Born in Brazil and living and working in Rio de Janeiro, artist Paula Klien talks about the central message of her artistic work during her interview.
Paula Klien, fluxo (flow) © Paula Klien
Paula, please describe the core theme and the central message of your work.
My work focuses on the flow of our lives and our lack of control over situations. It speaks about the time of things as nature teaches us. It speaks of our roots, our family, where we came from.
Paula Klien during her artistic work in a Brasilian river © Paula Klien
In order to flow, rivers need to be surrounded by deep roots. The rivers surrounded by the deepest roots run the longest. In order for things to flow, a person needs to know from where they came.
Paula Klien, batismo (Baptism) © Paula Klien
Introduce us to the work that, in your view, exemplifies or best embodies the message of your work.
One work that exemplifies my message is Batismo. It was painted inside Brazilian river waters. I usually paint inside rivers, and this is one of the works created out of this process. To create works like Batismo, I enter rivers early in the morning from their upper end, wearing black rubber clothes (because the water is usually freezing),
Während der künstlerischen Arbeit im Fluss © Paula Klien
accompanied by three strong Brazilian men who carry my material. It is not simple, as the water is full of rocks, limestone and other obstacles, making it a risky process which usually leaves me bruised as I descend the river. When I find a more stable, spacious area of the river, I stop to make the painting, using one of the larger rocks as a support for my canvases or papers, which become partially wet.
Während der Arbeit an batismo (Taufe) im Fluss © Paula Klien
When the painting is done, I place it on the margin of the river. Then, we descend further into the river until we find another similar area, where I make a second painting. I repeat this process around four times. Then, I instruct the men to collect the paintings while I make my way back up the river, heading to the car. By this time, the moon is already out. I wait in the car, starving and freezing, until they bring me the paintings. Normally, one of the paintings is ruined during their ascent, generally the last one, as it didn’t have time to dry.
What is the aim of your art, your work, what is it supposed to achieve in the viewer?
Transcendence.
THE DEED | THE WORK is a complementary and separately presented part of THE INTERVIEW IN|DEEDS with Paula Klien.
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