#WFH Diaries: Anne Kotte of We Love Artbuying
As confinement continues in most parts of the world, we're checking in with creative people to see how they're faring. Here's an update from Anne Kotte, managing director of We Love Artbuying, a Germany-based art production agency specializing in casting, location, content, video, photography and artist management.
Give us a one sentence bio of yourself.
Karma is everything: Give the world the best that you have, and the best will come back to you—Dalai Lama.
Where are you living right now, and who's with you?
I live in Hamburg, Germany, with my husband Jürgen.
What's your work situation like at the moment?
Working during the coronavirus means doing shoots in Germany only. Some clients are happy we can still offer professional models, but we do have more phone calls with our legal consultant, which is a pretty new experience. ;)
Describe your socializing strategy.
I FaceTime more with my closest friends around the world. And luckily, I have Jürgen with me in Hamburg. Sometimes we go for socially distant walks along the Elbe, often with a wonderful sunset since the weather during coronavirus has been sunny and cloud-free.
What are you reading?
My favorite thing to read is my weekly newspaper, Die Zeit.
What are you watching?
Right now we are watching a lot of travel shows, and videos about surfing, because we have a new television.
What are you listening to?
I'm all ears for a local online radio station: 917xfm.
How are you staying fit?
We love sustainable brands; it has been a focus of ours for the past 10 years. We buy organic food, and I do long yoga and pilates sessions with my best friends Petra and Kathrin. I'm close to being a professional yogi. Namaste.
Have you taken up a hobby?
Petra, Kathrin and I started with yoga a couple years ago. Nowadays, we escape to the beach in Hamburg and ride our bicycles there, or go for long walks.
Any tips for getting necessities?
We get groceries at the local markets, where we find organic food from farmers around Hamburg. I get milk on a weekly basis from Milchhof Reitbrook, who deliver it directly to our apartment.
An awkward moment since all this started.
My yoga lesson with Petra and Kathrin was canceled. Argh!
Best work email you got since all this started.
"Hi! Can you still do shoots?"
"Hi, sure … but we'll have to do it at a beach in Hamburg instead of traveling to France!"
An aha! moment since all this started.
Shoots can take place, but there are things to keep in mind—the hygiene regulations, maintaining distance, masks, things like that. Handwashing is also a big topic. We always have a canister and soap with us, as well as plenty of gloves. We are making sure everyone is following all the rules.
Every setting is possible in Germany, due to the good weather, the good set builders, and good location scouting. A skyline can be shot in Frankfurt, for example; a beach, on the Baltic or North Sea coast. With simple technical solutions, we can work, live, and make things better as we travel around the globe.
What's your theory on how this is going to play out?
Breathe. Yoga helps you go on. There is always a solution near you—just breathe. We also feel that there is more appreciation for what we do.
