Coming from visual communications at the FH Augsburg it was quite hard for me in the beginning to adapt to a school of fine arts. It sometimes still is. The way of approaching things is different. I was used to getting tasks that I was having trouble to finish as there were so many and so little time. Here I am completely free. I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. There are certain days when the profs of certain ateliers are present, so I can consult them and it’s advisable to work in these ateliers on these days. But that’s only the case on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. All the other days it’s up to myself. And I have to find my projects myself.
During the first weeks I tried to work with my own impressions I had of Aix: all was new for me, and even it’s a culture that’s close enough to mine – it’s still Europe – there are the little things that make the difference; the city and the people, the way of living, the way of working and most of all the time that works different in southern France.
Well, after a couple of weeks I got used to the place and my impressions weren’t that vivid anymore. But besides the impressions I realized that I was always working with different worlds that meet each other. When you go abroad there are two cultures, two worlds meeting. And torn out of the normal environement you start to think about yourself as well. Normally you define youself by your work, your friends and family and your daily life. It gives you a certitude, but can also be limiting. Away from home you see yourself without these certitudes and limitations and you start to see yourself in a different context, in a different culture.
So I chose to do some works about myself. I am who I am. But what other sides do I have? And what is behind this surface? Where am I at the moment and where do I want to go?
Atelier Peinture
In painting I had started with several small pictures about dancing. After these I started painting my impressions of Aix; kind of surreal paintings, where different worlds meet. But I got soon tired of this way of painting, so at the moment I am mostly doing some exercises, trying to work freer, bigger, having more fun and “translating” what I see on photos or around me in my own way.
By doing this I am searching for my own approach of things. I don’t know quite how yet, but I am hoping to find a way of expressing myself freer and still stick to my surrealistic, descriptive paintings.
Atelier Photographie
My main project in photography are autoportraits. After I hiding myself of the camera with all sorts of means, I am trying to take honest and serious pictures of myself.
After I may try out some double-exposures, as I have tried already.
During a sutio workshops I also started taking pictures of photographers in action. I didn’t get the chance to continue with it, as only few people are working in the studio. So I might continue this in summer with tourists in Aix.
Edition Papier
In Edition Papier I finished with my little booklet about insects.
The next projects will be a booklet with several illustrated poems inside. As soon as I have the first pages I will show you. But next week I am actually hoping that the first part of the bookbinding workshop is taking place.
Video Workshop
Merci beaucoup pour mon aniversaire,je partage ton sentiment, dans l attente que nous fassions connaissance, have a nice day in aix. sophie à Budapest
szia, I realy like this photomixture of you and that building. It gives a very nice impression of someone who is there just for some minutes. I get a feeling of watching a tourist or visitor in a certain way. Like appearing and leaving in the same time. kisses