AucArt - Artist Interviews

In the Studio with Leonardo Guglielmi

In the studio with Leonardo Guglielmi, a visual artist whose work focuses primarily on the refusal of said academic art rules. We met with Leonardo to tell us more about growing up in north-east Italy, what inspired them to first pursue their artistic journey and unexpected sources of inspiration.

When did you first begin to see yourself as an artist?

Selling my first piece was a big moment, I definitely felt like I was in the art business then. As much as seeing myself as an artist, I think from my childhood. I was constantly drawing, at school, at home, whenever there was a piece of paper. Since I can remember everybody always called me “the artist”, “the art kid” and such. I think at some point during my developing year that kinda stuck with me as part of my identity.

Where are you from and what was your upbringing like?

I come from the far north-east of Italy, very close to Venice. That region of the country usually has conservative tendencies and traditional minded people.

Being part of the LGBTQ+ community, I always felt like it wasn’t the place for me. That got me to moving internationally just two weeks after graduating highschool. After that I lived in Portugal, the United States, and more recently in China.

The big influence my blace of birth had on me is the curiosity to move around and find out about different places and cultures. In a more artistic way, Italy has obviously very strong roots to its past and that is still very much how art is thought in art school. I never enjoyed that too much, knowing about human anatomy and proportions is great but it’s not what I want to bring in my work. So in a way, another way I got influenced, is to shy away from the classic accademia way of art.

Paint us a picture of your artistic journey. What inspired you to first pursue, and then continue to practice artistic work?

I remember the pride I felt as a kid when my teacher would praise me for any drawing related assignment, even more when my pairs would compliment me. After getting into art school I remember it became harder for me to be artistic. Somehow being expected to do such work would take all the fun out of it. I remember getting into manga and anime and having the best time drawing my own stories and as that wasn’t an assignment I was expected to turn in, that became very fun. When I first picked painting up with a professional approach I was doing mostly abstract work, focusing on very heavy textures and very thick materials. When I finally switched to light texture, airbrush and thinned out colors, I started feeling very good about my work.

What’s the message of your work? Where do they come from?

The main themes of my work are the digital renaissance we are living in, the vastness of the humanity experiencing it, and the conversation between these two elements. I like to think that my work has an edge to it, meaning it’s straying away from tradition, doing something that feels modern and true to the times. I like to reference pop culture, painting tattoos and little details that would make you understand the subject definitely is alive in 2022. I like to reference the digital times we are living in and to make a painting look like a glitchy PNG or something not loading on your laptop. The purpose is really to create a connection with the viewer.

Who & what are your greatest influences?

When I first started I was doing mostly abstract work, with heavy textures. I was inspired a lot by Bram Bogart work and he has been a great influence in earlier works. There is this Italian artist that recreates Roman and Greek statues and adds Japanese tattoos to them. I love the conversation between present and past that he manages to create. That is also part of what I want to create so he serves as a great influence in my more current work. Yet the biggest influence on my work is the digital world and what happens behind a screen. It’s a huge part of our life at this point in time and I think it deserves representation.

An unexpected source of inspiration?

I have a fascination with computer errors. A software crashing, a slow loading PNG, something that went wrong behind a screen. It’s not supposed to be there, but it’s right in front of you, and I find an erroneous and unintentional beauty in that.

What do you want people to take from your work when they view it?

I like to think that when people observe my work they see something fresh, interesting, with a different perspective. I hope for the viewer to understand a reference, to feel included in a conversation. If I were ever to bore someone with my paintings, that would be a great loss to my self esteem as an artist. A great focus of mine is also bringing current times into the canvas I paint on. So I hope with my work I can make someone feel a little more represented in a space like modern art. I don’t really target a specific audience, if anything, just open minded people.

What events in your life have mobilized change in your practice?

Moving a lot between different countries has had a big influence on my work. It allowed me to see the sea of humanity out there and it got me very interested in representing it. Another big event has been becoming part of the LGBTQ+ community. It made me more critical of things, even art, and I find myself painting subjects that might be less represented. I like to think I can do my part to bring more representation to less included groups.

What are your ideal conditions or catalyst for creating a “good” piece of work?

A rainy day, good lighting, being alone, and something in my mind that I need to get out. It’s mostly about that, the sensation of something in your mind that needs fiscal representation outside of you, an idea you want to share. A rainy day always helps.

Tell us the inspiration behind your works?

You know that feeling you get when you are at the airport, you look at someone, anyone, and have that realization that each individual around you has their own life, their own inside world, just like you do? That is a driving factor in most of my Head+neck tattoos portraits.

One has a mustache, one has a mullet. One has a tiger tattoo while the other one has a flower tattoo. Why do they have them? That’s part of their back stories, which you probably will never know about, but each moment they lived got them to have a mustache, a flower tattoo, and to be in front of you at the airport.

Something in the future you hope to explore?

While I do mostly Figurative paintings, I do hope to explore more abstract subjects in the next future. Abstract pieces are very powerful in their own way, I want to dig into that and see what comes out.

