Mina Rodahl
Artist
City of residence,  OSLO, NORWAY

FACEBOOK
 

Location: Jenny Hemstads gate

Date and time:

Art Takeover: Thursday 11 October 18:00 - 21:00

Exhibition is up 12 & 13 October  12:00 - 19:00 

Q & A:

COL: How old are you and where are you from? 

MR: 23 born and raised in Enebakk, one hour outside Oslo.

COL: What do you do?

MR: I get easily bored and need to do multiple things at the same time. I’ve been doing art for as long as I can remember, but I have always done other things at the same time to keep my mind busy and take in inspiration from different angles. Currently most of my time goes to co-own and build the restaurant ‘San Francisco Bread Bowl’ at Frogner. On the side of that I
do some part time modeling, work for Fretex (the salvation army) and take commissions illustration wise.

COL: How long have you been doing it?

MR: I think i started doing multiple things at the same time a couple of years ago. But then again it feels like I’ve always had a normal job and done something weird on the side of that to balance it out. I have worked at Fretex for four years and started as a freelance illustrator early 2017. I started modeling early this year and started at the restaurant in March.

COL: What’s your first artistic memory?

MR: The first artistic memory I can think of must be when I was somewhere around 6 and I came home to my parents from an after school programme where one of the older girls had drawn the most amazing car I had ever seen. And my dad was a car salesman at the time so I proudly brought the drawing home, signed my name under it and told my parents I made it.
Of course they didn’t believe me, BUT for some reason they decided to sign me up for art school shortly after.

COL: What inspired you to pursue a career in art?

MR: I had a computer game I was obsessed with around the age of 13 that always said «practice makes perfect» every time I did something wrong. So whenever I was at art school and there was something I didn’t know how to do or make, I just kept practicing it ‘till I was pleased with it. In my late teenage years I started posting some of it on social media and getting a
response that made me realise I was doing something right, and making my «hobby» something I could earn money out of.

COL: Do you remember your first work of art?

MR: I have a bunch of old paintings and drawings from kindergarten home, BUT the first work I would consider art was a painting I made somewhere around 2010, that made it to the «final» in UKM. That was huge for a small town girl back then.

COL: If you could have any piece of art in history, what would you choose?

MR: Easy. «girl with the pearl earring» by Johannes Vermeer. I see so much of myself in that painting and I can’t really explain it.

COL: What is your relationship with fashion?

MR: I’m pretty sure I would have worked more with fashion in some way if the day had more hours or my life took another turn earlier on. I used to dream about having my own clothing line and have made tons of clothing myself. Fashion is also a big part in my illustrations, so I try to keep my eyes open as much as I can, and join fashion shows when I have the time for
it.

COL: What does the word “collective” mean to you as an artist?

MR: Eyes and opinions. To be in a group that works together for the same goal but everyone with
their own touch and meaning.

COL: What is the best and worst thing about being an artist?

MR: Not having someone watching out for you and setting rules must be the worst part. I work better with guidelines and making sure not to disappoint someone. Mostly why I’ve always had a normal job on the side. Balance is key.

But then again the best part must be the freedom to start and stop whenever i’d like and do
whatever i’d like.

COL: Who do you admire?

MR: Soooo many! BUT the first two that pops into my mind is Jessie Andrews and Isamaya French. First one a former adult actress too creative to sit still, now building an empire of success with her jewellery brand, swimsuit brand and soon to come skincare brand. She’s also a model, analog photographer and dj. The second one a multi talented makeup artist too funny and beautiful to be behind the camera. Lot’s of her work consist of her as the model, makeup artist and art director.

COL: What can we expect to see at this year’s festival?

MR: I’m quick to change my mind last minute. It will either be very graphic or very realistic. Very pastel or very earthy. We’ll just have to wait and see.

COL: Who are you excited to see?

MR: I have no idea. I like the idéa of surprise. Hopefully someone will surprise and inspire me.

COL: How important is the ability to expose your art to you and your creative field?

MR: Very much important! Like I said earlier, not having someone setting rules for me as and artist also makes med forget that I have something to stand up for. Having people like collective oslo «pushing» artist out there is what we need. It’s the closest I’ll get to having a «normal» work place in this industry. We need more of it.