Nika - Interview by Clara

Interview with Natalia Sorzano

Natalia Sorzano was born in Bogotá, Colombia in 1984. The wall works currently at show are part of various exercises that integrate a bigger research titled “Geographical studies of the Sentiment.” Through the interview held with fellow artist Clara Borg, Natalia presents the process and interests that brought her to create a non-linear story composed of fifteen wall drawings. Through this realization, the artist invites imagination to visualize the relationships of geography and landscape with sentiment.

1. How did you come up with this project?

The last Project I did was an album, I´ve been songwriting, singing and making music. After listening to the recorded result, I understood that there were a lot of things that weren´t being said, things I was imagining. I have a fixation on “imagining;” I´m not sure if this happens to everyone, but I believe we spend most of our lives living the real present, sleeping and imagining. Imagination is part of our lives; we have various lives that way. So, from the songs that I had written, I knew there were a lot of things that I was imagining, visual representations of feelings and situations, very much related to landscapes and geography. So I became interested precisely in being able to extract from the lyrics and music my visual imaginations of it. Why landscapes? What am I imagining? So I decided to do a series of studies, a series of approximations to the relationship of landscapes, imagination and sentiment.

2. Why is it important to do a series instead of one specific thing?

I want to talk within a very familiar discourse, I want to be able to experience and approach by different media a certain set of ideas. By having different ways of approaching that specific subject I am allowing myself to see how they work, see if some of them fail or are accomplished.

3. How have you seen those two subjects come together, geography and sentiment?

In the beginning I connected to them in a very intuitive and personal form, trying to visualize my imagination and be able to translate it into a visual landscape. But, actually, it´s there, it is very common. We can see it in songs all the time, literature, films, poetry, its everywhere. It comes down to being part of something bigger, of relating and interchanging with that which surrounds us and makes us, it´s in our body, our language and our spirit.

4. Do you mean as metaphors? Can you give an example?

It goes beyond metaphors, we are part of the landscapes. We are in a position of both controlling and being controlled by them. But geography and landscapes are carved in our bodies, that´s why we seek for them in order to explain ourselves in every level.

4. Now you´re saying feelings are becoming landscapes but what about the other way around, landscapes generating feelings?

Yeah it goes both ways. Landscapes create moods and have a strong effect on us. Think of winter and think of summer. And not only that: geography in general, climate, altitude, mountains, rocks, rivers, etc. It´s not a one-way relationship, one person reflecting onto landscape, all mighty people reflecting on the outside; Not at all. It goes beyond that, its´ a relationship, it´s how you interact with landscapes. And I really think it´s part of our sentimental education, learning how to deal with your shit always involves looking at what´s around you.

5. You are making fictional landscapes. What do those fictional landscapes give us? What do you want people to take or get out of this?

It has to do with imagination as well. We all take part of interpreting what emotions, landscapes, text, politics, geography, cultural imagery, icons, etc. It´s a decision that people make for themselves. I´m making my own interpretation of a relationship and a story between those two subjects and it has me all over it, but others will have their own response.

I´m not seeking for understanding. I want to show what I´m imagining and how geography and sentiment are related through a subjective representation. I want to make what I´m imagining real and art allows me to do so. By showing it in public it demystifies it and gives the change to become something else through different interpretations and subjectivities.

6. You seem to be working with a lot of exposure.

I am making my feelings public, but at the same time I´m not sure if that´s easily read. There is a very strong political aspect in sentiment that has been completely underestimated. So if at all I can add up to reaffirming the importance of sentiment in society, then be it.

On the other hand, I find a special interest for biographical and personal projects, besides this being my own. I like to think that we are all part of a context and history and our personal and individual lives are just as relevant and interesting as collective and public affairs.

7. How does your interest on walls translate in this project?

I am particularly interested in the architectural aspect of it. I use the walls to create an atmosphere and make the space become the project, not only the images on it. The ways in which people react to spaces and inhabits is in this case important. The interaction of those who come with the space makes part of this project. It´s an ephemeral experience that will only transcend as a memory, for these walls will be erased and the project will only be like it is in this specific area.