Interview Jonas Kolb

In this interview, Jonas Kolb discusses his restless creative process, darker themes, multiple artistic identities, and the deeply personal history behind his upcoming project Diamanten.

1. You have been creating music, books, and visual art since 2010, often under different names such as PUPPENGOTT, XCHNUM MIIIMIIIKRY, and THE BERENICE SOUND PROJECT. What drives you to explore so many different artistic identities and forms?

I feel a great sense of restlessness and, at the same time, a c
ertain lethargy. It’s an unpleasant combination, but it means I like to start with a blank sheet of paper.

2. Loss, madness, and despair are recurring themes throughout your work. What draws you to these darker aspects of human experience, and how do they influence the way you create?

These feelings are simply there, and the older you get, the more significant a role they sometimes play. I also find it easier to learn from them, because they’re deeply moving and have a lasting impact.

3. Your latest single, “An Afghan called Child Death,” was released on August 2, 2026. What inspired this particular piece, and what story or emotion did you want listeners to take from it?

Malaise, sexual repression, obsession, perversion and a certain degree of sadism born of boredom.

4. Your work often seems to blur the boundaries between music, literature, visual art, and conceptual art. Do you see these as separate disciplines, or are they ultimately different expressions of the same creative process?

I find it hard to tell the difference and, as I said, I’m very restless. It all comes naturally.

5. You have collaborated with musicians such as the D., guitarist Tom Gekas, and drummer Lennart Grünewald. What do you look for in a collaborator, and how can another artist change the direction of your original vision?

They can’t do that, but they’re welcome additions. 

6. Your upcoming project “Diamanten” has an especially intriguing history, existing somewhere between a recording, conceptual artwork, and highly personal archive. What can you tell us about the origins of Diamanten and what makes this project different from your previous work?

I’ve been working on “Diamanten” for so long that I’ve lost track of both the time and the content. I was never satisfied and couldn’t bring myself to stop. I’m probably doomed to work on it forever. Every aspect of it is complicated and painful.

7. The original Diamanten cassette and associated artifacts are planned for a Sotheby’s auction in late 2027. What does it mean to you to see such an intimate and underground work enter the world of a major auction house?

It’s strange, and I’m not sure what I was thinking. Perhaps I want to shake off a curse.

8. Diamanten reportedly incorporates extremely personal archival material and explores themes of memory, mourning, and emotional documentation. How do you approach the boundary between private experience and public art?

I can only write honestly about how I perceive things, and I’m absolutely rubbish at prose. It doesn’t set me free. But after the creative process, you can no longer recognise anything as it originally was. That’s healthy enough to share.

9. Looking back at everything you have released since 2010, is there a particular book, song, artwork, or pseudonym that you feel best represents who Jonas Kolb is as an artist today?

No. Most of it doesn’t matter to me anymore, and I won’t be taking it into account in future. But it was important to have done all of that.

10. Finally, after “An Afghan called Child Death” and with Diamanten attracting renewed attention, what can audiences expect from Jonas Kolb next, and are there any other projects or collaborations you can reveal?

I don’t usually know what I’m doing. I suppose it’ll be the same in future.

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