"Because white walls are not sexy". Natalie Arsenow
In a few words, who are you?
I am an artist, art teacher, guide in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts and entrepreneur. I am a German national with a Korean mother and a Serbian father. I teach English and art in a Flemish school in a city that is mainly French-speaking.
When and how did you get into art?
I have always loved art for as long as I can think. During my A-Levels (last 3 years of high school) I chose Art & Design as one of my three main subjects. After finishing high school I went on to study Fine Arts and Art History at the University of Landau in Germany. After a bit of a break I became more focussed on working as an artist again during the past 3 years.
What does this discipline bring to you?
I suppose that every artist is fascinated by the process of creating something that only exists because of us. To be honest drawing to me is one of the most relaxing activities I can imagine. Whenever I am fully concentrated on a piece everything else around me seems to disappear and the world goes quiet. It's a wonderful feeling.
What makes your art unique?
I use a technique that I call «geometric hatching» and I truly believe that nobody else is working like me at least not to the level of detail that I utilise nor with colour pencils. It is always interesting to see something that you have never seen before, which is partly why people are drawn to my work.
What do you think are the important qualities of an artist?
Patience. A looot of patience. Besides, a stoic belief in yourself and your abilities as well as persistence, versatility and good organisational skills.
What do you think are the characteristics of a Belgian artist?
Belgian art is famous for its surrealism, playfulness and technical mastery. I believe that Brussels is a very good city for artists because it provides you with a lot of inspiration, freedem and an easy connection with a lot of different cultures and mentalities. It is a very stimulating place to be, on more than one level.
If we start with the definition of R. Magritte who says that "to be surrealist is to banish the notion of -déjà vu - and seek out the not yet seen" What is surrealism for you?
Surrealisme is something that makes you smile, wonder and think. I adore Magritte not only because he was a fantastically creative person and an absolute master with the brush but also because he did not impose a certain meaning upon the viewer. He simply wanted to make us use our imagination, reflect about his paintings and come up with our own solutions. That to me is what Surrealisme means.
Why is surrealism important?
In a world where we are constantly bombarded with negative images (right now even more so than usually!) it is important to keep a little spark of hope and mystery alive. Surrealism transports you to unknown places, that oftentimes do not even exist in reality. It let's you dream and makes impossible situations a reality.
What do you like about Belgium that you cannot find anywhere else?
The open-mindedness, the international flair, the easy connections to almost any place in Europe, the fact that you can reach big cities, the beach and the mountains within a matter of hours and the fact that in a way most of us are strangers but that also means that most of us are alike, in the same boat and not in fact entirely different.
