ARTIST FLORINE IMO
I was born in Vienna, Austria, where I’m currently live, work and am finishing last year at the Academy of Fine Arts. I grew up in the countryside but my family is scattered through out Germany, Austria and France so I travelled a lot growing up and I still love to change surroundings often for a fresh mindset.
Florine tell us about some of your greatest inspirations or influences?
Women
Loud banging music, to help me step in to my power
Life changing events and people’s life stories. I like the thought that we are all connected on a higher level experiencing different scenarios but go through similar struggles in life. My paintings change and grow with my own mindset.
Tell us a bit about your creative process?
When I have a good work flow I tend to do nothing else than paint.
First I sketch. I mostly use a pen so it’s impossible to erase anything which makes me concentrate even more on how to position my figures and how to draw the lines. I later make the paintings from those sketches, while always reflecting what’s on my mind. When I have an Idea for a painting I will finish it in a quite a short time to keep the attitude and the feeling of the work present.
I made a lot of multiple identity self-portraits last year, it showed the figures always getting into trouble or facing challenges. Now I have created this imperfect goddess persona, which is embodying women. They are terrifying, fragile, imperfectly beautiful, powerful and hypnotically irresistible. They often look like they carry secrets or are about to plot something very mischievous.
How has this year changed your creativity or how you see the world changing moving forward?
Before I looked a lot around myself for inspiration. However the effects of the pandemic made me turn more inwards. Going through four strict lockdowns was not fun, not gonna lie, and there were days when creating work felt pointless. But that time, when I was locked inside with my paintings, forced me to look at myself and my work and made me think about my position as an artist in this world. I figured out what direction I want to take my paintings and even though the time has been uncertain I felt I grew confident about my ideas.
Who do you consider to be an icon of our time?
RuPaul
Joe Exotic
Do you think the art world needs to change, and if so how do you feel it can improve?
I’m a young woman creating what is considered ‚ ‘more feminine‘ work. I still experience a type of play down the degree of seriousness in that combination of gender and aesthetic. I think we are already heading in the right direction but we are not there yet. Social media becoming such a strong presence and communication tool is a blessing and a curse at the same time. I consider it to be important to stay up to date with what is going on in the art world but the biggest focus needs to lay on your own practice. That’s why I think it’s important to take breaks to center yourself and only create the artworks that you want to create.
I also feel like the art scene, at least in central Europe, can be intimidating and often excluding to some people, sort of like the 'too cool for you' clique in high school movies. I wish for the art scene to be a welcoming space for everyone who is curious, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or race.
What does wellbeing mean to you?
To be able to be present in the current moment and enjoying existing by itself. Making my own decisions for my happiness. To wish every being only love and light. To enjoy most parts of my daily life. Many good days in a row make a good life.
Instagram: @florineimo
website: www.florineimo.com
