Heidrun Fiedler & Lars Kemnitz
Actress & Creative Director/Visual Artist, Visiting Mongolia & Gothenburg
Lars and Heidrun have know each other for a long time. They share a lot things, like the northern city of Hamburg where they met, but also a love for the world of arts. When they discovered Disposable Magazine, they knew they wanted to share this experience together from different parts of the world. Discover their universe and a glimpse of their dear friendship, between the wide plains of Mongolia and the German shores of the Baltic Sea.
www.heidrunfiedler.com
Where are you from and who are you?
Lars: My name is Lars Kemnitz and I’m 31 years old (turning 32 in February). I’m a creative director and visual artist living in Hamburg, Germany. I was born in Kiel, a town located a 100 kilometers north of Hamburg at the coast of the Baltic Sea. I moved to Hamburg for studying over ten years ago and stayed since then.
Heidrun: My name is Heidrun Fiedler and I’m 32 years old. I’m an actress for film, commercials, and theater, based in Hamburg, but originally I grew up on a little farm in the countryside of Germany. That’s why I love the landscape and have such an old-fashioned name. I know Lars from his studies since 2008.
This is a particular case because you decided to share the camera with someone else. We love that! Can you tell us why?
Lars: Since I discovered your magazine some time ago, I always wanted to contribute because I fell in love with the idea. I thought it would be great to provide you with pictures from different parts of the world. And I knew Heidrun would travel to Mongolia in June. And as we’ve been working together for so many years now with me always behind the camera and her always in front of it, I thought it’s time we both share a roll of film. So I asked her, she said yes, and a few moments later the camera was on its way to Mongolia.
On one half of the roll we see grey skies, cold and wet weather, seaside maybe? Where are we?
Lars: After Heidrun brought the camera back from her trip to Mongolia, telling me stories and showing me pictures on her phone, I started to think about how to find a photographic answer—because for me the project was as well about contrasts and dialog. I shot some pictures during a weekend trip to Gothenburg, Sweden. Some were taken on the ferry from Kiel to Gothenburg, some in the city. The last three pictures I shot at home in Hamburg; you can see our beach and the harbor cranes along the river Elbe which is connecting Hamburg with the North Sea and the world. It was my answer to Mongolia. Looking at the pictures now, I must say that the transition from part one to part two works really well. It doesn’t feel like the camera traveled around half the globe, it feels natural somehow. I like that very much.
On the other part of the roll, we are in Mongolia? Heidrun, was it your first experience traveling there?
Heidrun: Yes, it was my first time in Mongolia. 2015 I met some girls who did horse-riding in Mongolia and I decided: one day I will do the same. Lucky me that I have a boyfriend who is interested in adventures. I was very excited when Lars told me about the disposable camera project because I didn’t believe in my abilities as a photographer. During the four weeks in Mongolia, I decided to take the pictures during our seven-day horse-riding trip. I think the photos have a documentary style.
We decide to meet you guys in ten years from now, where are you?
Lars: Not sure, but I would love to spend the winter time in a place where it’s warmer and sunnier, for example in Spain or in South Africa, doing exciting creative projects.
Heidrun: I will be a mother and go with my boyfriend and kids on a horse-riding trip in Mongolia. We will sleep in a typical Mongolian tent and stay some weeks in this wonderful country that is full of wind and wideness.
Your idea of happiness?
Lars: Freedom, spending time with people I like, creating art, relaxing in the sun, enjoying the moment.
Heidrun: Summer, love and playing theater.
Your idea of misery?
Lars: Any kind of apathy or lack of decisiveness, wasting time doing meaningless things, and loss of loved ones.
Heidrun: Standstill, aimlessness, and loss of friends (in any way).
If not yourself, who would you be?
Lars: Hmm, I have no idea.
Heidrun: My great-grandmother
Your heroes?
Lars: Paul Smith, Peter Lindbergh, Paolo Roversi, Juergen Teller, David Lynch, James Turrell, Anders Trentemøller among others. I wouldn’t call them heroes, but I’m fascinated by what they do (or did) and how they approach the things they do (or did), and this fascination for sure has (or had) an influence on how I do and approach the things I do.
Heidrun: Kate Winslet, Julia Roberts, Gwyneth Paltrow. I love the special energy they give the characters they play.
What is your present state of mind?
Lars: Sometimes I feel quite exhausted and frustrated because nothing seems to work out the way I wish for and then I feel quite powerless. And sometimes—like now—I think I’m really lucky because lots of things actually do work and I have great friends and family and the freedom to do whatever I want to do artistically. I have to force myself to lower the pressure I put on me. And everytime I do that, things get easier and more relaxed. It’s all a matter of attitude and expectation management I guess.
Heidrun: Difficult question. During the last year, I made a lot of decisions for my life because earning money only by doing art was very stressful. Funny thing: after making those decisions, I was booked for a very nice film project. We will see what happens. For 2020 I organized some other jobs outside of acting to be able to relax a little bit more. Making plans is one thing—opportunities, passion and life are different.
