The overflow of visual stimulation and the increasing importance of the surface are recurring topics in her mixed media works. Incorporating various techniques like digital printing, embroidery, and drawing, she combines seemingly unconnected images into wild yet complex collages and thereby addresses issues such as overload, sexualization, and identity in a playful way.
Can you share a bit about your background and what led you to be the person you are today?
Looking back now, I would say spending some important years of my childhood in a very multicultural surrounding in London was the first influence that had a big impact on me. This celebration of diversity I experienced as a young child was just fantastic, and for sure led to my excitement about getting to know different cultures and, therefore, many, many travels during my twenties.
The other factor that played a major role in the path I took was, of course, my family. Even though the family dynamics were extremely dysfunctional, creativity and handicrafts were highly regarded, and the support I got from them in my artistic journey was extraordinary. My parents were the ones who would always say, „You will be an artist anyway one day.“
Could you walk us through your creative process? What are the key steps in your practice?
Depending on my work, I often go through my archives looking for images that intuitively speak to me. I then lay them out together or make a folder virtually and sort them to see what sparked my interest and how the images relate to each other.
Because I work in so many different ways and techniques, it’s hard to describe one process… But proceeding from my collected footage, I create multi-layered images, collages, textile works, or paintings. Essentially, I transform things I can’t seem to grasp (like the virtual) into something material, making it tangible for me and others.
For example, at the moment I am working on a series of mobile snapshots that I materialize through a very time-consuming textile technique. The digital image first has to be enlarged and simplified on paper, so I can cut out the individual shapes that are then transformed onto various fabrics. These pieces are then sewn together, embroidered, and layered with either text or abstract remnants from my digital prints on fabric.
How do you go about selecting fabrics and materials for your designs? What factors influence your choices?
Generally, I love using the material I find in my studio. I already have quite a large collection of fabrics and digital prints, and I enjoy working with textiles that already carry a story… Like the tie-dyed cloth that I used as a towel, sun protection, and dress on many travels, or my favorite scarf that just became too raddled to wear. But of course sometimes I also just need a specific color that I then go out to find in a store.
How important are text and poetry in your work? How do they influence it?
Recently, text has become a big part of my work again. I don’t think I can express myself best in words, otherwise, I would probably be a writer, but words can complement images in such a magical way. They add a new layer to a work and can lead you to completely new directions. I love to play with double meanings, with the rhythm of words and rhymes. And with text as the image itself. I see and use it as an addition to my visual work rather than a description of it.
Where is your studio located, and how would you describe it? What does an ideal day in the studio look like for you?
I’m currently blessed to be working in my absolute dream studio. It’s located in a rather quiet area of the 15th district and used to be some sort of commercial building. It’s very large, has multiple rooms for my various practices, and a huge courtyard. For some reason I don’t have direct neighbors I would need to consider during late working sessions. And the best part is I live just above.
An ideal day in the studio would start after a run and some food, on a day I wouldn’t have to consider childcare times and knowing exactly what I am working on that day. It would probably contain several hours of doing something precise, like sewing, a little bit of painting or woodworking, but also some computer work in between (getting stuff done), and then the most satisfying part in arts: finishing off a piece.
Do you consider fashion to be a form of art?
Definitely! Fashion contains not only the surface (the fabric) you can design, print, or create but also the three-dimensionality of a sculpture through its form and then the presentation of it in so many possible ways in time and space. Furthermore, it’s a great way of expressing ourselves.
I am sad most people use fashion as a commodity limited to functionality.
Don’t get me wrong, functionality and comfort are crucial, but life could be so much more colorful and interesting if we would allow art to play a bigger part in design.
Is there a „rule“ you believe should always be broken?
No. All rules are made up by us humans, and we can decide for ourselves which ones we need to follow, break, or simply not care about.
You are also a member of “CLUB FORTUNA.“ How did the artist collective come about, and how do you develop your projects? What themes do you deal with?
Originally, we all met at university and wanted to create happenings that are fun and involve or stir up the audience in some way. We were so full of energy, often sat together through many nights, and even invested our own money to realize our projects!
Since most of us have kids now, ten years later, we don’t do the night shifts anymore, and fortunately, nowadays we get invited to participate in shows or create performances with a budget. But the love for creating immersive experiences has stayed.
There are currently four of us, and we are each very versatile and skilled in different areas, which is why we can realize quite sophisticated projects. Depending on the setting, we still mostly do happenings or installations that engage the audience in some way. Our projects grow from analyzing current developments and social mechanics and often address themes such as the capitalization of the body or future prospects in a humorous way.
Your solo exhibition at Galerie Kandlhofer in Vienna opens on October 24. Can you tell us something about it? What can we look forward to?
My starting point for this exhibition is mirror selfies by moms that I have been collecting for quite a while now and which I transformed into textile works. Besides our selfie culture and this relatively new form of self-presentation, I am generally interested in the layers that emerge when photographing and reproducing reflective surfaces.
As for the topic of mom selfies, there are a lot of ambiguities that come up for me.
On the one hand, I see an independent, strong woman: self-aware, en vogue, sexy; taking her representation into her own hands and opposing the invisibility women face once they become mothers (or post-menopause). She is with her child, but it seems only to be an appendix, nearly an accessory. It doesn’t take her energy. Her attention is on her image, her reflection in the mirror; the moment she decides is worth capturing and sharing.
There is no screaming toddler to hear, no nagging, chaos, or struggle to see in these images. No sleepless nights. No toothbrush fights, no greasy fingers wiped in your new outfit. So on the other hand, they depict a highly unrealistic but ‚ideal‘ world of motherhood from the standpoint of a patriarchal and capitalistic society, where women undertake the vast majority of unpaid care work. (In Austria, only 3.6% of parental leave is taken by fathers!) This again leads me to think how important it is to make these roles that women take on (voluntarily or involuntarily) visible and portray mothers in their self-empowerment.
Besides this theoretical approach, you can expect a colorful exhibition featuring elaborate works that have been created in a very labor-intensive and tedious technique. I am really excited to see how it will all come together in the space and hope to see many of you at the opening.
Upcoming exhibition: October 24th to November 22nd at Galerie Kandlhofer, Austria, Brucknerstraße 4, 1040 Vienna.
Nana Mandl – www.nanamandl.com, www.instagram.com/nana.mandl/
