When I’m photographing it is important that I feel the energy around me. This energy guides the focus of my lense, more often than not, catching more than the normal eye can see. I often have people come up to me and ask me what I’m photographing, since they cannot see any concrete subject. The magic happens when I use my manipulation techniques and the final photo allows the viewer to finally see what I perceive. My creations aren’t just of happenstance.
How do you see the relationship between emotional and intellectual perception of your work? In particular, how much do you consider the immersive nature of the viewing experience?
The goal of my work is to visually communicate the energies around us, helping viewers see or feel something they haven’t before. I hope that the feelings from my artwork can be transformative and help viewers develop intellectual insights, confidence and capabilities for seeing or feeling the energy around them in the future and to be more present.
Before leaving this conversation we would like to pose a question about the nature of the relationship of your art with your audience. Do you consider the issue of audience reception as being a crucial component of your decision-making process, in terms of what type of language is used in a particular context?
As a person I hear that I am open-minded, curious and interested in the various types of people and their differences, but I can say that other people’s opinions of my artwork isn’t a main focus of the outcome or how my projects are presented. Don’t get me wrong, being human, we’re all effected by people’s opinions of us, but when it comes to my artwork and expressing an idea, I find that if I worry too much about the perception of others, my art is negatively effected. I believe that if you do not authentically or genuiunely feel or express your viewpoint, then others won’t feel it either.
That being said, I always consider the best way to present my artwork, as in, what framing would be most suitable in terms of language or what I want to negotiate. Sometimes I find that more than one form of media is appropriate to use to make sure the audience can understand my message and have the best experience.
Since we revolve around the issue of communication this time, we have one more question: in your opinion, can art change the future for inter-human communication? How can art help us make sense of these complex histories?
My hope for my art, and art in general, is to break down barriers that exist in a multi-cultural society. I hope art can be a starting point for opening the lines of communication and reduce fear of other people’s perceptions. Specifically, in my own art, I hope to stimulate thought and communication and help the viewer focus on being present in their surroundings.
Thanks a lot for your time and for sharing your thoughts, Cecilie. Finally, would you like to tell us readers something about your future projects? How do you see your work evolving?
I have always been interested in movies and I enjoyed the work of Cindy Sherman’s Untitled Film Stills. Only recently I had a vocal performance outdoors at a gallery opening and have been going on auditions, so I would like to explore more with music and film. I also think collaboration with another artist or company would be very interesting and am open to exploring new opportunities in other areas.
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