A city?
Lars: Hamburg, Germany
Heidrun: Bagan, Myanmar
What are your plans for this weekend?
Lars: Christmas is around the corner and I have to buy some last gifts. As well I’m meeting friends and want to visit a Christmas market.
Heidrun: It’s sunday evening… my plans for now: doing this interview and pack my bags for the Christmas days because I’m visiting my family and the family of my boyfriend in the middle of Germany.
A song?
Lars: Hmm… As I’m compiling DJ mixes and mixtapes on a regular basis, I’m used to listen to lots of music and lots of genres. I compiled a mix for New Year’s Eve lately and one of my favorite songs in the mix is “Blaze Away” by Morcheeba feat. Roots Manuva.
Heidrun: “Something Big” by Burt Bacharach
Right or left handed?
Lars: right-handed
Heidrun: right-handed
What is the best dish you can cook?
Lars: I’m not good at cooking. Give me a recipe and I’ll try my very best :D Most often I go out having lunch during the week or dinner at the weekend.
Heidrun: Roulades, red cabbage, potato dumplings… and banana chocolate cake.
What is your middle name?
Lars: Dieter (my father’s forename)
Heidrun: Inge Irmgard (my grandmothers’ names)
What do you do in your free time?
Lars: Meeting friends, watching films, listening to music, traveling, sleeping. And some others things.
Heidrun: I am studying culture management at the university.
What inspires you?
Lars: I think inspiration can come from anything—most important for me is to keep that first tiny spark of inspiration in order to be able to develop it into something bigger later on.
Heidrun: Lars inspires me, the Instagram channel @avant.arte and my friend Maren. Also films from France and people who share a secret.
Bedside table books?
Lars: I don’t have books bedside. Usually I’m so tired that I fall asleep immediately.
Heidrun: “Sun Sister” by Lucinda Riley. A very girly novel.
What do you do if you can’t sleep at night?
Lars: Doesn’t happen very often. If it happens I wait and turn from left to right and vice versa. I’m not someone who watches Netflix or empties the fridge when he can’t sleep ;)
Heidrun: My three possibilities: go for a walk through the neighborhood, drink a beer in the kitchen, listen to meditative music. Everything works perfectly to fall asleep.
Do you collect?
Lars: I’m not good at collecting things. I have one or two magazines that I try to collect, but it happens that I’m missing out on an issue. I love for example “appartamento”, these guys from Spain are doing an amazing job with their magazine. I also like to collect inspiring photo books. And little souvenirs from the places I traveled to.
Heidrun: I wrote 30 diaries between the age of seven and 21. I hold those books dear until today.
Tea or coffee?
Lars: Tea
Heidrun: Coffee
What is the strangest thing you believed as a child?
Lars: I can’t remember.
Heidrun: That I can plant noodles in the garden.
A color?
Lars: Blue
Heidrun: Blue
What do you do for money?
Lars: I’m working in a small agency being responsible for conception and design of digital projects like websites or apps.
Heidrun: Working as a commercial model, as an actress in film and theater, as a speaker for audio short stories, as an acting teacher, as a manager for events and artists, as a receptionist, as a first aid trainer… every week is different.
What do you do for pleasure?
Lars: All the creative stuff that I’m really passionate about like photography and since very recently also filmmaking.
Heidrun: Doing art with Lars and cooking.
What do you usually eat for breakfast?
Lars: Weekdays it’s yoghurt, toast and a cup of hot milk. Weekends it’s often a bowl of yoghurt, cereals and fresh berries with a roll and a cup of tea.
Heidrun: Cereals with yoghurt and apple plus black coffee. Weekend: Bun and eggs, croissant.
If you could live in a different era?
Lars: I’m quite happy living in our current era, even though it’s a complex one and we’re facing huge challenges.
Heidrun: Stone age. It must have been so different from everything I know.
Favorite fictional character?
Lars: When I was younger, I read all the “Harry Potter” novels and was very fascinated by this magical world. Hard to say which one of the characters was my favorite. It wasn’t Harry himself, but I liked lots of the other characters for different reasons.
Heidrun: Kalle Blomquist. He is a 13-year-old detective, created by the Swedish author Astrid Lindgren. She also wrote “Pippi Longstocking”.
Time travel is suddenly possible, when/where do you go?
Lars: I recently watched a documentary about the time in al-Andalus on the Iberian Peninsula (which is today divided into Spain and Portugal) called “La Convivencia” which lasted from the eighth to the 15th century. It was a time of great tolerance when people from different cultural and religious backgrounds co-existed in peace. The city of Córdoba became the intellectual center of Europe with a unique and diverse culture. It must have been a super interesting time to witness and, if I could travel back in time, I would go there I think.
Heidrun: To Christmas eve this year. I have a very big surprise for someone.
Skirt or Pants?
Lars: Pants, for sure :)
Heidrun: Pants. Skirt means often to wear tights. I don’t like tights.