Podcast with Selina Trepp
Selina Trepp,"I'm Speaking", 2020, Woodcut, silkscreen and hand applied watercolor, 50,8 x 41 cm.
In the first podcast accompanying the February edition, we speak in English with Chicago-based Swiss artist Selina Trepp. For "Material Transformation," Selina Trepp created the work "I'm Speaking," which combines an edition of watercolor woodcuts and a film. In the podcast you will learn more about the interplay of stop-motion animation with still images, Selina Trepp's particular approach to materials and her reflections on the representation of women in art.
Exhibition view with the work "I'm Speaking" at Edition VFO. Photo: Sabina Bösch
The current edition is Selina Trepp's second project with print making. The first time, the artist already recognized the potential of printmaking in connection with stop-motion animation. However, she was not able to deepen this approach because it required specific technical knowhow and a lot of money. Through the work for "Material Transformation," Trepp was able to explore the relationship between still image and video in more detail and use it to illustrate situations in which people move from being passive objects of contemplation to active counterparts.
Selina Trepp, Nights, 2020, india ink, pastel, acrylics, guache on canvas, wood.
The motif of "I'm Speaking" is inspired by the new US Vice President Kamala Harris. The title of the work refers to an appearance of Harris during the last US election campaign, when she defended herself with self-confidence and authority against being constantly interrupted by her opponent Mike Pence. In the U.S., this debate appearance attracted a lot of attention, numerous women could identify with this situation, and the phrase "I'm Speaking" became a symbol of female strength.
Selina Trepp, Why I do how I do, and what it does for me, 2018, ink on paper.
Since 2012, Selina Trepp has not brought any new materials into her studio. This radical decision helps her in her creative processes. The materials in the studio are in a constant process of transformation - Trepp's relationship with them resembles that of a director with actors. The work in the print studio is a conscious subversion of this strict working method.