Anysia Nefissi is a Paris based visual artist. She uses the technique of automatic continuous line drawing and abstract painting in order to create powerful and evocative works as an expression of colour, composition and form. Her art is unfolding around space mind and body in order to create intuitive artworks of movement and emotions. From London to New York, she has exhibited her work all over the world. Anysia, is also the founder of ''The Art Club'' and ''The Creative Society'' in Paris, in this interview we have the opportunity to discuss about those projects, her work and her artistic journey.
I know you are painting and drawing but did you start your artistic journey with the same practice or did you evolve during the years?
As far as I remember, I have always been into arts since being a little girl. Obviously, my practice have evolved during the years and I have experienced other mediums like art installations that I have recently started working on. I feel that my work is more conceptual that it used to be a few years ago. Abstract art came to me quite naturally I have to say. I enjoy the power of abstraction with emotions it gives me and I am actually not really interested in showing artistically a copy of reality. I feel that abstraction offers a space where everything can happen - a surface for inexhaustible experimentations.
I prefer much more questioning myself and the spectators about their own interpretations & emotions they feel when they see my work. I consider art as an experience and I have built my own technique and creative process. Also, I don’t feel I have limits with abstraction.
I am interested by subjects and themes that are quite spiritual so maybe abstraction is the best way I have found for expressing myself.
I don’t replicate. My process is idiosyncratic and unpredictable - as a talisman of a story, time and place.
How do you work?
My process is both practical and mental even if 80% of my creative process is lead by intuition.
I associate colours to memories. My work is attached to storytelling, there is always a narrative in each artwork even if it is abstract.
I definitely have a routine at the studio - everytime I get there I light a candle, essences or palo santo, put some music on and make myself a tea or coffee. I need to be in that peaceful “bubble” to start processing and create.
I can start an artwork from a colour or a shape that would inspire me an emotion, a memory.
Then, I would go deep inside memories and choose one depending on my mood, the light at the studio…Technically, I always start an artwork with a clear idea in mind of what I want to create.
After that, I would define my palette and start applying the first layers and decide on the global composition before letting the unexpected happen.
What inspires your work?
Literally anything and everything. All is about sensations.
A light, a colour, a person I’ve just met, my readings, a music, nature… I observe a lot my environment and all my work is linked to a story that the title will suggest. Smells are also a big inspiration in my work - basically sensations ; a walk in a rose garden in Madrid, wine spilled on the table at the restaurant, the smell of toasted bread and fresh coffee, the sun rising in a cold morning in London…
Basically, I explore, identify and translate sense spectrums with paintings and installations - highly inspired by synesthesia, Aromathology and memory in order to draw visually a moment of life.
How do you hope to impact or communicate with your audience through your art? Is there anything else you would like to share about your art or your journey as an artist? Any challenges along the way?
I communicate with my audience through my art with emotions. All is about intuitive feelings and getting to the subconscious. The subjective experience is interesting because everybody will have a personal physiological response when looking at my work that can send back to their own life and memories.
One challenge I have encountered is to please people in doing something I don’t really want to do. It definitely blocks you from making your own work if you constantly are consumed with what someone else thinks about your work.
How do you see your art evolving in the future?
I wish to develop more my installation works. I also would love to work on painting & drawing murals and do an immersive monumental piece directly on walls.
I also would like to experiment digital art by projecting my work on various surfaces.
I definitely see my art evolve in a more conceptual way.
The last thing I would like to do again is to paint on big mirrors. I used to do it for years and loved to include the viewer inside the artwork.
What challenges do you face as an artist, and how do you overcome them? How do you balance your artistic career with other personal and professional commitments?
I like the aphorism “Ars longa, Vita brevis” by Hippocrates. Making art is a long process.
Lacking inspiration is a huge challenge for an artist - I have already faced it last year.
I try to be more balanced in life on a daily basis. I get tempted to work long hours at the studio or at the office but I force myself to get time dedicated on social meetings & as I call “creative slots” to go to visit exhibitions, read a book… basically keep the creativity on allowing myself some space.
How I balance my artistic career with other personal and professional commitments?
All is about priorities ! For each activity (that can be work, art, family), I am setting goals and making sure my time is spent on that activity aligned toward that goal.
Also, I am starting to delegate both in my professional and personal life. Allowing other people to help frees up some of my time to focus on strategic matters.
What would you advise an artist that’s only started this journey?
Definitely, trust your art, believe in yourself, avoid comparison and stay focus.
I think the most complicated part in being an artist is to trust your art and believe in your work especially in a decade ruled by social media & comparisons. We see images every day and we can sometimes be influenced the wrong way. Being aligned with your art and yourself as an artist is for me the most important thing. Stay focus + trust the process (and don’t let yourself get surrounded with artistic impostor syndrome).
Check our her work:
Website : www.anysianefissi.co.uk
Instagram : @anysianefissi
Website : www.theartclub93.com
Instagram : @theartclub93
Website : www.thecreative-society.com Instagram : @thecreative.society
Pictures 's copyrights belongs to Vincent Pérolat.
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