Interview: Marie Indahl
Luca Curci talks with Marie Indahl during FUTURE LANDSCAPES, third appointment of BORDERS Art Fair 2020, at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello.

Marie Indahl is by education a social scientist / cand. polit. with a master’s degree in criminology from the University of Oslo. As an artist, she is self-taught and has been painting since 2013. She has previously worked with accessory design (1999-2004) and during that period she participated in various projects, like Fretex book project “Soup, Soap and Salvation” with redesign of accessories for the book “Soap” from 2002. She has also had accessory assignments in connection with the 10 years anniversary of the broadcast channel TV2. Crown Princess Mette-Marit has purchased several of her accessories. Since 2013, Marie has participated in several exhibitions, both collective exhibitions and separate exhibitions. In 2018, she became a member of NFUKs, The Association of Independent Artists which is a juried entry. “Your paintings are a depth of promise. Your motives tell dramatic and intriguing stories. Your expression combines strength and sensibility”, said a buyer to her.
“I paint on cotton or linen canvas using acrylic and sometimes sand, cotton or other fabric to make a stronger and more defined texture. I paint landscapes because I want to draw attention to nature. In these times of climate change, nature is also changing. My mission is to increase awareness towards how we alter and cultivate nature. I try to show change through color and texture. Coloring a canvas playing with forms and shapes excites me. And I make paintings to awake the viewer and take a better look at the picture and her/his perception of nature. Imperfection inspires me and I try to show the beauty in imperfection. I find coincidence and chaos aesthetic, and I try to express a kind of fortuitousness in my paintings by leaving them uncompleted. Like nature and the life, we are uncompleted too. Continuously changing. When I feel that different colors and shapes «fall into balance», I experience a kind of ‘fine’ ”.

Luca Curci – What are you currently working on?
Marie Indahl – An exhibition at Parallax Art Fair in London, summer 2021. Hopefully, it will take place as planned.

LC – What is your background?
MI – By education I am a criminologist. As an artist I am autodidact. I have always worked creative and a few years ago I was designing accessory. Amongst my customers is the crown princess Mette-Marit. But I have always been more of an artist than a designer, and I am very happy painting now.

LC – What is the experience that has influenced your work the most?
MI – Life in general influences my work. No experience, but I have always wanted to beautify my surroundings, and now I am through my pictures. I am in a way beautifying the nature we humans are cultivating more and more, and unfortunately destroying.

LC – What is your creative process like? 
MI – Hard work really. I start with an urge to make something of inspirational colors or an image. And I always start optimistic and very inspired. But the pictures I am most satisfied with, are those I wanted to destroy before I found a flow and the motif appeared from concentration and clarity. Just like that.

LC – Are your artworks focused on a specific theme? 
MI – Nature and mostly the shapes of mountains, meadows, hills. I am experimenting and currently I am trying to find an expression inspired by Rothko. I also paint women’s faces, but I haven’t found the right expression yet.

LC – How is being an artist nowadays?
MI – I am not a full time artist since I have a job. I think I would have been, if it was possible. There are so many excellent artists today. I am not in their league at all. But painting is fabulous. I love painting.

LC – Do you agree with our vision of art and what do you think about the theme of the festival?
MI – I think the theme “Future Landscapes” is very good, poetic and right up my ally so to speak in several ways. So, I am incredibly happy I got the chance to participate. Your vision of art is very important, I think. Especially your way of operationalizing it is important now days. Being a large arena for a variety of visual art forms from the whole world, is a large statement telling us that art is important.

LC – In which way is the artwork presented in our exhibition is connected with the festival’s theme?
MI – Unfortunately I didn’t have the opportunity to attend your show in Venice, but from what I have seen from the exhibition online, the festival theme invited different kinds of motifs and expressions, which in the end resulted in an exciting show. It was a pleasure to participate.

LC – Did you enjoy cooperating with us? 
MI – Yes, you are professional, efficient, helpful, informative and kind.

LC – What are your suggestions about our services? Is there something more we can provide to artists?
MI – For a newcomer like me, maybe some information on how to ship the art pieces long distances. Maybe you could make a good deal with some postal or transportation services that the participants could use?

LC – What is your idea about ITSLIQUID GROUP? 
MI – Your offer a professional exhibition site but you are also an important policy provider in as you by showing art, tell your audience and partners, the cities you arrange exhibits in, that art is of a considerable importance for society.