Interview: Tatsiana Lintouskaya
Luca Curci talks with Tatsiana Lintouskaya during LONDON CONTEMPORARY ART FAIR 2022, at THE LINE Contemporary Art Space.

Tatsiana was born in Minsk, Belarus, where she attended a high school with an art specialisation. After studying international relations and economics, she worked as a diplomat and consultant for several international organizations. In 2007, she moved to Austria to work at the Salzburg Global Seminar where she runs a high-level program on economics, finance and geopolitics. Her work and travels around the world have been a never-ending source of inspiration for her artwork which mirrors her experiences, thoughts, and emotions. She is interested in the role of art as a mirror of life and society which can advance dialogue and create awareness of societal issues. Tatsiana works in acrylics and oil. The recently painted series “A Tale of Cryptocurrencies” deals with the hype around cryptocurrencies and ponders the future of money. Her first solo exhibition took place on June 21-25, 2019, at Schloss Leopoldskron in Salzburg followed by a group exhibition from September 19 to October 12, 2019, at Gallery Steiner in Vienna.

Luca Curci – What’s your background? What is the experience that has influenced your work the most?
Tatsiana Lintouskaya – After studying international relations and economics, I worked as a diplomat and consultant for several international organizations before moving to Austria to work at the Salzburg Global Seminar where I run the high-level program on economics, finance and geopolitics. My work is a very inspiring environment, I think a lot about societal issues and try to understand the complex and interconnected realities we live in. 

LC – How did you get to your current artistic practice?
TL – My artistic path has taken many turns but it certainly benefited from numerous encounters with places and people. The point that marks a more professional exposure happened several years ago when I found an inspiring artist’s group in Vienna. I am deeply interested in nature and the meaning of life so I intensely observe people, nature, social interactions and patterns – then process them creatively at the right moment.  I don’t have fixed routines but when I get involved with a new art project I pour myself into it with limitless energy.

LC – Which art themes do you pursue? Are your artworks focused on a specific theme?  What is your preferred subject, if there is any? 
TL – The main themes cut across time: nature, society and people. I often work on a series of paintings, many of which are ongoing. The recently painted series “A Tale of Cryptocurrencies” deals with the hype around cryptocurrencies and ponders the future of money. Another series I am currently working on is “Palaces of Plants”. It transports the viewer to orangeries and tropical houses around the world. They are not always the exact representations of specific places, sometimes they evolve into more abstract imaginary compositions. 

LC – We were attracted by your last artistic production, has the artwork presented been created for the exhibition or as a part of preexisting works?
TL – At the London Contemporary Art Fair, I showed a painting “Orangery Meditation” from the series “Palaces For Plants” mentioned above. I started it during the pandemic which has been a source of a sometimes overwhelming sense of uncertainty and isolation. The painting reflects on the relationship between nature, body and mind and brings attention to the hidden sense of this relationship.

LC – What are your suggestions about our services? Is there something more we can provide to artists?
TL – I enjoyed my participation in the first ITSLIQUID exhibition in Venice 2020 – it was exceptionally well-run. My suggestion would be to give more visibility to the exhibitions outside of Italy and enhance collaborations with other art market participants.