Posted on by Laust Hoejgaard

In the Studio with Laust Hoejgaard

In the studio with Laust Hoejgaard , a visual artist whose works are based around conflicted outsiders and other misfits who represents a surreal version of reality. We met with Laust to tell us more about what inspired them to first pursue their artistic journey and their greatest influences.

When did you first begin to see yourself as an artist?

It’s been a fading transition actually. I’ve been painting and drawing all my life and then I took a long break from it for several years and returned to it with a new perspective. When I finally found my signature style and found confidence in that I guess I felt like a “real” artist.

Paint us a picture of your artistic journey. What inspired you to first pursue, and then continue to practice artistic work?

When I was a kid I wanted to make animated movies and computer games and that gave me a purpose to pursue. I really felt like I’ve worked it all out in my head. I had a very romantic and naive view on how it would be, but then one on a vacation to the states I remember we visited some Disney animation Studios and I think it was shot down because they moved production to a sweatshop or something and I remember feeling really depressed. It kind of broke the illusion. After that, I started working a lot with classical drawing, croquis etc. and went to The Drawing Academy and learnt a lot about anatomy and how to construct shapes and so on. That let me into the doing art and painting but at some point I felt like it didn’t have enough purpose and I couldn’t crack how to make it interesting because I felt limited in “just” doing a static visual on a canvas or piece of paper. Then I started working as a freelance illustrator on advertising agencies and suddenly I found myself in advertising. That let me into working at Vice Magazine as a creative and I did a lot of different work for brands etc. It was fun, but at the same time it felt so empty and in the end I was just working too much to sell some sort of product and that was just extremely depressing and it drained me totally in the end. And then I went back to painting, but this time it was not to do make it look like something particular, constructing it the right way or making it fit a concept with a purpose. Now I’m only working to make my work having an interesting expression instead.

What’s the message of your work? Where do they come from?

I like to think of it as there is not a certain message, but more an energy or a vibe. It’s based around these conflicted characters that are both a bit scary and humorous. They are a reflection of the real world in a quirky way. The personality and themes in my work also defines my working process and my choices of textures, strokes and so on. My style is a boiling pot of elements from my background working with animation, 3D modelling, classical drawing etc.

Who & what are your greatest influences?

I love Christian Rex van Minnen (@van_minnen) and it was love at first sight. I think he’s the best when it comes to combining expressions in so many ways. At the moment I’m also really drawn by the work of Bel Fullana (@belfullana). I love the energy in her work and how she borrowed elements from cartoons etc. Bijijoo (@Bijijoo) is also a great inspiration in many ways for me. I find his work really inspiring because he’s able to create such unique work in a way that’s hard to categorize for me (in a good way). And last, but not least there’s Michael Pitman (@emkidelpitt) who also has the craziest energy in his works and I just love the combination of style, characters and themes in his works.

An unexpected source of inspiration?

I’ve actually surprised how much music affects my work. It’s weird, because I used to play music and play in a band when I was younger, but then I didn’t really listen to music for 10 years, but when I started painting again it came back.

What do you want people to take from your work when they view it?

Hmm. I hope people just look at it as a visual, but experience the energy and the tension in the works I guess.

What are your ideal conditions or catalyst for creating a “good” piece of work?

I like working on multiple works at the same time, so when I have the space and time for that it’s good. I don’t have a lot of patience, so if I only work on one I sometimes ruin it, because the paint doesn’t get a chance to dry.

Tell us the inspiration behind your works?

To take one example “Sad Boyz Luv Money” is inspired by a song by Amaarae called “Sad Girlz luv Money” for instance. Pretty random but I guess it’s a good example of how music sometimes inspires my work 1:1 sometimes.

Something in the future you hope to explore?

I would love to do some physical 3D modeled works in the near future .

Posted on by Filip Švehla

In the Studio with Filip Švehla

In the studio with Filip Svehla, whose works focus is on the exploration of colours in relation to urban space, architecture, and living space. We met with Filip to tell us more about growing up in Prague, what inspired them to first pursue their artistic journey, and unexpected sources of inspiration.

When did you first begin to see yourself as an artist?

I remember situation when I was about to apply for an artschool but I was not sure about it that time, my teacher just simply asked me: “Do you not want to be as Monet?” and than I realized “ Ou woow, these are not just stories from books, you can actually make your own story.”

Where are you from and what was your upbringing like?

I grew up in Prague, which is beautiful city with rich history, full of historical monuments and kind of romanticism in the air. I think it had some impact on me. My grandma used to live in baroque rectory near Prague, where I spent every holiday. I still have in my mind few pictures of details of that building which had strong effect on me as a boy. I also remember specific smell of that building, changing atmosphere and humidity in rooms when you were walking through. I think this established few of my later interests as an artist.

Paint us a picture of your artistic journey. What inspired you to first pursue, and then continue to practice artistic work?

