CREATIVE MALTA – SJ FUERST ‘PLAYFUL INFLATABLE’
“It could be a very lucky coincidence that my love for painting inflatable toys has perfectly coincided with the novelty pool float revolution.”
Harnessing the visual language of fashion photography, SJ Fuerst’s paintings conjoin elements of contemporary culture with classical art forms. To these, a surreal, playful twist is added, creating a world where all is not as it seems – an ethereal jellyfish is, on closer inspection, a woman, animals are not real but inflatable toys, landscapes are printed backdrops… We catch up with the artist before her big solo in Malta.
Do you see yourself in your work?
Absolutely! My paintings reflect who I am, as I think every artist’s work is. Although I wouldn’t say I’m the figure, I’m better represented by the costumes and toys. If I had to pick one, I’d say I’m the inflatable zebra.
How do you feel about the term ‘hyperreal’ being used to describe your work?
My work is often described as hyperreal and I don’t mind that term, although I don’t consider myself a hyperrealist painter. The way I learned to paint is based on impressionism, so my focus is on capturing an accurate impression of light and form rather than painting every pore and individual hair on the model. My work is relatively large, so when they’re reduced in size and viewed online, they are often mistaken for photographs, but up-close the paintings are brushy, and you can see how a lot of the details have been simplified or even eliminated. However, these days most people see the paintings online rather than in person, so I understand why I’ve been labeled as a hyperrealist.
Your work has been described as drawing from fashion, pop art, and contemporary culture – which of these do you think is the strongest influence in your work?
I think the strongest influence in my work is contemporary culture. I love fashion photography and work with fashion models to bring something of that beauty and fantasy into my paintings, but then my models are always wearing cheap mass-produced items rather than pieces by fashion designers. Pop art is a big influence for me, in particular how it glorifies familiar and everyday items in art, but I think that is also a reflection of contemporary culture. It could be a very lucky coincidence that my love for painting inflatable toys has perfectly coincided with the novelty pool float revolution, but more likely it’s because I’ve grown up as part of the generation that’s now shaping our culture and creating demand for such things. I paint subjects that I find interesting and connect with, and this connection often ends up being a reflection of the contemporary western culture that we’re immersed in.
You’ve also been exhibiting paintings on floppy-disks. How do these images differ from the larger, more finished pieces?
I really enjoy painting on floppy disks. Most of my paintings are large and take six to eight weeks to complete, so it’s very refreshing to paint something so small and quick. I usually paint the floppy disks in one session and approach them quite loosely. I have tons of beautiful expressions and angles from my photoshoots with the models, so the small sketches on floppies give me a reason to paint these inspiring little portraits. Brightly coloured floppy disks are visually appealing, as well as being an entertaining blast from the past, so the result becomes more than just a portrait study, it’s my way to continue enjoying a piece of pop culture that was cutting edge not too long ago.
Could you describe the process you go through to create your work?
My creative process starts when I find a toy or costume that grabs my imagination, and then I spend some time figuring out the most interesting way to use that item in a painting. This part can take months as I want to use the object in a way that makes sense but isn’t obvious or expected. Once the idea for the painting has fully formed, I buy the costume and props and organise a photoshoot with a model. I take hundreds of photos to paint from and work from these to compose the final image, designing the expression and pose to best convey the mood I want in the piece. Once I start painting it usually takes me about six to eight weeks to complete the piece.
Does where you are based affect your work? Has your work changed since you have been living in Gozo, Malta?
My move to Gozo hasn’t changed my work much. I think I’m lucky in that I’ve always had a pretty strong sense of who I am as an artist and known what I want to paint; already back in high school I did a painting of my friend dressed up as the Burger King Statue of Liberty wearing the iconic cardboard crown and holding up a supersized drink as her torch. I’m also lucky to have had the opportunity the live in a few different places (Connecticut, New York, Florence, London, and now Gozo), but I don’t think where I am changes who I am, my painting style has been consistent throughout. However I did start introducing landscape backdrops into my paintings around the time I moved to Gozo, so that could be a reflection of my move from a big city to being surrounded by nature.
