The Kreativnomade is settling down. At least spatially, the inspiration remains free. Sam Khayari is truly called the painter, photographer and visual artist, but many in the Rhine-Main region are more familiar with his stage name and his works or the events he organizes. The wandering has but now an end. Sam has found the ideal building and a new home for art, culture and music in Rüsselsheim. He calls it creative Hub himself. In a restaurant that has been vacant for 20 years from 1887, after a long and loving work, the creative center of the Kreativnomaden has now opened, the Chausseehaus.
On his Instagram page and a freshly created website, Sam had documented the complete renovation and the emergence of the new art space. This is not just a simple recording, the creative artist is finally a photographer and represents the transformation of the Chausseehaus from his particular perspective dar. The photos are awesome! In the old inn, a bar and a café have been built in the meantime, as well as artist friends who have participated with a handful of beautiful graffiti, paintings and decoration. Make new from old, and with fresh passionate art. Sam has been using the building for photo shoots for some time now. The tear-off inner life in lost place style is the perfect background for really good pictures.
At the opening, there were initially small bureaucratic problems with the authorities, but all the necessary papers are now on site and so Sam was able to inaugurate the Chausseehaus with a week late, but a great party. Various DJs stood at the integrated Turn Tables and recorded the sound system. On the walls hung pictures of new regional artists. This is also a concept of the Chausseehaus. It will provide space for genre-crossing styles, alternative projects, and fresh, non-commercial ideas. Family networking and fair trade are also high on the agenda. There are already two concerts planned for July, and an exhibition series has also started with the opening. Interested artists of any direction are welcome to contact Sam at zum@chausseehaus.net for ideas.
We had an interview with Kreativnomaden about the development of the Chauseehaus and its countless other creative projects. In the following there are passages of the conversation written down and translated into English.
First, tell us a few words about you.
Yes, I’m Sam Khayari from Rüsselsheim. I’m a painter, photographer and visual artist and I’ve done a lot of art projects in my hometown in the past. Have made various exhibitions and also worked with different artists again and again. Also with artists from very different genres. From DJs to graffiti painters to sculptors or speech artists. In the middle of last year, I came up with the idea of running my own location, where you can do what I already did all the time in a fixed location. So the creative nomad becomes quasi settled. I then went in search of a studio space with my buddy Daniel Vargas, who is a DJ. Then we came across the Chausseehaus in Rüsselsheim. This is a building, a historic building in Rüsselsheim. Built in 1887. It has always been a restaurant, an inn and that has been empty for over 20 years now. I then made it my mission to revive this building. In the last four months then the conversion started. I got to know the owner and was able to convince him of my idea, from that – yes, there always comes the question, what is it exactly? Yes, it combines a lot of things. I always like to call it creative hub because it’s supposed to bring creative people together. On the other side there is a small gallery, a café or a bar.
So it’s not like you’ve opened your own little studio right now, but you’ve just opened up a space that can be used by a lot of people. There can also be very different types of art. So also concerts or lectures, on the walls can hang pictures. A nice creative mishmash.
Exactly. And then also across genres. I’ve worked with a lot of artists for the start which I already know and be friends with. They also helped partially in the design. Everyone gave their input. And in the last four months, then the conversion has been carried out and the whole thing has then come back to new splendor. And now I’m just about to open. The plan is to open on the 22nd of June. Originally, the plan was to open last week. But the authorities came a little in between, because a document was missing, which I have now handed down. And tomorrow morning you all have to keep your fingers crossed that the authority agrees with the whole and I can start on Saturday (Note: It has happened!).
It is also very interesting that you have taken a historic building. You have linked the past with the present and art with history, that is something else, as if it were some new building.
Yes, that’s very close for me as well. Precisely because I started an art project in the past in my hometown Rüsselsheim. There it is about memory culture. I have dealt with monuments and art in public space in Rüsselsheim. In the meantime, it has become a cooperation with the University of Mainz and the city itself. That’s why it was exciting to research and get to know the history of this building and to make it accessible to others.
