TRANSFORMING EVERYDAY OBJECTS INTO ARTISTIC WONDERS
Meet Mona Broschár, a dynamic painter from Leipzig, Germany.
With a background in Fine Art and a MA in Painting and Printmaking.
Today Mona's artworks are represented by the prominent L21 Gallery in Spain.
We invite you to look back at the recent solo exhibition of the accomplished artist Mona Broschár, "The Good, the Bad and the Sweet" at L21 Palma.
Mona Broschar: Guardian I, 2022 | Oil on canvas | 230 x 130 cm | Image courtesy the L21 Gallery, photo by Juan David Cortés ->Size matter, 2022 | Oil on canvas | 30 x 30 cm | Image courtesy the L21 Gallery, photo by Juan David Cortés
The exhibition, which has now closed, presented a thought-provoking collection of oil paintings that seamlessly harmonized, united by a masterfully curated color palette and a sense of variegated diversity.
Humanity is infused into her work, capturing elements in the zenith of their blooming, the "cherry on top" moment, adding a layer of transformation and threshold to her art.
Each painting harmoniously united by a common thread, creating a cohesive and striking display.
Her paintings often depict a tipping moment in consumer and pop culture, inviting virtual consumption and leaving the viewer alone with their desires.
Through her work, Mona explores the fascinating interplay between touch and distance, making her art thought-provoking and highly engaging.
With her unique perspective and captivating style, Mona Broschár is an artist that is not to be missed.
UNCOVERING THE INSPIRATION BEHIND MONA BROSCHÁR'S ART: AN EXCLUSIVE Q&A
1. WHO IS MONA BROSCHÁR? PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOUR WORK IN YOUR OWN WORDS.
I am a German painter currently living and working in Leipzig. I’ve studied painting and printmaking in Leipzig and London.
In 2015, after I finished my studies, I started working as a junior lecturer at the academy of visual arts in Leipzig.
After three years of teaching I decided to focus solely on my painting.
For me painting is too intense to do it next to a „normal“ job that pulls me out of my created worlds and blocks my creativity.
Since then I have the great opportunity to work with several international and local galleries.
Within my paintings I create stylised surrealistic worlds that deal with iconic protagonist- like sensual objects.
2. ARE THERE ANY OTHER ARTISTS IN YOUR FAMILY? HAS YOUR FAMILY BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR ARTISTIC ENDEAVOURS?
In terms of being an artist, I have no role-models within my whole family at all.
Both of my parents have always been incredibly supportive though and strengthened me towards the decision to apply at an art academy.
They have the most valuable talent parents can have: to see my abilities and help me evolve in the corresponding direction.
They never wanted me to follow their aspirations or pressured me to live a common and secure life.
I will always be grateful for my amazing parents, who understand my character and are able to recognize my capabilities.
By teaching me belief and trust in myself, they handed me a very powerful gift. I‘m convinced, that without believing in yourself, you can‘t survive the world of self-employment, especially not in the arts.
3. CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE THEMES AND TECHNIQUES THAT YOU EXPLORE IN YOUR WORK?
Within my paintings I deal with everyday encounters. I follow my own desires and inspirations that may come at first sight of unobtrusive things or surprising occasions e.g. within animated movies, cake shops, or shop windows, sticker albums, as well as poetry, art, dance, fashion etc.
When these encounters inspire me deeply and serve my desire for possession and joy, worlds open up into which I channel my ideas.
I collect and draw all my ideas into my little sketchbook and interact with them: which idea makes most sense and which implementation I feel up to.
I get bored quickly, so within every painting I want to try something new. That challenges me a-lot.
I m a perfectionist, always seeking the perfect colour, the perfect surface, the perfect contrast, the perfect composition until I feel my painted objects could come alive, reach climax and anticipate their decline.
I prepare my canvases really well.
I prime them with 10-15 layers of thin primer and sand them down to have a smooth, flexible and long-lasting underground.
Before starting my work, I sketch my idea on a small old canvas lobe, about 4-12cm small.
Here I get a feeling about the colours and the special mood, I want to create.
I put this reference sketch next to the main canvas having something to refer to, when I get stuck. My painting process starts by drawing with charcoal or acrylics.
These techniques allow really quick work and impulsive dynamic decisions, which is a lot of fun.
When the main composition is set I continue working with oil paint in a slow and thoughtful way. As intensity, composition and rhythm of colour play an enormous role in my work, I use many layers of oil paint. You cannot see these many layers but you will feel their presence. I love, when the
viewer is soaked into the canvas and when the works are surrounded with a radiating aura generated by the painting process and intense oil paint.
4. TELL US ABOUT YOUR STUDIO. WHAT DOES A WORK DAY LOOK LIKE? ANY RITUALS, TIMES? DO YOU LISTEN TO MUSIC? IF YES, WHAT DID YOU LISTEN TO MOST LATELY WHILST PAINTING?
I work in an old textile factory and am lucky to have a huge space and many great colleagues with studios in the same building.
Every day I have a different schedule.
Sometimes I start at 10am in the morning, the next day as late as 4pm in the evening. For having a productive day, my mind needs to be clear and tidy and my mood needs to be positive.
The first thing, when I come to my studio, is boiling some water for a cup of tea or coffee. Then I sit with my paintings and decide a hierarchy of to-dos. Upon starting a new painting, I usually listen to music, to get into „the mood“ to focus on myself and the work.
When I can see the „path“ forward clearly, I also listen to audio books or interviews while painting.
I have a constantly growing, diverse playlist of all of my favourite songs.
You ll find soundtracks, soul, indie, hiphop or classical music, just to mention a few.
According to Spotify „Nakhane“ is the artist I’ve been listening to the most in 2022.
5. PLEASE TELL US A BIT ABOUT HOW YOUR ASSOCIATION WITH THE L21 GALLERY CAME TO BE. HOW DID THE OPPORTUNITY ARISE FOR YOU TO WORK WITH THEM?
I received a message from Oscar Florit, the director of L21 Gallery, via Instagram.
A couple of messages later I was invited to a group show.
A little later I had a phone call with Cristina Ramos about organisational things when she handed me over to Oscar telling me that he loves my work and offering a representation.
That was a very overwhelming and unexpected moment for me.
6. IF YOU COULD TAKE ON ANY PROJECT, BIG OR SMALL, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ULTIMATE DREAM OPPORTUNITY?
I have a passionate desire and many ideas for my own stop-motion film based on dough.
7. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING IN YOUR LEISURE TIME WHEN YOU'RE NOT CREATING ART? AND HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO BALANCE YOUR ARTISTIC PURSUITS WITH YOUR OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES AND COMMITMENTS?
Managing myself as an artist is a full time job in itself with a lot of paperwork, organisational duties and other tedious tasks.
But I try not to think about it too much and just do, what needs to be done. I use a little hand written organiser to manage all appointments and deadlines.
If possible, I do only one appointment a day, either in the morning or in the evening, to allow a good amount of uninterrupted studio time.
When I m not working, I love spending time with my partner, my dearest friends and my family.
Also I love eating out at nice places and discover new flavours.
I enjoy the cinema, concerts and theatre plays a-lot. Going for a walk in nature calms me down and clears my head.
Mona Broschar -> Website
I also have a little garden within the city and early in the year I plant new herbs, vegetables and flowers and harvest them in summer.
Sometimes we just have a barbecue there and I relax in my hammock reading a nice book.
Mona Broschar -> Instagram
Member discussion