Tell us a little about yourself and thoughts on contributing to Contrarian – Aspects..
My name is Mads Munch and I’m a theology student from Aarhus. I’ve got a big interest in poetry, art and literature. So when Contrarian approached me with a wish to contribute to their magazine I immediately began considering the possibilities. I came up with the novels on the basis of bringing forth different dimensions of ‘the good life’. I wanted to show the spectrum ranging from love to loss.
Where did that interest for poetry and literature come from? And does these interests have a connection to you studying theology?
I’ve always been fond of stories and by how people tell stories. Everyone has a story and there is a story in everything. Litterateur such as novels tells stories of people’s lives. Poetry tells stories of people’s feelings and the feelings we get from everything in the world. Theology seems to grasp both sides which is one of reasons why I’m becoming a priest.
You talk about theology unite the genres you mention, when did you realise that you wanted to study theology?
I started studying theology because I wanted to become a writer – and I still do. Theology offered and offers a diverse perspective which I figured could help me in my pursuit of writing better and more. There’s psychology, history, poetry, systematics, hermeneutics, litterature, art and so on – theology is a lot of things. As time went by I came to get more and more interested in the not only what I learned but what I could do with what I learned. I saw such beauty and good and I realised that these things has a place in this world. I saw the comfort and the hope. And I came to find that human struggle has been part of our world since the dawn of man. There’s struggle in legio – but there’s also so much good. And so now I want to become a pastor – and I will continue writing and share what good I can find in this world.
What’s the biggest dream you ever had and have this dream changed while growing up?
At an early age I decided that I wanted to be happy – and that that was the most important. I’ve never dreamt of becoming this or that. But as I grew older I realised what could make me happy and so I chose that direction. What makes me happy – what gives me joy – is helping, observing, listening, writing, comforting, painting. And so that is what I came to do with my life. And will continue doing as a pastor.
What will you like to tell with your art and poetry?
For now with my poetry I want to tell people stories of love and hope. I want to make people smile and to make them remember the small joys. I guess I hope to make people aware – to remind them that so much good is given us in this life. My art is my way of letting go and just be – be nothing but colours and paper. I don’t have a story to tell with my art just yet. I focus on shapes and pure aesthetics. It’s a process that I enjoy very much. I draw the same shapes over and over again before settling on the best one. And then I draw a 100 shapes more and try to figure out how those two shapes could be combined. And if I’m lucky I will eventually have created something that I like. It takes time, and I enjoy spending that time becoming more and more aware of what I can do.
The pictures taken by Sarah Heydari are from the release of Mads Munch’s latest work (1st day of spring) which can be watched and bought in Bestseller Rømerhus in Aarhus until 5th of April 2018.