The most important point in my artistic journey was meeting a teacher at elementary art school. I was around 13 years old and as usuall it was all mess for me. I was more interested in music that time but I liked graffiti and I drew into my school notebooks. The teacher there was great personality, he communicated with us as we would be adult artists, he gave us really difficult questions and he approached our childish works with total respect as it would be true pieces of art. That became fascinates me and i started to fall in love with painting. It became obsession and I usually came home from school and painted even after that in the evenings. I painted actually every free time. Later on I decided to apply for the Art Academy. When I came there first I immediately saw this is what I want. That artistic mess, smell of freedom and creativity caught me, I met many interesting people there and I knew I am on the right path.

What’s the message of your work? Where do they come from?

With more years I paint my interest in formal problems of painting increases. I would call myself a form-lover. If I should name one main message in my work it would be admiration of physical world – living through five senses – transformed to form and colors. More specifically it is admiration of space we live in, an urban space and searching for its qualities for human life.

Who & what are your greatest influences?

I had few influences during my art journey and it is still evolving. In the beginnings I admired Leon Golub for his tough and generous style. Later on I gained big admiration to Morandi and Balthus. But there are also historical interests like early Romanesque art and Indian miniature. In general I focus myself on colorist traditions of painting from Giotto to Albers, from Ravenna to Hodgkin.

An unexpected source of inspiration?

I have two musical inspirations. First is gregorian chant and second evolving in last two years is islamic music, which both fascinates me. Other source of inspiration I see in architecture which I love to observe.

What do you want people to take from your work when they view it?

I do not think about audience to much, the most importantly I want to please myself, but on the other hand I expect my works to be good fellows. I want them you could live with them, see them every day and find always something interesting about them. I remember one story when Mattise recount how he had Bonnard´s painting at home and that he admired how every day with different light the painting was changing and he still was finding something new about them. This seems to me as true mastery.

What events in your life have mobilised change in your practise/aesthetic?

To me was absolutely crucial my one year stay in Valencia, Spain where I moved after graduation. I heard stories from older colleagues how difficult is to continue working after leaving university and I did not want that, I did not want to stop painting. So I just moved there with my friend, we rented an old garage as a studio and apartment in one and we just do nothing else than swimming in the sea and painting. It was all pretty romantic idea to live like that, but it paid off. I am coming from country where there is not to much sun, so full experience of that wonderful light and colors all around was truly liberating. I learned a lot there and my style has changed. I stopped thinking more about literal meaning of my paintings and found huge freedom in abstract approach toward painting. That year it was really a game changer for me.

What are your ideal conditions or catalyst for creating a “good” piece of work?

I am usually starting from unsure idea, something I saw or some idea which had appeared in previus work. I start painting but there is usually that crutial moment when it all fails and I must reconsider my vision of the painting, destroy it somehow and start again. Per Kirkeby calls it “Build upon ruins” and that is actually exactly what I feel. The paintings of mine which I like the most are usually ones which I had to destroy in some moment and recreate something new upon their ruins.

Tell us about the inspiration behind one of your works?

Untitled 1 – Behind this painting there is my journey to Jordan. I admire sensual richness of middle and far east. This collection of painting was directly inspired by wondering around the city of Amman, its rectangular architecture which can resemble the hive conglomerate and in all that regular structures you can always see “hand it was made by”. It is about periodical structure which is also subversive at the same time.

Something in the future you hope to explore?

Right now I am in Miami for artist residency, so I hope it will have new impact for my work, that I will surprise myself which is always the best moment. After my coming back home I expect to do few of sculptures as well, so lets see what it will bring 😉

Posted on by Martha Zmpounou

In the Studio with Martha Zmpounou

In the studio with Greek visual artist Martha Zmpounou, whose work revolves around the idea of the human figure and portrait as a space of expression and exposure. We met with Martha to tell us more about growing up by the sea, her strongest sources of inspiration, and what Martha hopes to explore in the future.

When did you first begin to see yourself as an artist?

I started painting and drawing as a child and haven’t stopped since then. I think it was during the later years of my studies at the fine art school when I began seeing myself as a committed full-time artist for life.

Where are you from and what was your upbringing like?

I grew up in Greece, where I am from. A good part of my childhood years was spent near the sea on an island, where I enjoyed the freedom to play out in the fields and in the water. Yet drawing and painting have always been my main theme since I remember myself.

Paint us a picture of your artistic journey. What inspired you to first pursue, and then continue to practice, artistic work?

I joined a foundation school to prepare for the fine art school’s entry exams. Looking back, those months may well have been pivotal to my growth as an artist and all that what was coming. It was an intense period of time, very formative in many ways.

What’s the message of your work? Where do they come from?

I tend to relate to and develop my works and groups of works, through certain ideas/themes/concepts. The central one, the most defining one over the last decade, has been the human body. The multitude of its potential mutations, transformations, the body as canvas, the body as a space of and for expression. I would say that most of my recent work revolves around the idea of the human figure and the portrait as a space of expression and exposure. I see the human body as a fragmented yet multifaceted entity, an outcome of a process of layering.

Regarding my work’s aesthetic, it happens near the periphery of the figurative, seeking a balance between abstraction and representation, seduction and repulsion. I often create mixed media works by blending diverse techniques, attempting to convey a sense of ever-changing identity – a person layered, fragmented, in flux. I am really interested in this fragile/dynamic balance between abstraction and representation, and I am drawn towards the incomplete and incoherent, the fragmentary and the cryptic.

