Blurring Vision and Line
Interview with FIDA Finalist
An obvious influence is, I think, the figures that I often source and work with. Of course, once in my world these are subject to lots of changes, cuts, distortions; I mess with the very idea of beauty and the concept of perfection/imperfection and so on, so at times the fashion element might be hard to trace.
Martha Zmpounou
shares her influences and thoughts with Patrick Morgan
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When did you first get into drawing?
I have been into drawing since I can remember myself. I started drawing more systematically at 18 with academic drawing and painting, then at the school of fine art it became even more embedded in my life. I feel it is now hardwired.
Why did you choose to make fashion part of your inspiration?
I have been teaching at the London College of Fashion for 10 years now so naturally the fashion world has influenced my work. An obvious influence is, I think, the figures that I often source and work with. Of course, once in my world these are subject to lots of changes, cuts, distortions; I mess with the very idea of beauty and the concept of perfection/imperfection and so on, so at times the fashion element might be hard to trace. I am drawn towards subverting things and ideas and the apparent glorification in some of the fashion imagery has been a reference point for some of my works.
What is your particular working day as a creative?
I am not sure if I have a particular working day as a creative; my daily schedule depends on the series I am working on, but also my mood. Some of my works are quite calculated and a result of a laborious process with lots of studies and so on, while others are the product of spontaneity and an impulsive response to a happy accident. Looking back, the former are mostly done during daytime, the latter at night. When working on paper I tend to be instinctive and often create the image in one go. Sometimes I start by purely playing with abstract applications of colour in pools of water then let my media guide me up to a point. Cause then an abstract mark might lead to a representational work, or the opposite; working with a figure might lead to an abstract work.
What tools do you use when creating your images?
I tend to go by instinct when it comes to selecting my tools and media, then when a work has started taking shape, I tend to add another medium, another technique. I think in a way my works are all mixed media, or at least mixed method. In my recent works I mostly use a colourful mix of water-based media created with soft watercolour brushes on hot pressed watercolour paper. There is an immediacy and fluidity in watercolour which I really love, plus it’s a very versatile medium. I am fascinated by the ways it responds to different amounts of water and paper surfaces, and the multitude of unpredictable qualities this leads to. After many years of working mainly with water-based media I can still challenge myself and discover new ways of using them. For me, one of watercolour’s beauty is that it looks best when not totally controlled and manipulated. In that sense, you work together with the medium, looking for creative ‘episodes’ that might change the original direction you had in mind.
Who and what has influenced you over the years as an artist?
I have had many different influences throughout the years. In early years would be Rembrandt, Stanley Spencer, Lucian Freud, Marlen Dumas, Jenny Saville and Elizabeth Peyton to name a few. I also value the work of Jennifer Packer, Maja Ruznic, Amoako Boafo, Anthony Cudahy, Nathaniel Mary Quinn.
An obvious influence is, I think, the figures that I often source and work with. Of course, once in my world these are subject to lots of changes, cuts, distortions; I mess with the very idea of beauty and the concept of perfection/imperfection and so on, so at times the fashion element might be hard to trace. I am drawn towards subverting things and ideas and the apparent glorification in some of the fashion imagery has been a reference point for some of my works.
What advice do you have for younger artists looking to be part of this industry?
Stay calm, stay confident. It is a marathon so make sure you don’t burn out and keep pushing.
What are you drawing today? Music are you listening to? Books that you are reading? Favourite artist/designer at the moment?
Regarding my work, I am looking into bringing back the element of narrative in my work. I don’t know if I can name one single artist as my favourite one, but I recently saw Lynette Yiadom-Boakye’s solo show at the Tate Britain and loved her work; Really impressed by her level. From the fashion world I like the work of Ann Demeulemeester and Iris van Herpen. Music wise I often listen to the radio. I love Resonance FM, especially Psychosonic Cinema, a brilliant series on film scores, and also NTS London which also has a great collection of shows too. Kasetophono.com is another site I resort to for music. The book I am reading is titled ‘On earth we are briefly gorgeous’ and it beggars belief Ocean Vuong writes so well at such a young age.