Natalie Egger
Biography
“It is an inner effortlessness beyond my mind, that’s where I find my art emerging.”
What’s your background?
I was always interested in fine arts, however I have not seen myself as an artist for a very long time, lacking of self-confidence making my own path in the creative world.
Back in 2015 I began a collaboration with a social media friend, who was engaged highly in artsy stuff like writing, doodling and making music. Our collaboration ground was an Instagram account called “Tailored dreams”, where I complemented the writing of my friend with my photographical edits.
After that I was highly engaged in art photography, where I took pictures of random things in the city which caught my attention and afterwards merging different photos into something completely different.
In 2017 I began to visit several drawing courses, mostly figurative drawing and portrait drawing. Since then drawing as well as painting is something I do on a regular basis.
In 2018 I joined the university of Applied Arts Vienna for a master study, where I made a deep dive into street art and wrote my master thesis about ““The influence of social networks on the art movement Street Art & their impact on the level of popularity of female street artists – by the example of Instagram” in 2019. In 2020 my first artbook ““[visual_diGITaL]_aRt|concepts_| 111 selected artworks by NataliE.” was published.
Since then I was part of a few group exhibitions in and near Vienna/Austria and of three small street art projects. Beside drawing, painting and photography I sometimes write experimental texts and occasionally shoot short films.
What does it mean to you to win the Collectors Art Prize?
I was very surprised to be one of the lucky chosen ones and I am feeling very honoured as this is my very first art prize.
What do you think is the role of art in the world today?
For me art is something which should not be detached, aloof or elitist. It should be available for everyone and should not be limited to mostly already dead artists showcasing their work in museums. Art should be available in a more democratic way, it should be accessible for all people, not only for the so called intellectuals. Therefore I like the way art is presented online and via social media nowadays as this gives everyone who checks out the internet the possibility to search for artworks and enjoy art from different artists all over the world.
What would it be if you could change one thing about the art world?
This question goes along with the question above. I would change the approach of what art symbolises/represents nowadays in the public as something which is only limited to a small part of the society, limited only to rich people who can afford art and who trade art as something similar like commodities or shares at a stock exchange. It should be accessible and affordable for everyone. It would be great if people can change their attitudes towards artworks by allowing themselves to acquire art as something usual like buying furniture or accessories for their homes. Most of the people don’t even think about hanging something unique on their walls at home.
What are your most significant professional achievements?
That is very hard to answer I have to admit, as I see myself at the beginning of my art career. I would say my most significant professional achievement is being brave enough to present my art towards a broader audience, by having my own art website and Instagram account as well as by exhibiting my artworks in galleries in Austria.
What do you wish to tell viewers about your work that might not come out explicitly? What do you hope to inspire with your artwork?
In my portraits and my figurative drawings and paintings I would like to draw the attention of the viewer to the beauty of all human beings.
In my digital artworks it is more surprising the viewer by giving her/him something which is not perceivable at first sight as I usually merge photos or even combine pictures with drawings of mine.
I hope to inspire the viewers to discover their own creativity and to unleash their inner artist as well.
What advice would you give to the upcoming generation of artists?
My advice is to create for the sake of creativity (according to the principle “l’art pour l’art”). Don’t think about what others might say about your artworks, it is all about your composition process that is what really counts. It is your very own creative path that matters, nothing else.
In what direction would you like to see your career go in the next five years?
That is again a very difficult question to answer as I don’t follow a specific plan, my art doesn’t follow a specific plan. It is more that my art flows out of me. I am most creative during my art composing process while I don’t think. The moment I become top-heavy I get lost and my art would not be my art, it would be something made in a very mechanic, somehow soulless and creativity-less way.
But what I would love to see myself evolving as an artist by trying out different fields of art directions. I would not want myself to get stuck into one (resp. a one dimensional) way of creating artworks.
Biography : https://www.unisonart.space/about
Website https://www.unisonart.space/
