Interview with Lisa Jeannin
q)Lets start with the basics; what’s your full name, where do you live, and how old are you?
I live in Antwerpen,Belgium and I was born in 1972.
q) Do you have any formal training?
a)Yes, I studied in the art-academy of Malmö , Sweden 5 years ,graduated in 2001.and one year in the art-academy of Den Bosch,Holland before that.
q) Did the place you grew up in influence your image making?
a)I grew up in a small place near Stockholm called Österskär . I was influenced by the nature ,books I read ( I was very interested and still am in mythologies and fairytales from the whole world)it helped that my parents helped me to put that kind of paper newspapers get printed on everywhere on the walls of my room so that I could draw and paint different worlds to play in.My grandmother Ingrid was a big influence by her playfulness and understanding .I influenced myself by playing a lot by myself, making radioprograms, music,writing scripts and stories ,building up fantasyworlds inhabited by trolls, spirits, babies, children , animals, mummies and other creatures. As I became older I could start putting ideas I had already played with as a child together. I have rarely in my life been bored.
q) How do you come up with your concepts?
a)They pop up in my head! Sometimes I get information in my dreams.
q) Describe your creations in a clear, concise and understandable sentence. What do you call them?
a)I work mainly with stop-motion clay animations often with real humans or animals participating as well.But I also make sculptures and drawings and sounds. Exploring “themes” as perception , scale , the “unconscious” , the power of imagination, love , lonlyness, madness, magic, playfulness, parallel worlds and hope. That became more sentences…but here is a single one:
Trying to understand the world via fantasy and fiction.
q)What other mediums would you like to explore in your image making?
a)One dream is to make a film on 35 mm.
q)What is the best time in the day for you to work on a project? Is there one, or is it more about the environment — maybe the right mood?
a)The best time is in the morning for making things , and in the evening more to think , analyze what I did and prepare myself for the next step.
q) What are your artistic influences?…and …generally who or what influences you the most?
a)I am mostly influenced by films and mythologies from the whole world.I like hindu-devotional music-videos, Busby Berkeley-choreographies, science-fiction-books, rituals, folkloristic mind-blowing experiences, tai-chi , spiritual stuff.
q) Who are some of your favourite artists/designers/photographers?
a)Bruce Bickford , Henry Darger, George Herriman, Hieronymus Bosch and Buster Keaton.
q) What is your next project?Exhibition?Collaboration?
a)Right now me and Rolf Schuurmans are in the process of making 3 synchronized films (video) mixing stop-motion clay-animation with animation of 4 children creating one goddess and animated music.
We are also making a book that will be published by “publication” about these 3 films.
Exhibitions coming up in Felix de Boeck-museum in Brussels and Error #7 in Antwerpen.
q)What are your plans for the future?
a)To start working on a public art commission for a theatre in Gävle,Sweden in bronze.It is a ghost orchestra where the weather plays an important part.
To make silk-screen prints – posters for films I made in a centre for graphic art in Belgium.
q)Are there some web sites that You would like to recomend? Artists, art communities, xxx,…!?
a)www.brucebickford.com
q)What sort of music do you listen to?
a)I am collecting 78´records mostly jazz and “world-music” but I also like crazy syncopated music that was made also after vinyl and cd was invented .Right now I am fascinated by Iannis Xenakis.Especially his choire-works for children and his percussion-works.
q)Do you collect anything?If so what?
a)78´ records , musical instruments, puppets, stockings, films that I can relate to, hats and beautiful underwear.
q)What do you do for fun?
a)I mostly work on my projects and that is my idea of fun.
Otherwise I like to dance, make music, meet friends ,walking, go to the movies, be in the nature, swimming in lakes and rivers.
q)Any advice you can pass onto aspiring artists/designers?
a)To stay true to your self.
q)Your contacts…
a)www.lisajeannin.nu
www.myspace.com/lisajeannin
www.myspace.com/vilhelmtortoise
