Interview with Nina Pandolfo: Feelings at the Lazarides Gallery

On 1^st June the Lazarides Gallery opens an exhibition of Brazilian artist Nina Pandolfo presenting her new body of work Feelings, which marks the artist’s UK debut with her Spice Angels series, capturing characteristic wide-open eyed girls and other inhabitants of her imaginary, fairy-tale world.

The Upcoming had the pleasure to talk to the author of pictures and sculptures, Nina Pandolfo.

It is your first solo exhibition in London, is it also your first time in London?

No, a few years ago I was taking part in a group exhibition, but it was about 2004, a long time ago. I like London very much; people are friendly here and open to art. The city is old, the buildings are old but the city’s spirit is young and it’s very nice to do a show in a place you like, for a young audience. The city is very energetic.

Do you think London public will react to your work in any special way?

I hope they will like it. They are very open-minded, open to new things, to art. I hope my art will keep them warm: the weather is sometimes so grey!

Tell me more about your work…

In this exhibition, I present the series Feelings, and every picture is showing a different feeling. This series is related to the whole of my work, as it all originates from an imaginary world I created, a world where different characters live and everything is different. Fish can fly there. I am trying to convey positive feeling through my art; I am not interested in negative emotions or grey colours. I want my work to be cheerful and give people happiness.

When did you start painting?

For this exhibition? I don’t know exactly, because I am working on many canvases at the same time… I started to paint as a child, then at the school I did some graffiti, but I don’t have any formal training. I like to learn by myself. I don’t like it when people tell me what I should do and how should I do it: I prefer to explore things on my own. I am doing my university degree at the same time in my studio. And now I have many teachers, who thankfully don’t have to always be with me!

Are there any artists that you admire especially?

On graffiti, Os Gemeos were my teachers, and they showed me a lot. We didn’t have the Internet, nor any information on graffiti, then. They explained to me how to use the spray, and what graffiti is. They were very good teachers, because they told me: “Here is the spray, do whatever you want!” I also like Victor Brecheret very much. He does very subtle and delicate sculptures in a very hard stone. I like him, and I believe I can do something similar. My canvases are very subtle, as my graffiti were. Others were doing Hip-Hop graffiti, and I ended up with girls, birds and candy colours. I also like the Japanese artists Nara Yoshitomo.

What are your plans for the future?

I am trying to grow constantly. My works – and I! – have matured since the last show. They are different, characters are more mature, and the form is more mature, less square, and more curvy. In the nearest future, I will take part in art fairs; and in February I will have a show in Brazil.

Why should our readers come and see you exhibition?

I think it is good to see something different, and form your own opinion. You shouldn’t believe if somebody is saying that it’s good or it’s bad. Come and see for yourself!

 Agata Gajda 

Photos: Marco Arias Rua

Nina Pandolfo: Feelings at the Lazarides Gallery, 11 Rathbone Place, London, between 1^st June 2012 – 5^th July 2012

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