Who & what are your greatest influences?

There is a long list of names (painters etc) mostly from Bacon and onwards. If I had to single out a few, it’d be Lucian Freud, David Hockney, Marlene Dumas…

An unexpected source of inspiration?

David Lynch! Is it unexpected, I wonder? He has been very inspiring and influential for at least two generations of artists, outside cinema too, so it may not come as a surprise I catch myself referring to some of his scenes, or more often to a certain narrative quality and aura in his spaces and scenes.

What do you want people to take from your work when they view it?

Regarding the second part of your question, I certainly do not and I cannot see myself ever doing it in the future either. But I do value audiences/people who approach my work one way or another and I care about the reception and impact it might have. It is calming to know that this impact is beyond my control, and I am happy to see different people identifying different things and qualities in my work through different lenses and angles. I guess it would be encouraging to see people relating and valuing the very identity and character of your work, whether it is narrative or painterly qualities, or the visual articulation of a concept.

What events in your life have mobilised change in your practice How has your art evolved?

Moving to London back in 2009 has helped me further push my creative boundaries and challenge myself, at times even defying my academic roots to explore areas outside my comfort zone. It also allowed me to connect with several different, incredibly talented artists.

When it comes to experimentation, it is an important part of my artistic process. I often feel that I may be experimenting more than I should. Perhaps that explains why I sometimes develop different diverse groups of works.

What are your ideal conditions or catalyst for creating a “good” piece of work?

In my work chance breeds intention. There is always an element of surprise and a sense of apparent randomness, which are important to my process, along with more controlled experimentations and explorations on the possibilities of my media. I tend to embrace unexpected accidents that happen during the process and let them inform/become my work. Besides describing my process, this also outlines the conditions for creating works that are truthful to my very intensions and visions.

Tell us about the inspiration behind one of your works?

The strongest source of inspiration for these works has been people around me, friends or people I briefly meet; expressions, emotions or fragments of thoughts, as I see them or think I see them being transformed into expressions, postures, moves, or whole personas. It is these characters, real or imaginary, that inspire me and almost guide me artistically.

Something in the future you hope to explore?

I am currently returning to canvas after a decade of working exclusively on paper surfaces. I am of those visual artists who rely a lot on and play with different surfaces and their attributes, seeking to maintain a layered and borderline destabilizing relationship with my media then see what this dynamic brings and leads to. I am also exploring new themes of work, such as narrative environments enabled by the human body. I am also currently in the process of completing a couple of series of works that I’ve been working on in the last 2 years. At the same time, I am on the verge of opening a new chapter in my work, with a couple of new collaborations, and exciting projects coming up.

Posted on by Zahra Shahcheraghi

In the Studio with Zahra Shahcheraghi

In the studio with Zahra Shahcheraghi, a contemporary visual artist whose abstracted works explore themes of figuration and the human body. We met with Zahra to tell us more about growing up in the the suburbs of Iran, her greatest influences, and Zahra's motivations in the arts.

Where are you from and what was your upbringing like?

I am Iranian, originally from Shiraz. I was lucky being born into a family that was always a motivator of the arts. My parents never let religious beliefs become an obstacle against my choice.

What inspired you to first pursue, and then continue to practice, artistic work?

Being the last child gave me an excellent chance to know different aspects of my character. I remember public bathrooms with Safavid architecture and rooms with high and dark ceilings in which white naked faithful women left my questions answerless. Since then, my painting subjects unconsciously were vague images of women in the bathroom . Some of them are memorable images from my past which were not real and made up in my mind. In my point of view today, my works have become more abstract and figurative in form. Since my high school teacher helped me reveal a talent I found in painting, I understood how much I loved it. Since then, I went to drawing classes purposefully and seriously; helping me in the path of the arts.

What are your greatest influences and source of inspiration?

When my paintings were exhibited in my country, they took me as an influencer artist. I think this made me take my steps more seriously in the path of my target. Perhaps my paintings are a cry against suppression caused by the hijab which government dictated to women of my country. Although I was brought up freely, there was a mandatory hijab which I was made to obey. In spite of limitations and bitterness, I chose my country that gave me a sense of identity. I remember an influencer artist, Hossein Cheraghchi , my master who helped me significantly to improve my perspective and reading. William de Kooning’s work also made me courageous to paint freely.

What do you want people to take from your work when they view it?

It is interesting for me that audience pay more attention to elements and the way I think. In my paintings, regardless of geographical and historical locations, each moment of my life I feel I am in my real free self. I paint with my feelings and I am continually completing and searching for elements of my paintings away from the orientation of external factors. When an artwork is finished for me, I can see the right composition in it by my own definition.

Posted on by Eve Baker Wilbraham

In the Studio with Eve Baker Wilbraham

In the studio with Eve Baker Wilbraham, whose practice depicts the emotional, historical and physical layers of the spaces in which we live in. We met with Eve to tell us more about growing up in Cheshire, inspirations from the emotion of space, and a moment life that mobilized change through their practice.

