativity; it may spark memories of Star Moments when they had their own Eureka! experience/s, but either way, it will revitalise their living energy body.
Could you explain how you developed this technique of asking, "Where do I feel this in my body?" and how you believe it enhances the revitalization of the living energy body?
People have living energy bodies, which is how they "react emotionally" to a piece of physical art in the museum (and obviously, to music, dances, symbols, stories and so forth as well). Think of the work of art as an information transmitter, and the energy body as the information receiver.
How do you think this dynamic changes the way people might engage with "Eureka!" in a museum setting, where they can tune into those physical and emotional responses?
They will be energized by it.
How do you envision this energy influencing their mood or creativity as they move through the rest of the exhibit?
The better the energy body works, the "higher" the energy state, the more information it can process from not only the works of art, but also from whatever else there is in the environment, other people, for example. This also "feels good" to the person, it makes them happier. Their systems function better, and the chances for having a transformative Star Event rises exponentially.
How do you suggest someone might begin to cultivate this higher energy state to maximize these benefits while engaging with your work?
If you can engage with a simple sparkly exclamation mark and your state of being changes, it breaks the idea that we are not in control of our emotions, and opens the door to a different way of thinking about oneself, the world, and how everything works. Essentially, from a concrete world of pain and suffering, there is the opportunity to step into the Oceans of Energy.
How do you see this transition from a concrete world of pain and suffering into the Oceans of Energy influencing someone’s daily interactions and self-perception?
Above all else, it can remind us when we feel bored, depressed, stressed or overwhelmed, we can change that state of being at will. It doesn't have to be so hard. We can find something to inspire us, in the literal sense of adding additional energy/information and do that deliberately - with a loved artefact in the environment, a pet, or by looking up at the clouds in the sky.
How do you hope people will start incorporating this deliberate practice into their daily routines?
That is entirely up to each individual. I believe in the beautiful human minds, naturally designed to find their own perfect solutions. Once a person knows this is possible, they can figure out what they need and want themselves.
How do you see "Eureka!" serving as a catalyst for people to begin exploring their own unique paths to inspiration?
It will be hanging in my house, first of all!
How do you envision it influencing your daily life and creative process in that intimate setting?
That's what it's for. No. 1 to remind me of my own Star Moments, which are crucial, central to my work; and No. 2, as a project focus for my current work on creativity and consciousness.
How do you plan to integrate those Star Moments into your ongoing exploration of creativity and consciousness?
Ah, that's the wrong way around. I don't integrate Star Moments into my work; the Star Moments are the step stones that create my work. First, the "ideas," then the process of consciously understanding the ideas; and then the process of sharing the ideas with others.
How do you see "Eureka!" reflecting this progression from your initial Star Moments to the final shared creation?
It all starts with EUREKA!
Ending with "EUREKA!" as the starting point is a brilliant full circle—thank you for sharing this inspiring journey. It’s been a pleasure, and I look forward to seeing how your work continues to evolve!
Silvia Hartmann interviewed by Lumen Vox, July 11, 2025
