EVA BARTELS
Eva Bartels is a painter, actress, woman, free faller, mess maker, theater maker, storytelling hoarder, and ambiguous heliotrope or in her own words….
I feel like I am multiple people in one body. Maybe even some animals too. Sometimes these characters become friends, partners in crime, even lovers... other times they are just disagreeing...and boy can that can suck time and energy. Fortunately for me, the animals inside make up for that, they have energy to burn!
She is currently in her hometown Amsterdam waiting for summer to arrive, very fashionably late.
I fall in love with all kinds of beautiful places around the world but I always tend to come back to Amsterdam, where I live in an old monumental falling apart castle-ish treehouse-sort-of building. An old ballet studio is my sanctuary in which I give birth to my paintings and theater plays. Also, I love to organize secret surrealistic dinner parties. So many strange objects are laying around waiting to be played with.
Eva your greatest inspirations or influences?
I am inspired by the multiple layers our identity exists of and how these layers/characters interact with one another.
The polarity within, the partnership within, the war and co-creation within.
There is a form of therapy called Gestalt therapy, in which you separate all the characters who live inside you. I like getting to know them all. I made a VR film about this which was called EVA and many others. I separated my identity in 6 archetypes and created a group discussion with them about the reasons of existence and the way there are always multiple realities being lived at the same time.
I also love the sensuality and bold strength of the female body. I am fascinated by nature most of all. Mother nature surprises and seduces me more than any human ever did. Okay some people do come close to her mind-blowing trickster skills and dazzling beauty.
I love birds too, one day I hope to become one.
Tell us a bit about your creative process and things you are looking forward to this year..
The creative process to me is vulgar and holy at the same time. I have to be hit by it. Like bird shit. But in this case, it's not a bad thing to be hit by at all, you don't have to go home and put on a clean jacket because it's good luck. I don't necessarily believe that I am in charge of inspiration and creation. I'm always grateful to canalize it though.
I am working on my solo theater piece which is about the life and work of Leonora Carrington for Art Amsterdam. When I was in Cape Town I started researching Irma Stern who I am going to make my next piece about. They are both part of a series about fascinating female artists. Next to theater and acting I do a lot of painting, painting, painting. I am looking forward to a symbiosis between all art forms. To merge them organically as one.
How has this year changed your creativity or how you see the world changing moving forward?
This year made me realize how privileged I am. I am healthy I am resilient I'm inventive and surrounded by loving people who share their love for life with me. I've spent lots of time in the ocean and on bare feet. I fell in love many many times this year, with people, animals and mountains. I lost two beautiful friends last year and for me this year is all about grabbing the moment fully and knowing this too shall pass. It sounds corny but hey, the best things in life are. I try to make as much connection with my deepest wishes as possible in order to live them now. It's a fine line between feeling rushed and not letting it go to waste.
To really experience life deeply and being prepared to let it all go at the same time.
Who do you consider to be an icon of our time?
MICHAELA COEL- this woman is everything. She is a vivid example of a multitalented woman with endless willpower. She can and will do it all. She is a great example for me that you don't t have to choose one skill or one path. She is a whole universe to me. On many levels I admire her.
Do you think the art world needs to change, and if so how can it be improved.
Oh my... it's such an abstract 'thing' The Art world.... I think change is always a good thing. Let's endure the growing pains and expand our minds.. Less hierarchy more coexisting. I don't separate the 'art world' from the 'other world'. I believe every world thrives when nourished by curiosity, diversity and love.
What does wellbeing mean to you Eva
Wellbeing for me is having the freedom and bravery to figure out what make me well and practice this as much as possible. I experience periods of unwell being and it helps me to write down all the things that make me feel whole so I can read it when i feel lost.
I have lists laying around with actual things that make me feel well: * thank you so much for sharing this personal list with us Eva.
cooking with friends
stroking my cat
playing with bioluminescent waves in the ocean
holding hands with someone I love while tripping way too hard on acid
gardening with my mum
somebody falling in love with a painting of mine
laughing till we cry and pee in our pants
smelling the skin of my lover
eating lots of greens
midnight swims
skinny dips
living of my art
fresh air
fresh water
climbing a mountain
people around who are equipped with cool boxes with cold drinks and headlamps for a midnight grill
friends who take a dress code seriously
full moon gazing outside on a blanket
riding my motorbike when it doesn't rain
sharing sadness / releasing anger
creating art together
creating art alone
planting a seed
meeting new people with different visions on life
learning a new song on my ukulele
admitting I was wrong
grow my own vegetables
hear someone passionately talk about an art piece
dancing naked
Playfully sharing my body
Riding a horse
getting drunk and deep talks with lovers and friends
asking my father for relationship advise
take my mother for a scooter ride
saving animals
giving something special to someone in need
receiving a handmade present
read 'letters to a young poet' by Rainer Maria Rilke
read Extremely loud incredibly close by Jonathan Safran Foer
read all the poems by Maya Angelou
being well is for me realizing that if I would die right now, I had the blessing of a ridiculously awesome life which I was able to share on top of that! Being able to share i guess, is proof of wellbeing to me.
Thank you Eva!
insta @evabartelsart