When did you first begin to see yourself as an artist?

At school, I was around 14 and had the most incredible art teacher who was also a very talented artist. He taught me to look in a whole new way and had a constant stream of artist references to keep me inspired. My foundation at the Royal Drawing school immersed me in such a creative atmosphere and as I began to paint more I was kept thinking how this is really how I want to spend my time.

Where are you from and what was your upbringing like?

I was born in London but moved to Cheshire when I was still very young. I was bought up surrounded by countryside and spent a lot of my time outdoors. Nature provides me with a constant stream of stimuli, and I find a lot of inspiration in the colours of the countryside. The morning light on a winter morning for example. My parents are both very creative people, so I was always drawing and making as a child. Going to see art in galleries as a young age was also a very important part of my childhood, you are so impressionable at that age, and I would just soak it all up in awe of what I was looking at.

Paint us a picture of your artistic journey. What inspired you to first pursue, and then continue to practice, artistic work?

I always felt most comfortable in the art department at school and was constantly motivated in that creative atmosphere. However, it was last year I felt I had begun to refine my process and also the themes that my work encapsulate -I guess I owe that to my tutors of foundation and being surrounded my such motivated and committed young artists.

What’s the message of your work? How would you describe your aesthetic?

My work explores the emotion of space, I want to investigate the stories that a space can tell and most importantly what a familiar space holds for me in relation to the people or memories that I associate with it. My painting involves many different layers of both figures and interior spaces. The pieces themselves often appear very structural and almost completely abstract which would stem from the start of my process which often involves working in three dimensions.

Who/what are your greatest influences?

Architecture has always inspired me, and I find myself getting lost searching around a room for interesting shapes or angles. I try to read often when making a painting and The Poetics of Space by Bachelard is a constant source of interesting material for me to keep returning to.

An unexpected source of inspiration?

‘Meshes of the Afternoon’ by Maya Deren. It is a black and white film from the 40s and has some of the most beautiful stills. The way the camera navigates the space throughout the film is fantastic and the fast, dynamic moments work so well with the quiet space that the film is set within.

What do you want people to take from your work when they view it?

I want it to take time for the viewer to navigate their way through my works. Being able to evoke an emotional response from the viewer is always important to me but I try not to think about this too much when I’m painting as it often leads to me making work that feels forced and I find it easier to paint in

What events in your life have mobilised change in your practise/aesthetic? How has your art evolved?

At the start of last year, I moved completely away from figurative painting and focused solely on the abstraction of interior spaces both on canvas and in 3D. This allowed me to look deeper into my compositional decision making; and I began to think more about the way I was arranging my subject matter when painting. Then, when I began to bring figures back into my work, I had much stronger structural elements to my painting. Working in a range of different materials is an important part of my practise. Although painting makes up the majority of work, I will often start with small sculptures and work from there into prints or photographs and then end with painting. I think this helps me bring more depth into my work and helps with my themes involving the layering of spaces.

What are your ideal conditions or catalyst for creating a good piece of work?

Ideally, I like to work alone as I find it easier to focus on transferring my thoughts onto the canvas. However, I also find the studio atmosphere you get at art schools incredibly stimulating and thrive off conversations with others about both their work and my own. Research plays an important part in my process, and I find it import to read alongside my making and also keep a constant flow of visual references on the wall in my studio space.

Tell us about the inspiration behind one of your works?

Whilst painting ‘Early Dreams’ I was able to really explore how I could layer the paint onto canvas. The piece is about all the memories and brief encounters that one space can hold. Colour plays a big part in how I remember certain moments and I wanted to convey that feeling of new light that we experience in the morning. I was reading ‘The poetics of Space’ by Bachelard whilst working on this piece and his ideas about what emotions certain spaces hold really stuck with me. He speaks about the family home as this place of comfort and nostalgia and I wanted that atmosphere to run through the painting and emit this sensitive energy to the viewer.

Something in the future you hope to explore?

Animation. I love the idea of bringing movement into my work and I think my themes of all the different journeys travelled through a space would transfer well into a digital piece.

Posted on by AucArt

5 Minutes with Christina You

Timestamp

5 Minutes with
Christina You

This month, we sat with Christina You, Director of Development & Creative Strategy at the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA), China's leading independent institution of contemporary art. We spoke with Christina about growing up in Beijing, the best pieces of advice received, and their latest sale with AucArt, 'Timestamp'.

Where are you from originally? Where do you consider home?

Born and raised in Beijing, spent 10 years in the states before moving back to Beijing again to start a job at UCCA 6 years ago. Beijing is always home!

Something you cannot live without?

My phone. My job requires me to be on my phone all the time, and I rely on my phone for almost everything in my life: listening to podcasts, hailing rides, navigating through the city, finding the best chocolate chip cookies recipe… My screen time is really crazy so I shut off the screen time notification haha.

Most unexpected source of inspiration?

Everyone I meet is a source of inspiration for me. Everyone teaches something directly or indirectly, and the thing I need constant practice of is the wisdom and capacity to understand it.

