Team Interview: Dominic Riemenschneider

Time to drag another team member into the spotlight. The dragon guarding our (as yet non-existing) hoard:

• Please introduce yourself briefly

I’m Dominic Riemenschneider (born 1988), a freelance art historian, Berliner by choice, and a passionate fantasist ever since I can remember.

This began first with books, for I have always loved to read. Today you could probably call me a #bookaddict. Later came movies and series, videogames (I’m a console kid) and Magic: The Gathering. All of this was mostly fantasy; science fiction was added rather late, but with just as much enthusiasm.

As a visually inclined person, I could only become an art historian and why not combine both passions? That’s why I’ve been working on a PhD on the representation of architecture in fantasy & science fiction since 2017, blogging a bit on art & architecture in SFFH and will also be freelancing in this field: #fulltimenerd

• Why are you part of the MetropolCon team?

I’m excited by the idea behind it. Building bridges, connecting and bringing together the different forms of speculative expression and media is a great and important endeavor. I would like to shine a light on the areas of visual arts, fine arts, and digital art.

It’s also great to work on such a slightly megalomaniacal project with people who share and understand my own SFFH passions.

The feedback from very different corners also shows that we have hit a nerve with our idea and vision. That makes me very happy and motivates me immensely, given the humongous to-do list that should not be underestimated.

• It’s Saturday night at a convention: Where can you be found?

That depends a bit on the con. I have the most experience with Worldcons and there you can probably find me at the bar or just outside the venue with a drink and a cigarette. But I’ll certainly be engrossed in an exciting conversation.

Or I’m jumping back and forth between the different evening events to gather as many impressions as possible.

• What are your wishes for the future of the speculative genres, particularly in Germany?

That the continuing boom of fantasy & SF since the turn of the millennium reaches the artists, creators, and distributors, i.e., that they can make a living and create even more exciting, challenging, and wonderful worlds.

• Best fictional sidekick of all time?

Sidekicks are the heroes of my heart.

• You just won a week-long trip to a fantasy/SF world of your choice: Where will you go?

Ravnica: a fantasy world from Magic: The Gathering that consists of only one huge city. Art, architecture, magic, and science all in one, what more could an art historian want?

• One work of speculative fiction (whether book or film or series or game) you would strongly recommend we all check out?

A mean question that can never be answered to full satisfaction. Because one constantly discovers new works and worlds with their respective peculiarities. But for years Dragon Age has kept me very busy (videogame, books, role playing, anime, etc). The world is incredibly deep and well thought out, which makes it always exciting to dive in there.