Second interview in our series. This time it's Esther Lara who's interviewing Miss Salopette, an Italian artist with a quirky view on things.
Blonde girl
Esther Lara: Hello! Who are you? explain me a little bit about yourself.
Miss Salopette: Hello my name is Mery Sinatra or you can call me Miss Salopette.
I draw, I paint, I sketch and I spend a lot of time on internet.
Many of my works are very influenced by Japan weird things, internet, childhood, insects, rats and my own feelings/histeries of the moment.
EL: I've been looking on your website, your work is amazing! How would you describe your art?
MS: Thank you :)
My feelings are strongly related with the subjects of my artworks so I describe my art as very personal with some pop or disturbing elements.
The girls I draw have a sweet, childish look but embody a contradiction. Their kawaiiness is misleading. They’re gloomy, alienated, confused, sometimes apathetic.
I like to insert elements that underline their mood. Sometimes it’s an animal usually society finds repulsive: Larvae, insects, cockraches, snails. Sometimes it is an object, like a garbage can, dynamite, a cutter, an alien spaceship, a cross… or a genetic or aesthetic anomaly, like conjoined twins, extra legs, amputated arms or missing parts, like eyes. Or Sometimes is only the flat and vacuum background where they live suspended in time and space.
EL: What inspires yourself? How do you usually work?
MS: Internet is a big ocean of inspirations, i like to explore it, i'm really affascinated by the underground stories found on forums, or on blog articles about alien, conspiracy, weird stories of humanity, human cases of abnormality, society repulsive stories and so on. Many of this stories grow on me as a strong feeling that i need to transfer on paper or on canvas.
But lately events of my life and my own feelings inspire my work most of all.
When I work I elaborate what I want to represent on my head for days, sketching it. Many of my artworks terminate with this step, because they already express the essence of the idea without the need of colour or a dramatic support. Other times they need to be defined more deeply. In this case I choose the proper technique, support and colouring. I usually work alone at my studio with cat and a glass of wine.
EL: Where do you live? Do you like it? How do you spend your free time?
MS: I live near Milan, Italy. I like the place where I live but it's not very stimulating. So I've furnished my home as my safe place full of stimulating things that surround me everyday (books, objects, dvds, toys, artworks..).
For me it's not important where i live but the few people near/around me. And I like to travel a lot so it's ok live here.
I'm a very isolated girl, I like to spend a lot of time on internet, watch many movies and documentaries about universe, alien and spirit world, play with my cat, listening my boyfriend plays guitar and piano, sleep, and drawing cause is my mainly activity during my free time!
Trash
EL: What does it means to you the concept of NSFW?
MS: NSFW is what art should be, free of any censorship and free of the fear of what society may think about your art.
EL: Finally, tell me something important to you.
MS: "Never forget your beginner spirit".
The concept of this quote by yoshitomo nara is very important for me and i try to follow it every time i start to paint or draw.