Highlight of your career so far?

Everyday at UCCA!

The most inspiring person you’ve ever met?

Many people I admire and find inspiring, but the person I work with on a daily basis and whose work ethics I admire a lot is of course my boss, Philip Tinari.

Best and worst piece of advice you’ve been given?

All advice is good advice, the best one I’ve got is: Show up fully. Don’t dwell on the past, and don’t daydream about the future, but concentrate on showing up fully in the present moment. I am still living by that on a daily basis.

I hope we all look back to this difficult phase with something positive in mind. So all the more reasons to focus on art which resonates with our experiences, challenges us in unexpected ways and represents the moment in time we live in.

Tell us one thing few people know about you?

I was a NCAA athlete! (division 3 though, haha)

What are you reading at the moment?

Ninth Street Women, and Warhol by Blake Gopnik.

Your most prized possession?

Physical & mental health.

What kind of artwork do you like to surround yourself with/be in the company of?

Artworks that represent timestamps of significant moments in my life, in other words all the pieces have to speak to me instinctively. It’s said that when you look at things in a visceral way, new neural pathways open up in your brain. Art is not only to hang on the wall but there to help us understand the power of self-expression.

Can you tell us about your selection of artists and works?

I have always enjoyed being friends with artists since early days in my job. Getting to know the artist personally is really the cherry on the sundae of my life. I’ve formed some incredible friendships and had unforgettable experiences and conversations with some artists. These artists are the ones I became friends with during the pandemic which makes it even more special. I hope we all look back to this difficult phase with something positive in mind. So all the more reasons to focus on art which resonates with our experiences, challenges us in unexpected ways and represents the moment in time we live in.

Posted on by Olivia Springberg

In the Studio with Olivia Springberg

In the studio with Olivia Springberg, whose practice recalls and examines ambiguous memories and interactions that affected her in emotionally profound ways. We met with Olivia who tells us more about growing up in Arlington, her greatest influences, and unexpected sources of inspiration.

When did you first begin to see yourself as an artist?

My whole life I have been passionate about art. Even when I was only a few years old I would be found with a paintbrush in hand. However, I was very hesitant to refer to myself as an artist. I thought of myself more as a person who ‘did art.’ I felt that I hadn’t earned the title of artist yet. It was not until I started at art school that I considered myself an artist.

Where are you from and what was your upbringing like?

I grew up in Arlington, Virginia, just outside of Washington, DC. Being so close to DC is an incredible privilege. I was able to frequent museums, as well as concerts and theater. Contemporary exhibitions at museums such as the Hirschhorn and the Renwick served as an ongoing source of inspiration. I was also very fortunate to have supportive arts instructors throughout grade school who prioritized the arts and made visual and performing arts accessible.

Paint us a picture of your artistic journey. What inspired you to first pursue, and then continue to practice, artistic work? Was there a pivotal moment when you felt you were on the right track?

I cannot remember a time that I wasn’t interested in art. When I was little my mother would teach me to draw little flowers and things and we would look at how-to-draw books together. I enjoyed making art so much that I never gave it up. Throughout school I attended all sorts of classes and workshops exploring a plethora of media. I can never say for sure if I am on the right track, or on any track at all. My style and my interests change frequently. Some projects are successful and some aren’t. However, if I’m happy with what I am creating, I consider myself moving in the right direction.

What’s the message of your work? How would you describe your aesthetic?

While my aesthetic and my practice are constantly changing, I find myself often returning to ideas of intangible relationship, psyche, and anxieties. Additionally, as my practice has expanded, I have been integrating elemental materials such as clay, paper, cement, and glass. I enjoy examining the distinction between soft and hard mediums and exploring the painting as an object. I think that the purpose of this process is that it enables me to experiment with new materials, as well as a way of taking the weight of thoughts and feelings off of my shoulders and using negative energy in a more productive way.

Who/what are your greatest influences?

Overall I’d have to say Helen Frankenthaler, Hilma af Klint, and Laurie Anderson. I am also really inspired by work I see on Instagram from artists such as Sacha Ingber, Maja Ruznik, and Yi To.

An unexpected source of inspiration?

The ghost colors and shapes you see when you close your eyes. It’s a fun source of palette inspiration.

What do you want people to take from your work when they view it? Do you have the audience consciously in mind when you are creating?

I often don’t go as far as to think of the audience during the creation of a piece, but I hope that when people look at my work they can connect with it and find their own meaning within the imagery.

What events in your life have mobilised change in your practise/aesthetic? How has your art evolved? Do you experiment?

Art school has definitely shifted my practice significantly. I used to be occupied by completely different aesthetics. Being around such a variety of artists and just seeing what they are creating often influences the way I work. Especially with close friends of mine, I’ve started to see parallels in our styles and practices. Friends share with me materials that they are experimenting with, and we work together a lot to incorporate experiments into our projects.

What are your ideal conditions or catalyst for creating a “good” piece of work?

For me, a strong idea comes from a strong feeling. A thought that needs to be expressed and worked out visually. I appreciate when a piece has a story behind it that is reflected in its creation or its composition.

