O-A: What is art to you? Is creating an urge, necessity or maybe an incontournable, essential way of life? What wouldn’t you do without art? What did you discover, achieve with it?
Dagmar Maini: My art is an archive of my thoughts, life and events. It’s like my journal. It’s a way I communicate my sense of the world. I hope my art provokes other people to look a little closer at current social issues. Fine craft has become an artist undervalued aspect of todays world. I also wish to reintroduce appreciation and awareness of quality craftsmanship to people around me. Although life is very comfortable, essential qualities of resourceful, connected, imaginative, skilful living are being lost.
O-A: If a person, artist or not, influenced you, what kind of question would you ask him/her?
Dagmar Maini: I always feel vulnerable when promoting and selling my art. I would ask how do you build self-confidence. How do I keep that negative feeling of doubt and disappointment in a bay.
O-A: Who or what inspired you artistically; a person, artist, event, experience….
Dagmar Maini: Recently I come across this quote which stayed in my head….
“There are no rules. That is how art is born, how breakthroughs happen. Go against the rules or ignore the rules. That is what invention is about.” – Helen Frankenthaler
Few artists whose art has lit a fire under me:
Constantin Brancusi
Louise Nevelson
William Mitchell
Leroy Setziol
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O-A: What was the most interesting statement you heard about your work?
Dagmar Maini: This little review from a journalist who visited my Solo show in Melbourne last year; “Dagmar showcasing her signature wood marquetry art in her debut exhibition at the Brunswick Street Gallery. Her pieces are intricate, unique and deeply soulful – infused with a bohemian energy that seems to breathe life into the timber grain. How does something so solid evoke such a sensual and ethereal response? This is the mystery of great art.”
Isn’t it a wonderful review?
O-A: How do you search for inspiration and themes for your work?
Dagmar Maini: Most of the time I wake up with an idea. Recently I started to watch documentaries on YouTube about artists lives and struggles-That got me in the mood!
When I don’t feel the inspiration coming, I get my diary and try to sketch anyway or just go through my old sketchbooks. Also going through art magazines or art books helps.
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O-A: How has your art changed over time? Why?
Dagmar Maini: I started with creating small wallhangings. Just for decorating, whatever was trending and what I thought people might buy. A Few years later I realized that my art doesn’t need to speak to large masses. I feel that as soon as the masses start to like “something” it looses its value. Since then my art started to change. I started to be more braver with material, methods and even size. My art becomes more ME!
O-A: Are you a synesthete? Have synesthete ever commented on your paintings? How?
Dagmar Maini: Dagmar Maini: No. But I would absolutely love to hear what synesthete would say about my art!! Recently I discovered Ali Banisadr who paints by sound. His art is amazing!
O-A: What names do you give your artworks?
Dagmar Maini: Some pieces have a name before I even start…. but I also have few pieces from last year without a name. I don’t feel it’s important. I love abstract, it gives you the freedom to be what you want it to be. You need to look harder, squint your eyes, turn your head…
I also love to ask my friends and kids for help with the name.
O-A: What do you usually talk about with your collectors?
Dagmar Maini: How I believe that a disturbing price is being paid by our current Western society to live in the most comfortable and convenient time in human history, necessities of our humanity are being forsaken as we accumulate and waste….
Although life is very comfortable, essential qualities of resourceful, connected, imaginative, skillful living are being lost.
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