MUNTHE ART MONDAY: AMANDA ÖSTERVALL
Navn: Amanda Östervall
Instagram: @amandaostervall
Country: Sweden
Profession: Ceramics artist and painter
Please introduce yourself and tell us about what you do
My name is Amanda Östervall and I am a 25-year-old Swedish ceramicist and painter. For as long as I can remember I have always had a huge passion for creativity. With a grandmother who is an artist as well, I started very early to make paintings by her side.
In 2019 I had my first solo show during Stockholm Art Week which is the biggest exhibition I have had in my career so far and it has opened up for more people to discover my work. Since then, I have started to make ceramics and I love being able to create my work from scratch.
Could you explain more about how being a woman has affected your career?
I have not really been thinking of how my career would have looked if I was a man. When growing up, I was a middle child between two brothers, which I think have played a big part of the women I have become today, both generally in life but also career wise. In a man dominated world I think it is super important as a woman to not move out of our way or to be scared to take your space, especially when being around men. Stand confident in your own worth and respect will follow.
When it comes to my art, I have never really felt negativity about being a woman. I am confident in what I am doing and do not force anyone to like my art. I am just creating because that is what I love to do and when people, both men and women, appreciate what I am doing it is just a big bonus that warms my heart.
Can you name some other female (artist) that inspires you and explain why they do so?
Marina Abramovic is someone that inspires me in a massive way. She is a live performing artist and even if I have not been to her live performances in real life, I can watch her shows online and still be very touched. She is the kind of artist that can turn anything into art which not everyone has the ability to do.
Daily, I find super interesting and inspiring female artists on social media. I love to see all women grow within the art industry and I think it is super cool to see women all over the world cheering and supporting each other.
What has been the most challenging aspect of being a female artist?
For me, what I find the most challenging of being an artist overall is to be consistent in the creations. To continue to create, continue to produce new stuff, to stay motivated and inspired.
When looking into the future, being a female artist and hopefully one day a mother. I see that as an amazing challenge to be building a family. To be breastfeeding a baby with vomit in my hair and still keep up the inspiration, creation and consistency. That, I would guess is probably one of the biggest differences from being a female artist to a male artist.
What would you like people to notice in your artwork?
I would like people to see all the imperfections of my pieces. I love the moment when I am painting, and I am supposed to do a straight line which becomes not straight at all - and I am thinking I am terrible and that the people viewing it will think it is terrible. Till I realize that I do not need to make anyone happy with my work, that I do not have a boss to satisfy or a customer to please with my work. I am just an imperfect human who is making imperfect art - and still there are people out there valuing it. That is pretty cool.
Each Monday we bring you a fresh interview with a talented female artist.
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