Something in the future you hope to explore?

I’m hoping to begin incorporating more woodworking into my pieces, as well as mold making. I have recently become more interested in combining sculptural and structural forms with painting.

Tell us about the inspiration behind one of your works?

Dreams provide a lot of imagery that I use in my work. Free Fall was inspired by a dream in which I watched strangers jump from a parking lot on top of a local mall. My car subsequently slides off the roof too and onto the people below. In the composition I loosely convey three figures lying on the ground and my car above them. Despite the dark imagery, I employed a pastel-like palette. The painting also has more white space than I usually let show through. I think that these decisions aid in creating a dream-like atmosphere.

Posted on by AucArt

5 Minutes with Marriam Mossalli

الناشئة المملكة

kingdom emerging

5 Minutes with Marriam Mossalli

This month, we sat with Marriam Mossalli, founder of Saudi Arabia’s leading luxury communications consultancy, Niche Arabia. Recognising Saudi as a region bursting with young creatives, she set up an initiative connecting young local creatives with international brands and companies to accurately portray the Saudi aesthetic and point of view.

Where are you from?

I’m a proud Third Culture Kid from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

How do you think your early life has affected the goals you have today?

Having lived in multiple cities around the world, from Seoul and Kuala Lampur to Lugano and Washington DC, I have always been inspired by different cultures. Whether it was through my early vocation as an editor for the leading English daily or as the founder of my communications firm, Niche Arabia, my mission has always been to authentically narrate the stories of the Kingdom.

How did Niche Arabia come about?

Niche was something that started very serendipitously. I was working with a lot of international companies and realized that there was a big disconnect in terms of what they thought of our consumer base and what the reality is. So, my mission at Niche Arabia is to curate and customize strategies for companies wanting to penetrate the Saudi market genuinely.

What would you like your legacy to be?

I grew up in a generation where we had kind of done the whole “first Saudi” thing and for me it’s really important to champion the best. We are now competing globally thanks to how small the world is today. I would love for my legacy to be a supporter of the amazing talents coming out of the Kingdom

Someone/something that inspires you?

The women I surround myself with are definitely my inspiration. Whether its Princess Reema Bint Bandar (Al Saud), or Princess AlJoharah Bint Talal (Al Saud), or Princess Lamia Bint Majed, these are women that have really championed Saudi from the very beginning with all of their endeavors

Book currently sitting on your bedside table?

Is it bad if I selfishly plug Under the Abaya?!

What art do you like to surround yourself with?

Art that makes me happy. Much like fashion, I believe art is personal and emotional and I definitely gravitate toward art that makes me feel something

What do you do to keep yourself motivated and interested in your work?

I am super privileged to be able to pick who we work with and therefore, I tend to select projects that really excite me. I always want to push the envelope and I think if you look at Niche’s portfolio, you can see that. Whether it is the first ever female public sports day that saw 10,000 women at AlJohara Stadium for the first time ever in the Kingdom or doing the first ever fashion show with international models in the Kingdom, it’s always about pushing the boundaries of what people think could actually be within the Kingdom.

Are you born with creativity and style or can it be learnt?

I have zero style, but I am very creative therefore, I creatively fake having style.

Greatest accomplishment?

I have had multiple international accolades, such as being listed on BoF 500, being invited as the only Arab by former First Lady Michelle Obama to attend the Gala of Design in Washington DC, or speaking at MIT as an agent of change; it’s seeing how I’ve inspired the next generation of young Saudis and impacted my local communities.

What’s your favourite city to visit?

Absolutely Berlin because the city is always buzzing with life.

If you could change one aspect of your society through your work, what would it be?

I think it would go back to the fact that we need to compete on a global level, and I think to be authentically ourselves. A lot of the times, since the 70s, it’s always been a reaction where we have been juxtaposed against Western values and ideals and I think now, Saudi is finding its own where it is proudly voicing its own point of view.

Something you can’t live without?

The support of my family. It is definitely something that since I was very young, my Dad encouraged me to be a little rebel. Now that I am an adult who is married with a kid, I am happy to have the full support of my family.

A goal you’ve set yourself and exceeded?

Being a female entrepreneur. We’ve downplayed the complexity of it where its either you choose to be a wife, a mother or a businesswoman. To be able to do all three is something that truly, I think, only the female gender can do. We multitask in a way that is quite unique. So, I think that the goal of being an entrepreneur was great but to be a successful one was something I could not foresee.

What are you enjoying about the world currently?

I am enjoying the fact that there is a spotlight on Saudi Arabia, and we are not letting it go to waste. I love the fact that people are wanting to know more about us because for so long, we have been this enigmatic country that was hard to access. For the first time, whether it’s through social media or the fact that the country is opening up, we’re finally allowing the world into our private sphere.

Any exciting future projects in store?

Definitely. We are working with a lot of young Saudi artists which is why we are excited to work with AucArt. Having such collaborative projects is a great way to encourage cultural exchange.