What are you planning for the opening?
There will be a small opening party, which should start at 18 o’clock. For the evening there is of course a DJ line up. There are four DJs at the start. This is Amir Mekave, Mathias Pizaro aka Wavenoise, Martin Reichmann and Daniel Vargas. The four will accompany us through the evening. The Amir starts with very chilling sounds. If you know Martin and Daniel, you know, that goes in the minimal and techno direction. I am very happy, I am very curious. There are also many others excited. Because the whole development of the Chausseehaus, from the renovation till now, you could watch it all the time on Instagram and on a blog. And that’s why there is already a small fan base in our village, which can hardly wait for it to start.
Which events are scheduled for this?
I have a few artists participating in a series that I have now launched. Anyone who knows Rüsselsheim always thinks of the Opel Altwerk. That’s why I started a series called Neuwerk. And in the series I introduce new artists and with some artists I will now also start the opening. Little by little, new works are regularly exhibited by new artists. And if artists are interested in participating, then they can just contact me. In July, then two more concerts are planned. On the 19th and 20th with “Who killed Janis” from Rüsselsheim and with „Meat the Machine“ from Mainz. Since it is more like that in the rock direction. Yes, it is very varied and should also be a place for everyone to meet and come together.
There are simply not enough alternative places for free artistic development, something always closes, so it is very nice to be able to follow with you, as something new arises. In principle, anyone listening in here can get in touch with you, you provide the space, people should fill it.
Exactly. The whole lives from participation. It’s not just consuming, so all the documentation on social media and on the blog to encourage people to participate. Anyone who wants to contribute can contribute and has a home there, as I do now.
Describe the Chausseehaus a bit more closely. So you meant an old inn, so probably with lots of rooms?
It’s a big room now. There were actually several rooms earlier. Now it is a big room with about 130 square meters. A DJ console is permanently integrated. That means for all vinyl friends. 1210s are at the start. If you want to get some turntables, you’re welcome to come over. It’s a function one in it for the sound. Otherwise it’s just like the artists. I attach great importance to networking and to working a lot with artists from the region. So it is with the offer in the Chausseehaus. This means that all products that are offered there in the café and at the bar are also from the region. Some things are even local. And the Chausseehaus also stands for Fair Trade, Fair Trade products are also offered.
Do you intend to make a club out of it, a kind of „e.V.“?
Of course that can happen. Last year, I founded an art and cultural association together with artist friends. That was completely independent of the Chausseehaus. We call ourselves „Free Art and Cultural Association Rüsselsheim“, ie „FKK Rüsselsheim“. We now have various events in the Cultural Summer. We are represented in Rüsselsheim with four events and I am at the harbor Jam on Saturday in Raunheim. This is a great graffiti jam. When I read a text from me, then it is always „busy“ in it. That fits in well with the creative nomads.
How did you actually come to art?
I have always painted and drawn as a child. More than 25 years ago I started painting graffiti and still have a very strong bond with the artists. The Krescho, who secretly hides in the studio here, aka graubexxminze, has now also painted here in the Chausseehaus. And I often accompany the Krescho photographically. From the graffiti I am then to the screen. From the screen I then somehow discovered the camera for me and found out that I somehow quite a lot of things that I have learned while painting, so something like composition and composition that I can do that quite well with the camera. That’s why both are so faithful companions. I call myself Creative Nomad, because I am always in search of the right medium for me. That’s why the medium keeps changing, but I’m loyal to the art.
INFOTHEK
Chausseehaus
Email: zum@chausseehaus.net
Website: https://www.chausseehaus.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Chausseehaus65428
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chausseehaus_ram/
Sam Khayari aka Kreativnomade
Email: sam@kreativnoma.de
Website: https://www.kreativnoma.de/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/krtvnmd
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krtvnmd_art/
All photos in this article by Kreativnomade
By the way, you can find another interview with Sam Khayari aka Kreativnomade in the article about the Culture Map here at Vagabundler.
