She studied fine arts in Corriente Alterna in Lima, currently studies at the Kunstakademie in Düsseldorf in the class of Andreas Schulze and has just finished an exchange year at the École Nationale Superieure de Beaux Arts in Paris in the class of Julien Creuzet and Emmanuelle Huynh. She has participated, and organised several group exhibitions in Duesseldorf, Berlin, Paris and Lima.
You grew up in Lima, studied in Düsseldorf and now you study in Paris – where we met. What influences your work?
I was born in Texas (USA), while my dad was finishing his master’s degree, then we came back to Peru. And, I grew up in Lima. What moves me to create is a need that I perceive as vital as eating or breathing. I get inspiration specially from nature and social interactions. Given my international cultural background I am interested in topics such as belonging, cultural identity, minorities, and inter- and transculturality.
What does your work represent?
My work represents emotional states based on love, freedom, introspection, solitude, vulnerability and community. In the past year I have been working on creating social spaces for interaction and artistic co-creation. My work also nourishes itself from nature and its beauty, striving to raise consciousness about it.
_Nos vemos en el cosmos_ collective weaving, 300cm x 200cm, 2022 
Detail of _Nos vemos en el cosmos_ collective weaving, 300cm x 200cm, 2022 2 
“Contracorrriente” Embroidery of Glass, plastic and wood beads, Installation with variable measure, 2022 2
What techniques do you use?
I like to explore the materials and methods intuitively, I have more freedom by doing so. Then I learn the proper technique, so I can combine both knowledges. Like weaving, for example. I learned weaving autodidactically, with a self-made woodframe and needles. I started with a very small 15cm x 15cm format and passed the wool manually from side to side. With time, my weavings grew in size and complexity, and I started weaving double sided. Furthermore, I also created sculptures that exist in space like woven objects. I developed my own technique, and afterwards I learned how to use a foot-treadle floor loom and a frame loom.
I experiment with different wool and natural fibers as well as tree branches, flowers, wire and plastic. The contrasts between natural and artificial materials interest me.
What brings you joy?
To share with people, specially a nice meal. To cook, to sing, to play music, to do art, to swim in the ocean. To feel the sun rays on my face, a hug.
What are the most beautiful places in Paris for you?
Without doubt the École des Beaux Arts, it has wonderfull courtyards with nice arquitechture and trees where you can pass the time with friends or working. Also, I love being close to the Seine river. I come from a coastal city, so I enjoy very much being near a place with water, it makes me feel happy.
How will you spend your summer?
Actually, I am and will be travelling around a lot, because of work, and for vacations with family and friends. I just finished “Boxenstopp”, one big group exhibition that I organised in Düsseldorf at the Off Space ‘ES365’. Right now, I am writing from Estepona in the south of Spain, where I am enjoying some family time at the beach. Then, I go back to Paris for some days, then again to Düsseldorf for the Finissage of my solo exhibition in the ‘Malkastenpark’, then to Berlin to see the Berlin Circus Festival, which I like very much. And to Kassel to see the Documenta 15. The whole month of september I am going to be in an artistic residency in Finland, in a small island in the archipelago. I am pretty excited!
Musicperformance – 2021_06_01 Ausstellung Smile Effekt – Angelina Vernetti_025 
Radioprogramm at the exhibition _Boxenstop_ at ES365, july 2022 
During the performance _Catharsis in 5 parts_ together with Morgan Frey, Beaux Arts the Paris, 2022
Which peruvian artist would you recommend?
There is one peruvian artist that I like very much, her name is Ana Teresa Barboza. I really love her weavings and installations. Go check her out! And in the musical scene, I have 2 favourite musicians/groups which I listen to all the time. They are ‘Lorena Blume’ and ‘Alejandro y Maria Laura’.
What are your next plans?
Well I have a lots of plans. I want to do a book and a movie of ‘Boxenstopp’, the past exhibition that I organized. I think, that what we did there was really special. The idea was to mix the exhibition space with a living house situation, erasing the line between artwork and normal life. It was a residency and an exhibition at the same time, co-living with the works and the artists, creating a super melting pot. 25 artists from 15 different countries participated! We want it to be a recurrent project, rotating in different cities and with different artists. So, the next step is to see which can be the next “Boxenstopp” destination. I am very happy about it! Also, I have to edit videos of a couple of performances that I have done in the past months, some for pure documentation and some also as extension of the performance itself. Furthermore, I have a specific music project in mind, so a lot of studio time lies ahead of me aswell. Soooo, lot do to, but I love it!! And the next big weaving is in planning as well, stay tuned.
Sofia Magdits – www.sofiamagdits.com, www.instagram.com/sofiamagdits/