Posted on by AucArt

5 Minutes with Vera Bertran

multiple realities

5 Minutes with Vera Bertran

This month, AucArt welcomes Contemporary Art Collectors founder, Art advisor and all-round art enthusiast, Vera Bertran. The Barcelona-based entrepreneur is known for her beautifully curated Instagram page which captivates the hearts of thousands of her Instagram followers. With a contemporary collection that dates back to her early twenties, we asked Vera about growing up in Latvia, the most valuable lessons she's learnt through her career, and what art means to her.

What’s your first memory of art?

My parents were antique collectors, so I grew up surrounded by art. We had a big collection in our house. I’ve always enjoyed going to museums and looking at art books since I was a kid. That’s how my interest in the arts began.

Where did you grow up?

I was born and grew up in Riga capital of Latvia, a small country in the north of Europe, usually confused with Lithuania.

Riga is a small city with beautiful architecture, but I never saw myself living in this city all my life. The weather was depressing, and I was bored with life there. I also did not see any perspectives for me there, so I moved to London to study after graduating from school, without any plans to return.

Which moment in your career are you most proud of?

Since I am very demanding to myself and, in a way, a perfectionist, I believe that the moment I can be really proud of has not yet arrived.

Is it important for you to meet or speak to an artist before you purchase their work?

No, not at all. If we talk about meeting or speaking with an artist, I believe that the artwork should speak for itself; good art, in my opinion, does not require lengthy explanations.

I like art that I have an emotional response to, evokes some memories and imagination. I can often create my own story looking at art or see completely different things that the artist wanted to show.

Also, I don’t need to meet artists personally, such as discovering they are friendly or not, or if I like their personality. If I don’t like the person, but they create art I like – I’ll still buy it.

Art is a territory of dreams, another reality without rules or boundaries,
where everything is possible.

If you could give one piece of advice to an emerging artist what would it be?

Research the art market and set reasonable prices. If you’re starting and putting the cost of a new car on your artwork, don’t be surprised if you don’t sell it.

Tell us about the most exciting exhibition you’ve been to recently?

I went to see “Picasso-Rodin,” a double exhibition at the Musée National Picasso and Musée Rodin in Paris, in June 2021.

Both exhibitions are in collaboration with the Musée Rodin, and both are firsts in terms of bringing the respective artists together in a museum environment. The idea of the exhibitions was to show common points between Rodin’s work and several of Picasso’s artistic periods.

Which medium do you tend to be most attracted to?

I’m not going to try to be original here – my favourite medium is painting.

What are you currently reading?

Jorge Luis Borges ‘Labyrinths’.

What does art mean to you?

Art is a territory of dreams, another reality without rules or boundaries, where everything is possible.

Could you tell us a story behind a piece of work that you love? (can be from your own collection or a famous artwork)

Henri Matisse, Goldfish, 1912.

This Goldfish belongs to a series of artworks that he created between spring and early summer 1912. Europe first saw Goldfish in the 17th century, when it was brought from East Asia. Matisse likely became fascinated with Goldfish after his trip to Tangier, Morocco, where he stayed from the end of January until April 1912. Matisse admired the Moroccans’ lifestyle, which appeared to him to be relaxed and contemplative. He painted them daydreaming or meditating while looking into goldfish bowls, fascinated by how they contemplated and enjoyed seemingly ordinary elements of life.

For Matisse, the Goldfish itself came to represent a tranquil state of mind, at the same time, became evocative of a paradise lost. Goldfish was not painted in Morocco. Henri Matisse painted it at home in Issy-les-Moulineaux. What we see in the painting are Matisse’s plants, his garden furniture, and his fish tank. The tall cylindrical design of the tank drew the artist in since it allowed him to construct a series of rounded curves with the top and bottom of the tank, the water’s surface, and the table. Goldfish was painted in Matisse’s garden conservatory, where he was surrounded by glass, just like the goldfish.

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learnt during your career/in life so far?

In Career:

If you want to do something, don’t wait; just do it; the right moment will never come. Don’t be afraid that there are more successful people doing this than you. In this world, things change very fast.

In Life:

1.) Never think about what other people think about you; it’s meaningless. If it doesn’t affect your life and bank account statement, what is the importance?

2.) Try not to trust everything you hear. Many people are lying; some are more professional some are not so much. Lying about everything from personal life to the amount of money they win and projects they have never done. (laughing)

How do you think the global pandemic has affected the way we consume art?

Art galleries, museums, art lovers, and so on have all gone online, and you no longer need to leave your house to appreciate art. The Pandemic had a significant impact on the popularization of art.

The Pandemic forced people to rethink the look and feel of their homes. It caused an increase in more affordable art as there is a whole new wave of young collectors now. Many people now want to enhance their living environment as they continue to work from home. I see it all as positive changes.

What’s the story behind this selection of artists? Is there a theme or narrative that ties the works together?

All artists styles fit the subject of the exhibition theme ‘Multiple Realities’. When you look at their artworks, you can create your own story and give freedom to your imagination.

Favourite museum?

I have a few to name: Miro Museum in Barcelona, Musée d’Orsay in Paris, Tate Modern in London.