Etiye Dimma Poulsen Interiew:
celebrating her first exhibitio to Japan

January 12th, 2008 @Gallery Strenger
Interviewed by: Mr.Takatoshi Nishimura from Gekkan Bijutsu

Mr.Nishimura:
Does each of your works have a different meaning?
Etiye:
Every sculpture is actually a process for me to work around an idea that I have.
(Pointing at "Esprit of Destiny", 2007) We can start here the sculpture that you see here. Very square and static and very ground-bound, this is the installation which I got my inspiration from Pre-Colombian art. They are very squarish and geometrical in shape. And... I take the elements not just from Africa, but from the many other cultures of the world. If you look at the graphics on the dresses the other works have, they are from traditional clothing of some place in Africa. They inspire me at the moment. In the case of the "Esprit of Destiny", I thought why not put any geometrical clothing from any tribe, and also why not put something contemporary from my date like GPS (global positioning system) of the car.
You see, I took the image of this colorful square part on the sculpture from the GPS. Those green areas are the forests and blue parts are the waters.
N:
Are these cracks roads?
E:
Yes. And the cracks are actually whole by nature. They are the magic of the earth and fire!
I took the Azabu-Jiban's image from GPS and put it on this peace, which was going to travel to here. This is why I call it "spirit of destiny".
N:
(Pointing at a mark on the body) Is this some letter or symbol?
E:
Well, this is not the true symbol which I found somewhere, I imagine with an aspiration to Japan. Nothing is the copy of existing thing and everything is aspiration... I mean my image of Japan. That was taken by beauty from GPS on the sculpture.
N:
Is the form originally from the Colombian era?
E:
Pre-Colombian. Aztec.
N:
When did you do your works?
E:
It was... About three months ago.
N:
How many works did you produce for this show?
E:
I would say... about 22.
N:
Do you start working when you decide the place or schedule of your next show?
E:
No, I always work though the year. Maybe the action comes out just before the exhibition to add few things.
My theme is classic... Almost all of my works - specially simple, slim and very African-looking early works - contain traditional African elements such as ethnic costume.
I lived in Ethiopia until I became 5 years old and grown up in Kenya and Tanzania until 14. But it doesn't mean I remember everything. (Pointing at "Nomad", 2007) See, I had fragment images of this blue dress in my memory. I didn't copy the traditional style or ethnic elements but I create my work with my fragmentary memories and nostalgia of Africa. If you like, this is my translation of Africa.
N:
I see you are inspired very much by Africa and African art. But what you told me made me understand that you get inspirations from many other cultures too, including modern system like GPS from today's society. Interesting.
E:
I draw inspiration from pre-Colombian African art. But I don't live in that era but in our day. So I take some elements from my date, such as mobile phone and GPS.
Some of the works look very Japanese to me, Look at the eyes of this "Man from Japan" (2007) - they have got very gentle and calm expressions... Like the ones found in to Buddhist art. Very calm, inner, almost contemplative state.
In the sense that I take various elements from many cultures, you can compare me to a little bee. I travel from flower to flower and gather the essence of the flowers. And do you know what I do? I make honey!
N:
Do you always take human figure as your motif? Have you selected another theme for your work?
E:
Whatever I do, even if they do not have an eye or hand or leg, I work with human figure. When I communicate with sculpture, I use more time to work on their faces than bodies. (Pointing at three dancers ***) See, I erased the facial expression from one of these. This piece doesn't have expressive face and the surface is flat. But still, I spent more time to playing with the face than the body.
When I communicate with the faces, I concentrate on them very much ... I would say it is a spiritual concentration. Working, concentrating, just being myself. Maybe Japanese people understand this spiritual state as meditation. But, in my case, this is not the meditation but really a working process.
N:
Now I ask you specific questions about your work. Is the central axis metal?
E:
Iron in the middle, Iron-mesh next, and clay on them. Dry the sculptures in the air and the cracks are natural things and come before fireing. Next, I paint and put the works into the kiln and bake them at 1000 degrees. After taking them out, I put them and put them into sawdust.
N:
Sawdust?
E:
Yes. It is Rake technique of Japan. When I put the white sculpture in to sawdust, they get reduced and turn black.
N:
Have you got a kiln yourself?
E:
I have a gas-kiln, about 120cm and corn-shaped. When I make a big sculpture, bigger than the kiln, I put it on a dolly and move it slowly and patiently. It is not a delicate operation.
N:
Did you learn ceramic at collage?
E:
Self-taught. I worked with and learned from an artist.
N:
Who did have an effect on you as an artist
E:
My first impression of sculpture is Giacometti, an Italian artist.
N:
Last question. Do you have message for people who visit your show here?
E:
This fellow, (pointing at "GSP piece") with Tokyo's GPS image on the body, I like him very much. This one is my version of Japan. Japan is not easy for me to visit. But most of Raku masters come from Japan and I have been feeling something close to Japan. I am very happy to have a show and visit here.

***Three dancers: "Blue Dancer"(2007), "Turquoise Dancer"(2007),"Dancer in Pink"(2007)