article In conversation with
Pernilla Iggström
In conversation with
Pernilla Iggström
In conversation with Pernilla Iggström about painting
as a process of investigation into her cultural heritage,
a journey which explores the effect of being born into
one culture and adopted into another very different one
thousands of miles away.
as a process of investigation into her cultural heritage,
a journey which explores the effect of being born into
one culture and adopted into another very different one
thousands of miles away.
In conversation with Pernilla Iggström about painting
as a process of investigation into her cultural heritage,
a journey which explores the effect of being born into
one culture and adopted into another very different one
thousands of miles away.
Pernilla Iggstrom work is mainly sourced form materials derived from her archive of family albums, she explores both real imagined places (through the nature/nurture concept) where the relationships between the past and the present, the interior and the exterior and the physical and the psychological are key within her practice.
Pernilla describes her practice as an investigation into her cultural heritage, using materials from her personal history to explore ideas about real and imaginary places.
Pernilla describes her practice as an investigation into her cultural heritage, using materials from her personal history to explore ideas about real and imaginary places.
Artiq When was the moment you realised you were going to be an artist?
Pernilla Although I did spend many years in the business environment, the urge to create was too strong, so in 2007 I moved from Singapore to London and did a Foundation course followed by a BA (Hons) in Fine Art Painting at City & Guilds of London Art School. Since I graduated in 2011, I have been a practising artist.
Artiq What has been your biggest challenge working as an artist?
Pernilla Being an artist can be very solitary. After leaving art school, it was harder to get together as a group and get valuable critical feedback on your work. At times, it has also been frustrating not to get accepted into exhibitions, and you feel you don't show regularly.
Since joining ArtCan some 4-5 years ago, all that has changed as they regularly host Open Calls within the group. I am also overly inspired and find it hard to narrow down the style of expressions when I start a painting.I also have a day job, so finding time for my art is the biggest challenge.
Pernilla Although I did spend many years in the business environment, the urge to create was too strong, so in 2007 I moved from Singapore to London and did a Foundation course followed by a BA (Hons) in Fine Art Painting at City & Guilds of London Art School. Since I graduated in 2011, I have been a practising artist.
Artiq What has been your biggest challenge working as an artist?
Pernilla Being an artist can be very solitary. After leaving art school, it was harder to get together as a group and get valuable critical feedback on your work. At times, it has also been frustrating not to get accepted into exhibitions, and you feel you don't show regularly.
Since joining ArtCan some 4-5 years ago, all that has changed as they regularly host Open Calls within the group. I am also overly inspired and find it hard to narrow down the style of expressions when I start a painting.I also have a day job, so finding time for my art is the biggest challenge.
Artiq Share with us your primary source of inspiration! Who or what has had the most significant influence on your practice?
Pernilla Mark Rothko was my first love when I did my Foundation course. I knew about the Ingram painting in the "Rothko Room" at Tate Modern before I moved to London and couldn't wait to see them.
Then followed Gerhard Richter and a fascination with applying paint with anything but a brush, which resulted in 4 large scales in my Foundation degree show.
At the end of my second year of BA, I focused on my cultural heritage as a subject matter. I started to use photos from my family albums as the main source of inspiration which I still do, together with photos I take in nature. This, in turn, leads me to discover Robert Rauschenberg and Candice Breitz. For stylistic inspiration, I look at emerging and established artists on
Instagram. There is so much talent out there.
Pernilla Mark Rothko was my first love when I did my Foundation course. I knew about the Ingram painting in the "Rothko Room" at Tate Modern before I moved to London and couldn't wait to see them.
Then followed Gerhard Richter and a fascination with applying paint with anything but a brush, which resulted in 4 large scales in my Foundation degree show.
At the end of my second year of BA, I focused on my cultural heritage as a subject matter. I started to use photos from my family albums as the main source of inspiration which I still do, together with photos I take in nature. This, in turn, leads me to discover Robert Rauschenberg and Candice Breitz. For stylistic inspiration, I look at emerging and established artists on
Instagram. There is so much talent out there.
Artiq What do you want the audience to take away from your work?
Pernilla Using my heritage and having grown up in another place far away from where I was born, my interest in nature/nurture was a natural development. This leads me to question social stigma and suppression of diversity in our society. If my work can inspire reflection and increase the awareness of others and thereby maybe break down stereotypical pre-conceived ideas, I'd feel I have succeeded.
Artiq Can you recommend an emerging artist you think everyone should check out?
Pernilla There are so many talented artists, but for me, having a social message is quite important. If you can use the language of art to reach people, it's powerful.
I recently participated in Supermarket Independent Art Fair in Stockholm, where I curated a stand for a group of 15 ArtCan artists. I met a young woman who really impressed me with how she and her group use the voice of art to truly accomplish things - Katarina Kostandinovic from the artists' group Commons in Serbia.
I also like what my friend KV Duong is doing. He has a somewhat similar background to me and is voicing his loss of culture and growing up in the West very eloquently.
Pernilla Using my heritage and having grown up in another place far away from where I was born, my interest in nature/nurture was a natural development. This leads me to question social stigma and suppression of diversity in our society. If my work can inspire reflection and increase the awareness of others and thereby maybe break down stereotypical pre-conceived ideas, I'd feel I have succeeded.
Artiq Can you recommend an emerging artist you think everyone should check out?
Pernilla There are so many talented artists, but for me, having a social message is quite important. If you can use the language of art to reach people, it's powerful.
I recently participated in Supermarket Independent Art Fair in Stockholm, where I curated a stand for a group of 15 ArtCan artists. I met a young woman who really impressed me with how she and her group use the voice of art to truly accomplish things - Katarina Kostandinovic from the artists' group Commons in Serbia.
I also like what my friend KV Duong is doing. He has a somewhat similar background to me and is voicing his loss of culture and growing up in the West very eloquently.
