An Interview of Anna Solecka

PLUM : Would you please tell us about your large format paintings? What inspires you to work on this format?

Anna Solecka: Regarding my large scale paintings, I have been working on them since 2003. For some time I have been interested in Asian art. I was also thrilled for the Japanese woodblock print from the Edo period (17th century).I was not only interested in woodblocks, but I found the drawings also very stimulating. In one paper I discovered several elements and motifs to my liking.From artists like Hiroshige and Hokusai, I liked the fact that in their works, they used a grid structure, which was very organized.Having several motifs combined produced a deeper meaning. These drawings were mainly animals and plants, sometimes body parts.Since I have long been working on several different series of works, from the Japanese woodblocks, I got the idea to produce my large scale pieces in a structure organized similarly to a grid. In this way, my work has endless possibilities. This has become an element of my work and I believe it acts as an identifier, much like having a unique signature.I was invigorated to quote myself and other artists such as Lucas Cranach. In one of my works, I painted images similar to Cranach’s and titled it “Bild mit Zittat von Lucas Cranach.”I also made a series of large paintings that had to do with my travels. I created one such work titled “Mosaic from Gaudi,” inspired by his mosaics in Barcelona, and another titled “Dome from Saragossa.”




PLUM : What techniques do you use in your paintings? Where are your materials from?

Anna Solecka: Since many years ago, I have developed my own techniques and these techniques are similar to fresco paintings. I would use this technique for fragments of a painting and other times for the entire painting. On the surface I like my paintings to have a matte finish much like frescoes. This is possible to see in pieces such as “Painting with Etruscan Hunting Scene” or “Painting with Fighting Boys of Thera” and other works. To prevent having only narration in my paintings I will use monochrome portions. I do not want to always have the painting tell a story. Sometimes I just want color for the sake of color. The inspiration comes from my old works in the 1990s, when I was only working with geometric elements, very strong in color. These pictures for me are also like a journal of my daily life. There was much autobiographical material in these works.




PLUM : Can you talk about your small paintings? Why did you create this collection?

Anna Solecka: My small paintings are separate ideas and I also extrapolate from them, ideas for my big paintings. For example, in 2003, I painted a series of hand shadows at play. These were big and small paintings, because as I said earlier, they can be connected and influence each other. In 2005 I worked on a series with portraits and these were also small and big paintings. Right now I am painting a series titled “Film.” I use fragments from films because I want to show the extreme situations involving people. I must use film footage because it is impossible to stage such extreme scenes in reality.




PLUM: Is it your first time traveling to China? What impressed you the most?


Anna Solecka: It is my first time in China and I feel very happy about the trip. It has been very pleasant. For many years I have had friends of Asian descent that study art. For me everyone is the same because we are connected by art. So far I know China only from my experience in Shanghai, but even so I can see a strong contrast of old and new parallel worlds. I see this in not only architecture but also in the way of life. You can see this everywhere, it is unavoidable. On the streets there will be the contrast of luxury cars with rickety transport bicycles carrying any number of things. After only a few days I developed a critical view of the speed of development here. I can see the lost expressions on the faces of those who are caught up in their quickly changing surroundings, unable or unwilling to adjust from their traditions.



PLUM: Did Shanghai give you any ideas for painting?

Anna Solecka: All travels bring me new ideas for my paintings and I always take many photographs for inspiration. Later when I am in the studio, I can use this material to remind me of my feelings during those travels.