Many things are passed down from parent to child, and for artist Serena Becker, artistic sensibilities were hereditary. Becker, whose parents are artists, indulged her imaginative tendencies and was encouraged to express herself creatively through her paintings. Today, Becker’s artistic playground has expanded beyond her blank canvas to include her photography, video, mixed media, sculpture, and more. For Becker, whose art is characterized by rich color combinations and a touch of whimsy, the most interesting expressions of her creativity are those that transcend reality.
We talk to Becker about his childhood in Italy, his approach to work, and why he believes everyone needs to slow down.
Have you been interested in art and photography since childhood? How did it come about?
“Yes, I did. My mother is a painter, and my father is a little bit of everything, but he’s very good at drawing. We’re both artists, and my sister works in fashion. I do a lot of things. I grew up being taught “creativity and a sense of doing things a little differently.
I grew up in a small town with my mother, and she encouraged me to [making art] a lot. When I was little she gave me canvases and paints. If I was bored or angry, she would tell me to draw. It was a great outlet, especially as a teenager. ”
Are there any artists you liked when you were younger that influenced your tastes?
“I think so many things influence your tastes: who your friends are, what you listen to, what you listen to, what you watch. Then it comes down to what to see and which galleries to go to.
“I don’t want to choose just one thing or person, but when I was younger I definitely preferred abstract art.My mother is an abstract painter.My mother loved Rothko, so I loved Rothko as well. And I also loved Pollock. I love Van Gogh; I didn’t like it when I was little, but recently I’ve started to love surrealism, which I didn’t like at all when I was younger.
“I love the classics too. I’m not good at modern art. Maybe I just don’t understand, but a lot of people don’t invest enough time in their art. We’re in a hurry to get it done. We’re in a hurry to build a career. I feel like we’re all in a bit of a hurry these days, but social media has made everything happen so quickly. Content needs to be short and direct. Over the past few years, especially since COVID-19, I’ve realized: How I’ve been running through life.
“There are a lot of old towns in Italy, and you’ll walk down the street and you’ll see a wooden door. It’s handmade, it’s beautiful, and you think, ‘How long does it take to make one door? Did it take?”
How did your approach to work change when you realized you were rushing everything?
“It changed my approach to life and work. I started producing less and started painting again. “It’s slow. I value my time more. I prefer being in the country than in the city. I listen to jazz, but I’ve never heard it before.”
How did you discover what you were drawn to in terms of art and music?
“In London, it’s similar to New York where you’re so inspired by the people around you. People-watching in cafes, going to free gigs to see bands play, the people I meet are actually the ones who inspire me the most. “It’s very easy to immerse yourself in your own world. The things that shaped me the most were traveling, moving and meeting new people. I think it was about meeting people and seeing new things.”
I think your use of color and light in your photos is really interesting. What draws you to such expressions?
“I love colors, I love people, and I love being around people, and I think all three are reflected in my work. I also don’t like things to be too real. I think so. I love it.” Make something a little more fantasy-y. ”
Do you have an artistic process?
“Yes and no. In independent work, sometimes you don’t have a process. Sometimes you see something and think, ‘Oh, that looks good.’ Then you pick up your camera, quickly set something up, Shoot. It’s good if you’re curious and just want to see how it turns out. But I think you should always have music on in the process to get your material set up and shoot. please.”
How do you reignite that creativity when you have periods when you don’t feel inspired?
“Oh, there’s a big part of it. There’s always periods of time when you’re producing more work and periods when you’re producing less. I think everyone has their own flow. I go to galleries and see shows. I love to see if that’s the case.” “It sparks something.” For some reason I keep going back to movies from the ’90s and ’80s. Well, I love movies.” Nuovo Cinema Paradise. It’s a classic, beautiful, old movie.I love good will hunting, and a romantic comedy.I still remember the first time I saw it silence of the lambs. ”
Do you have any advice for young artists?
“Last year I realized I was spending way too much time on Instagram. Whenever I had free time, I was scrolling for no reason. And it was usually not the information you were looking for. “Be interested in what other people like. Social media and the internet are a great way to help us get bored, to follow our own tastes, or to And I think being bored is good for creativity. So for young people, this generation, this is me. This is my advice. Must be boring. ”
Serena Becker’s collected works are represented by the Trunk Archive.