Sara Abraham
"My work comes from a desire to contribute, learn and interpret the world around us through visual storytelling across borders..."
Sara Abraham
Photographer
City of residence, OSLO, NORWAY
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?
SA: 25, from Ethiopia, born and raised in Oslo.
COL: What do you do?
SA: My work comes from a desire to contribute, learn and interpret the world around us through visual storytelling across borders, both globally and creatively. So that is what I do, using photography as the main tool in my practise.
COL: How long have you been doing it?
SA: I’ve always had an urge to create, but it got more serious after high school and through my art studies.
COL: What inspired you to pursue a career in art?
SA: Maybe it’s cliche, but I’ve just followed the path that gave me the most joy and meaning. And the courage comes from seeing other people doing the same.
COL: Do you remember your first work of art?
SA: Other than my sketches from kindergarten, I think you would have called my crazy ugly last minute costume for carnival for an interesting piece of art. I was 8 years old and even won a price for “originality”.
However, my first in-depth art project was only a couple of years ago and was a portrait
series on black girls and the complex relationship with their hair.
COL: If you could have any piece of art in history, what would you choose?
SA: It would definitely be any piece of art that was stolen during colonial times and brought to western countries. And return it back to their rightful owners/countries and museums.
COL: What is your relationship with fashion?
SA: Fashion was the first form of self expression that I felt that I understood. Often it is the other way around, but it was sort of my way into photography.
COL: What does the word “collective” mean to you as an artist?
SA: The same way everything in the universe is connected on a deeper level I believe all that we are and do as humans is as well. As artists we create from both within and the world around us - and there is not a bigger collective than that. So the word collective means a lot as all artists play a unique part that together makes the total.
COL: What is the best and worst thing about being an artist?
SA: There is no off button.
COL: What can we expect to see at this year’s festival?
SA: I hope you see images that makes you feel something and that we all get to see a broad spectrum of what fashion art photography is.
COL: Who are you excited to see?
SA: I'm just excited for everything. It’s interesting and inspiring to see how both up and coming and established artists view the world, art and fashion in today's challenging environment.
COL: How important is the ability to expose your art to you and your creative field?
SA: All artists create from a place within and in some way or from we interpret the world we live in.
I´m striving to create art that has a greater purpose. Either as an conversation starter or
something that relates to you on a deeper level. And to do that artists need exposure. So it's super important! But also scary because it often personal.
