In the Studio | Ewelina Skowronska
Welcome to the studio of Ewelina Skowronska, a multimedia artist based in Tokyo. In her work, Ewelina draws from history, mythology, and culture to explore concepts of body, gender, and identities across a variety of mediums. Read on to learn about her creative process and more.
TAPPAN
What is your creation process like, how are you conceptualizing and thinking about each of these pieces?
EWELINA SKOWRONSKA
My creative process differs for each series. However, I can say that it all usually starts with a certain emotion or inquiry. It might be triggered by a piece of poetry or text I am reading, or by personal experience or observations. Then I start sketching and contextualizing it. When I know more about what I am aiming for than I start creating. However, usually it is not that I know everything from the beginning to the end or that I have a super solid plan just when I start working. Things happen organically. I usually start with one work, and very often the first one is full of fears and uncertainties. But somehow this first work usually unblocks something and then images start floating in me.
TAPPAN
Describe your work in three words.
EWELINA SKOWRONSKA
Sensual, emotional, body.
TAPPAN
Would you say you have a studio philosophy?
EWELINA SKOWRONSKA
I guess I am very close to 10 Rules for Artists by Sister Corita Kent.
TAPPAN
Regarding your method of making, is it a case of the material or method dictating the idea of the other way around?
EWELINA SKOWRONSKA
In my practice I mostly use printmaking and drawings. Since printmaking is a complex process involving lots of preparations and planning, when I construct my images I am obviously simultaneously thinking how I can translate those images into the mediums I am working with. Lately I started using an airbrush technique which allows me a direct and instant contact with my materials. I like to combine those spontaneous ways of working with printmaking, as well as other materials than paper, like fabrics.
TAPPAN
What’s the first thing you do when you begin formulating an idea for a piece?
EWELINA SKOWRONSKA
When I formulate an idea I usually also read a lot. So, in that sense there are two things that are happening: I write and I sketch. I like to put down my thoughts, or take notes from interesting reading, sometimes it can be even just a single word that sticks with me. When it comes to sketches I have to admit that they are nothing like some other artist's beautiful sketchbooks. But they help me realize my idea; they are usually simple line drawings with pencils, pen, or sumi ink.
Ewelina Skowronska says:
“Everything around me inspires me and I am motivated by a need to create, make, and constantly improve. My work is created by looking inward and seeing how those experiences can become shared or universal.”
TAPPAN
Tell us about an artist whose career you admire.
EWELINA SKOWRONSKA
My inspiration changes together with things I am interested in. But I can definitely say that I always return to works by Louise Bourgeois, Huguette Caland, Marlene Dumas, Helen Chadwick, and Tracy Emin and always learn something new from them.
TAPPAN
What was the last gallery show you went to?
EWELINA SKOWRONSKA
It was an exhibition of the work by Yokoo Tadanori at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo (MOT). He is one of my favorite artists from Japan.
TAPPAN
What is the arts community like in your city? Do you spend your time around other creatives?
EWELINA SKOWRONSKA
Tokyo is quite a specific place when it comes to art. In my opinion the creative community is not huge, so I decided to create my own environment. Together with two other creatives we rented an old building in the east part of Tokyo. After renovating it, each of us have a studio there, plus we have a small gallery and pop up space that hosts different cultural activities. This pushed me to started "ONA project room" an initiative to support female artists through the series of pop up exhibitions. And now every month I host one exhibition that last only 3 days, but it has this energy of introducing female artists to a new audience, spend time with other creatives, and also interact with the local community.
TAPPAN
If you could travel anywhere to create for a while, where would you go?
EWELINA SKOWRONSKA
Mexico or LEWELINA SKOWRONSKA
TAPPAN
What are your other hobbies?
EWELINA SKOWRONSKA
Recently I started learning Butoh, a form of dance developed in Japan in the 60s. It is a really interesting way of expression through the body, a topic that of course is very much connected with my work. I also studied Japanese tea ceremony, but here again I am interested in body movements. So, it seems that all my hobbies are actually related to my work.
TAPPAN
If you could have a drink with one artist, who would it be?
EWELINA SKOWRONSKA
Tracy Amin
TAPPAN
What influences you?
EWELINA SKOWRONSKA
I guess everything around me inspires me. My personal experiences, things I read, people I have met, cultural and political events. I am interested in psychology and ways culture, religion, historical moments we are living in, or how family influences our identities. So, for me it is usually looking inward and seeing how those experiences can become shared or universal.
TAPPAN
What motivates you?
EWELINA SKOWRONSKA
I guess it must be a need to create, make, and improve, and constantly grow. I am very ambitious, so if I get an idea it bugs me and I can't stop thinking about it until I make it happen. I like when things are in motion and I also like new challenges, so if a new project or collaboration appears it is always a new boost of energy and motivation for me. However, I also need my down time and moments when I can step back and see what actually just happened.
TAPPAN
Silence or sound while creating? If sound, what?
EWELINA SKOWRONSKA
I would say both. I like creating in silence as I feel my head can be very loud, and very often I am having a conversation with myself. And even if there is some sound around me, I simply cut it off and don't hear it. But there are times I like to be surrounded by sound, as it puts me in a specific mood. So it really depends on how I feel in a given moment or what I do. Most of the time I prefer to listen to music. However, if I do something repetitive that doesn't require lots of concentration I can listen to podcasts or audio books.
TAPPAN
Tools or mediums you’re dying to experiment with?
EWELINA SKOWRONSKA
I have started experimenting with fabrics, so this is something new for me and I am wondering when it will lead me. But there are many tools and materials I would like to experiment with like glass, bigger scale ceramic works, or bigger scale site-specific works. I hope I will have the opportunity to work with those materials or in that way sometimes in the near future.
TAPPAN
What work took you the longest to complete?
EWELINA SKOWRONSKA
I usually work quite fast so I don't recall any work that took an extensive amount of time. But of course some work takes longer because of the process involved. Ceramic is one of those processes. It's long, unpredictable to a certain extent, and requires a certain amount of patience. I accept that each medium has its own personality, so in that sense the perception of time involved in the process changes for me.
TAPPAN
Best gift you’ve ever received?
EWELINA SKOWRONSKA
A knit sweater made by my Aunty with an image taken from one of my prints.
TAPPAN
What’s one habit you wish you could break?
EWELINA SKOWRONSKA
I like all my habits. They tell so much about who we are and who I am. So I guess I am ok with them all. They usually come and go anyway, in their own ways.
