biography
website
" My pictures tell stories about situations, places, music or poems, thereby evoking emotional memories on different levels. "
Agnete Sabbagh
interview
What inspired you to become an artist, and when did you start to seriously engage with art?
The final step of calling myself an artist came relatively late. I'd always enjoyed drawing, but I didn't want to study art formally, so I initially pursued a humanities degree; however, I never lost sight of art. After completing my Master's degree (German Literature and Comparative Religion), I landed a job as a calligrapher for an event agency in Berlin by chance and worked there for many years. After moving to Cologne and having twins, I continued working in the event industry with calligraphy. Eventually, that wasn't enough for me anymore, and I began to seriously engage with my art.
I took the art of calligraphy with me, interpreted it more freely, and explored it further. I wanted to give poems, aphorisms, and song lyrics a "visual form."
Then came the discovery of wax art (encaustic), and one thing led to another. Because I can never do "just one thing," I simultaneously immersed myself in photoencaustic painting, combining it with ink, handmade papers, and calligraphy. This is how the dual focus of calligraphy and mixed media art came about.
Which artists or art movements have most influenced your style and your work?
For me, the three most important artists are Horst Janssen, Gustav Klimt, and Joaquín Sorolla. Janssen's drawing style, combined with the integration of text into his images, captivated me from an early age. His ink drawings are particularly special to me. With Klimt, I am also inspired by how he combines text with motifs, as well as by his boundless creativity. Sorolla fascinates me with his captivating artistry, his ability to stage light and shadow. Furthermore, I am impressed by his humanistic perspective on people and scenes in everyday life.
Could you walk us through the creative process you go through when creating a new work?
I collect ideas on paper, in notebooks, or on my phone. Then my mind "works" for a few days; for calligraphy/typography projects, I often create sketches to assess the available space. Then I either prepare handmade papers, collage them, glue them, or start directly with ink, gouache, and colored pencils.
When it comes to photoencaustic, I collect old photos or look through my own photographic archive and usually edit the template digitally, then print it on Sekishu paper (Japanese paper) and further process it with ink.
The base is always wood, because working with wax requires a stable surface, as I initially only apply the wax, but then "burn" it into the image with a certain amount of force ("encaustic" = "burning in wax"). This is done with a kind of iron or Bunsen burner.
The mostly transparent wax creates a wonderful refraction of light; the more layers I apply, the milkier it becomes – the more diffused the effect, but also the more three-dimensional the motif can appear – depending on the desired effect. For example, textures and incisions can be created. Or a mysterious blur can create a sense of distance.
Is there a specific theme or message you want to convey in your work?
Actually, all I want is for viewers to feel addressed – much like Oscar Wilde said, "The aim of art is simply to create a mood." It sounds simpler than it is. What develops from that remains open and free.
What has been the biggest challenge on your artistic journey so far, and how did you deal with it?
To define myself as an artist and to live it out. It took time, it isn't always easy and is accompanied by doubts, but it's the right path.
Are there any techniques and materials that you prefer?
I mainly paint with self-mixed egg tempera and oil. These techniques allow
me to apply many thin layers and thereby create the bright color effect that
is characteristic of my pictures.
Is there a particular place where you prefer to work?
I prefer working in my studio or outside in front of the house in Spain…
Where do you see yourself and your art in the next five years?
To continue on the path, always learning new things and staying on top of things.
What advice would you give to other young artists who are at the beginning of their journey?
If it is financially possible to take the plunge, don't let yourself be discouraged and believe in yourself – but always remain a little humble.
"My paintings emerge layer by layer, telling stories about situations, places, music, or poems, and awakening emotional memories on various levels: a particular song, a childhood experience, or a place of longing. Sometimes it's the melody, sometimes the lyrics, sometimes the colors, sometimes a photograph. The aesthetics of calligraphy or printed letters play just as important a role as a photograph, whether an antique collection or one I've taken myself and digitally manipulated, or even the ink painting itself."
The artistic form of representation is particularly well suited to the combination with the medium of liquid, usually transparent wax: it is layered on top of each other, liquefied, and fired – the layers flow into one another, merge, and thus create a certain sense of depth. The deliberate interplay with partial blurring reinforces this impression, while at the same time the waxy surface creates a certain distance.
Agnete Sabbagh