Interview with Sannie Guo
“Many people are infatuated with the charm and verve of autumn.The leaves of trees,by the tender and incomparable green of spring gradually become mature and red.Kind of bleak ,kind of dunk.I hope that the autumn charm,especially the golden leaves everywhere,can offer viewers a warmth in their hearts .I wish the world no disease ,no disaster,no war,only peace and warmth!”
Could you share with us your earliest memory of being drawn to art? What initially sparked your interest in pursuing art as a career?
When I was in primary school, I was very interested in art class every time. Because my drawings always get the teacher's praise. When I was in high school, I naturally chose fine arts as my major.
Can you describe the inspiration behind your latest artwork collection and how your personal experiences or emotions influenced its creation?
The inspiration behind the most recent collection of my paintings was the maple leaves on Mount Dandenong in Melbourne, Australia. My personal experience or emotional aspect is like a fish without water that it permeates my picture and moistens it all the time.
How did your experience studying under Sandro Trauti at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome impact your artistic style and perspective?
Sandro Trauti has had a strong influence on my artistic style and perspective. After taking his class, I became more daring to draw what leaving behind the painting methods and thinking habits that my Chinese teachers had instructed me before. I can express my feelings boldly and passionately that both the color and the form of the painting have changed dramatically.
How does your personal background and experiences influence the themes and styles in your artwork?
For this problem, it may be attributed to my special study background and life experience. Because my study (postgraduate entrance examination) experience is bumpy what studying time so longer. While preparing for the exam, I tried to find my own painting language. A personal style has been formed for a long time. In addition,I'm going through an extremely painful stage of my life that it gives life to my subjects.
Having lived and studied in different parts of the world, how do you blend the diverse cultural elements and artistic traditions in your work?
Regarding the integration of diverse cultural elements into the work, I believe that the truth always exists anywhere in the world, and it will always be supported and maintained by human beings. While works of art maintain their artistic traditions, at any time, the essence of a country's artistic traditions is both local and international.
Your artist statement mentions a deep connection with the 'charm and verve of autumn.' Can you elaborate on why this particular theme resonates so strongly with you?
I think this resonance should come from the state of my life. In fact, it is a kind of realistic intuitive beauty and the memory of a time that has not been seen in the heart for many years and suddenly appears in front of the eyes. At the same time, it is a beautiful memory of meeting my childhood in a foreign country. It is inevitable that the heart does not appear strong waves and understanding.
In your statement, you express a desire for your art to provide warmth to viewers. How do you approach the emotional aspect of your work to achieve this?
I will convey a warm and calm feeling through the color and content of the picture; Or colorful warm colors bring a warm feeling. Art comes from life. In reality, the leaves of autumn go through a gradual change from light yellow to dark yellow, mixed with the leaves of other tree species of different colors, such as light tight to deep purple gradient, from bright red to dark red gradient. These warm colors can always make people's cold hearts melt, inject enthusiasm and vitality, make people feel strongly, and warm to every heart, and every corner of the world.
Your wish for 'a world with no disease, disaster, or war' suggests a social consciousness in your art. How do you balance aesthetic appeal with social commentary in your creations？
The series was originally conceived as a result of COVID-19, which occurred in 2019. At that time, people around the world were confined to their homes and couldn't go anywhere because of the VoCOVID-19 pandemic. My heart was filled with fear, a feeling of fear. But when I think of the autumn Melbourne Dandron Hill maple leaves, the red color of my heart is instantly warm. From 2019 to 2023 this year, I have been painting this subject. The difference is that from the original comparative image of the picture to now the abstract picture. The abstract picture is more refined, and the simple autumn color gives me the feeling. The picture can better highlight the rhythm and harmonious aesthetic appeal. COVID-19 is a plague that brings disaster to mankind, and it is as helpless as the suffering that human wars bring to people. In the face of these disasters, human beings can only carry through by facing them firmly and seeking inner strength and warmth.
Could you walk us through your creative process, from the initial idea to the final piece?
My creations come from life itself. What you see usually, through the natural conversion of emotions. This emotional factor is a combination of my experiences and feelings. I think you can only be reborn after going through the most painful, the most struggling phase of your life. This kind of rebirth spurs them to keep moving forward until they find their own satisfactory picture feeling. Works are usually done in one go.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for your art, and are there any new themes or techniques you are eager to explore?
I hope to have the opportunity to experience the artistic atmosphere around the world in the future. Only by being well-informed can we have a broader and deeper exploration of the unknown. Including the theme and techniques of the work.
