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Q&A: Natalia Grezina. Spot on the ceiling and mystic thriller

January 11, 2020

We have interviewed Natalia Grezina, the artist from Rotterdam. Natalia’s technique is embroidery on polyethylene, she brings her memories to life in the form of mysterious symbols.   

Q. How can we name the style of your works?

A. It is hard to summarise everything i do in one specific category. There is a lot of mythology and history in my works, which intertwine with routine symbols of everyday life.  Perhaps, I feel comfortable with term “magical realism” when thinking of my artistic expression. If this could be viewed as a direction, this is probably best describing my art. 

Q. The exhibition “Gift” is devoted to objects in history and modern culture. What was the most valuable gift in your life? 

A. I keep a lot of souvenirs and gifts, each one of them holds some dear memories about time and places, about emotions and people.  Even a simple card can make me sentimental sometimes and affect me for a long time.  The main thing is not about a specific gift but about the time travel I could experience with them. 

Q. Project “One hundred years war” resembles a mystical thriller. When is the next edition? 

A. Nice comparison with a thriller ) Two editions were issued last year with a little break in between. And now, I feel, it is time to get calm and properly prepare to the next one. Symbols and ideas are already in the air, so I plan to tell not one but a few bloody stories in the coming year. 

Q. Where do you get your inspiration from? 

A. It just comes to me. But this sudden inspiration still consists of intense mix of emotions, read books, heard conversations that I came across. even an ordinary stain on a ceiling could be the source of inspiration if we learn to notice details. 

Q. What is the perfect country for creativity? 

A. If you feel urgency to create you can do it in anywhere. There are many examples proving this point from grim past of many countries. There are a lot of pros and cons in each situation, and more often than not hard times can be fruitful for an artist. But no doubt, there are places with more opportunities, for example, in terms of building a successful career. However, it all depends on a person. ⠀