ANNIKA CONNOR:Reflections of/on Femininity

ANNIKA CONNOR—Reflections of/on Femininity

Zink sits down with Swedish-American artist, Annika Connor, and gets the lowdown on her aesthetic,her new book and her sense of (self)reflection.

Zink Magazine: How would you describe your individual aesthetic?

Annika Connor: In general, my work tends to be about the feminine aesthetic, an interpretation of beauty. The subject matter varies, but it all feels part of the same thing.

ZM: Why does the feminine form figure so predominantly in your work? And how does this symbol translate to such a wide array of content for you… for example, packs of wolves, chandeliers, decadent rooms or landscapes?

AC: A lot of art/contemporary art is predominantly male. I find that most female artists ignore or over-sexualize the female physical aspect. As an artist, painting is a form of self-expression, a filter for ideas and ideals. I like dresses, flowers, flutes of champagne, going to balls; I am hypnotized by the ballet; to me, these are life’s greatest joys.

ZM: How do you approach a new piece, or re-approach an unfinished work? What is your relationship to the physical canvas?

AC: For me, the canvas is like a magnet. It draws interesting thoughts towards it, and seduces me to paint. Even though it is an amalgam, appealing to an audience beyond the self, it is also impossible to escape the self.

ZM: Do you expect your audience to feel intimately acquainted with you, the artist, when viewing your work?

AC: Looking at a painting is like overhearing a whisper; it is a form of voyeurism. Painting is a way of nonverbal communication. As a viewer, you are being let in on a potent, personal secret. I want my subjects to represent something; I want them to act as a trigger for memory.

ZM: Beauty, love, physical contact, all of your imagery seems overwhelmingly positive. Do you see the world through rose-colored glasses?

AC: A lot in this world is extremely negative; I want to remind people of abundance and joy. I do also have a dark side. Anything that is truly beautiful is simultaneously destructive. The transience of nature, emotion, life, vegetation, love; even a truly hypnotizing woman. The fragility is what makes it so beautiful. I like to think of my paintings as mirrors, as any surface that reflects.

ZM: And your decadent rooms?

AC: The rooms are really a commentary on contemporary culture. I began them during the market booms, from 2006-2008. It was a period of consumption without elegance. I tried to mimic the Rococo and Baroque styles, but if you look closely the walls aren’t straight, the floors are watery, the chandeliers have no geometric structure. Initially, you are seduced, but, in the end, there is no structure behind the decoration.

ZM: An interesting commentary that obviously relates to the architecture of international metropolises and the gluttonous cosmopolitanism of the past decade.

AC: [The decadent display] is really a “hook,” to get people to look closer. I try to seduce them with the display of paint on the page. Then, I’ve got them. People may begin to think all of these ideas, catch memories.

ZM: And these ideas and memories are, obviously, a mirror of your own, however loosely adapted to a collective conscience and consciousness. The feminine form on displayed, then, may also be your own?

AC: Today, everyone is so guarded; they put up so many walls. It’s a rare moment, when a painter unveils their finished work, and truly lets down their guard. I am inescapably feminine.

Connor is currently producing a folio of emerging and unrepresented international artists, The Pointe Suite Art Book, which is due to publish this year. This Friday April 23^rd, she is hosting the INVENT.ORY Exhibition: the Point Suite pop-up art show. 237 Lafayette St. in NYC. 6-9pm. AnnikaConnor.com NATALIE FASANO