Interview: Marianna Slobodian
Luca Curci talks with Marianna Slobodian during CONSCIOUSNESS, second appointment of ANIMA MUNDI 2024, at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello.

Film director and creator Marianna Slobodian raised in Ukraine, is now based in Poland. Graduated from the Film School (Film Director) and Cracow University (Organisation of TV and Film Production). Inspired by adept people and independent cinema, Marianna now creates visual projects that are distinguished by uniqueness, experimental approach and minimalistic forms. She likes to observe people, and nature and compare the sounds of their being, look for the phenomenal aspects of truthfulness, and draw her universe. She collaborated with fashion designers, artists and music producers. Last year her project Phenomenon was selected for several international festivals and was awarded a Narrative Silver Award at the Chicago Fashion Film Festival.

Luca Curci – What is art for you?
Marianna Slobodian – Art is a general concept. Art is everything around us, and we are all artists. Perhaps not everyone finds themselves in art, someone doesn’t know, someone doesn’t want to be. Nature is art, human passion is art, and art is in every movement, thing, and moment. You just need someone to see it and visualize it.

LC – What are you currently working on?
MS – Currently I am working on a project with an artist, who paints using one color (monochrome), my name is I See Blue… I want to understand what this color means for her and whole the project is around it.

LC – What’s your background? What is the experience that has influenced your work the most?
MS – I would say that music has a great influence on my work. And people. I am inspired by people’s passion for what they love. When I listen to music, I start to imagine, when the images come to my mind, I start to be in a meditative state. I recall people I’ve met, their stories, my own observations, passions, situations, and emotions, and all of this turns into moving images.

LC – What issues do you intend to deal with in the future?
MS – If we are talking about art, I would like to reveal talented people from their point of view, to show what others may not notice, another hidden side. I am interested in working with young and developing talents. I want to explore issues that concern me, including social aspects, the coexistence of man and nature, the impact of our existence, its motive and life path.

LC – Is there an unrealised or unrealisable project, even a crazy one, that you would like to work on?
MS – I have a lot of unrealized projects in the past, but now I feel like I need to fight my inner perfectionist to make sure that all future projects are realized. I would say that I have no boundaries with ideas, it may be crazy for some people, but for me, it’s just an experiment that I want to work on. So everything that comes to my mind will sooner or later become a real project.

LC – What do you think about the concept of this exhibition? How did it inspire you?
MS – I like the idea of the exhibition concept – the inner connection between all living beings on the planet, which is connected to the world in the same way as the human soul is connected to the human body. It really reflects my current experience and the mood of my work. And I’m happy to be a part of it.

LC – Your last artistic production attracted us, has the artwork presented been created for the exhibition or as a part of pre-existing works?
MS – This work was created intuitively to show my thoughts, and my vision, to express myself through a kind of experiment. Later, I decided to send my work to exhibitions and festivals to expand the audience and introduce myself and my team that worked on the film.

LC – Do you think ITSLIQUID GROUP can represent an opportunity for artists?
MS – I believe that this exhibition and similar initiatives give artists the opportunity to achieve their goals, especially for young talents. I’m sorry that I couldn’t come and visit the exhibition in person and talk to the exhibitors and organizers, but I believe that it was visited by many people and it was an absolutely great opportunity for artists to present themselves.

LC – Did you enjoy cooperating with us?
MS – I was very pleased with our cooperation, thank you for the quick responses, the information provided and the good initiative for artists.