The Painting Is the Language | Artist Ida Ekblad | Louisiana Channel

“When I leave the studio, I’m almost kind of manic.” Visit artist Ida Ekblad in her vibrant studio outside of Oslo, Norway, where she shares her thoughts on why she never runs out of ideas, her use of material and why failing is essential to her practice.
When asked about how an artwork takes shape, Ida Ekblad says: “Very often, it’s using the materials the wrong way. It’s partly like a mad professor. You roam around and almost feel like you’re in kindergarten,” she says and continues: “It’s trial and testing. And failing and failing better, as Beckett would say.” In her studio, Ekblad is surrounded by colour from floor to ceiling. She finds inspiration both inside and outside of the studio: “I look at the negative space. Everything I see is processed in the same way that I process when I’m in the studio. So, the negative space between branches and leaves becomes a stroke,” she says and elaborates: “It’s almost like I’m finding my own paintings out in the world.”
“Ideas come very easily to me. And it doesn’t have to be a good idea. I do stupid stuff all the time. And sometimes the stupid idea gets interesting to me because it’s like a sore that itches.” To Ida Ekblad, the pieces can get somewhat embarrassing, but herein lies the nerve of her practice. It’s about finding the balance between the embarrassing and “the interesting and good”, as she phrases it. Ekblad uses the same shapes repeatedly in both her paintings and sculpture. For example, the shape of an anime character’s fringe or handwoven lace often appears in her work: “I like the shape as an abstract shape.” Ekblad also experiments with different materials: “I came across something called ‘puff medium’, which is a medium that you mix with these plastisol textile inks.” When heated, the ink grows “almost like a mushroom”, thus creating a whole new surface for the paintings. Ida Ekblad also uses a tremendous amount of oil paint in some works: “I’m almost sculpting the painting, which I like. The paint is so heavy that you really have to push it in with force.”
“It’s always hard talking about a painting because the language in itself is the painting,” Ida Ekblad says and continues: “To add more language to the painting is something that I’m very reluctant to do.” Still, she tries to explain: “It’s this thing of testing, testing, testing. But also the history of testing, so when you’ve tested so much and failed so much, you become an expert in your own work.” However, being an expert in one's work is not the goal for Ida Ekblad. Quite the contrary: “I don’t want things to be too easy. If I have everything planned, I lose interest completely.”
Ida Ekblad (b. 1980) is a contemporary Norwegian artist working with various mediums such as painting, sculpture, performance, filmmaking, and poetry. Both pop-cultural and sub-cultural themes inspire her work. Ida Ekblad’s oeuvre is influence by Odilon Redon, Paula Modersohn Becker, Paul Thek, Edvard Munch, Florine Stettheimer, and Helen Frankenthaler. A genre-crossing approach signifies her style by incorporating aesthetics of graffiti, manga culture, old master paintings and meme culture. She is educated at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts (2007) and the Mountain School of Arts, Los Angeles, USA (2008). She participated in the Venice Biennale (2011, 2017), as well as in numerous solo and group exhibitions, including Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo; Kunsthalle Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland; Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk, Denmark; Museo Rufino Tamayo, Mexico City, Mexico; Kunstverein Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany (2018); Kunsthaus Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany (2017); National Museum of Art, Design and Architecture, Oslo, Norway (2013); Bergen Kunsthall, Bergen, Norway (2010); Bonniers Konsthall, Stockholm, Sweden (2010).
Ida Ekblad was interviewed by Roxanne Bagheshirin Lærkesen in her studio in Oslo, Norway, in October 2022.
Camera: Rasmus Quistgaard
Produced and edited by: Roxanne Bagheshirin Lærkesen
Copyright: Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2022
Louisiana Channel is supported by Den A.P. Møllerske Støttefond, Ny Carlsbergfondet, C.L. Davids Fond og Samling, and Fritz Hansen.
#IdaEkblad #Artist #contemporaryart
Subscribe to our channel for more videos on art: / thelouisianachannel
FOLLOW US HERE!
Website: channel.louisia...
Facebook: / louisianachannel
Instagram: / louisianachannel
Twitter: / louisianachann

[@SaturdayAfternoonTea]

a fantastic mix between lightheartedness and intellect

[@jldavis07]

I can totally relate to “I leave the studio and I am manic. I am finding paintings out in the world.” When I started teaching high school drawing classes, I would leave the class studio in the afternoon and started seeing everything in lines on my way home…. The streets, the traffics lights, the trees, cars, inside of rooms. I stare off and my husband asks me what I thinking about and I say “The lines that make up this room and the foreshortening, the angles, and how I would draw it.” I literally see lines in everything when I am teaching drawing and shapes of color when I am teaching painting. Wow… I thought I was crazy…LOL…

[@hannahcrumley3103]

You are definitely not alone- I do much the same. I analyze everything and draw it in my mind.

[@noname2day394]

When I look at colours I imagine which colours I would mix to replicate that exact colour. 😂

[@leesvision]

I do that sometimes . You are not crazy I think abstract thought like this are pretty natural for artists, because certain synapses in our brains are stronger than others, so it makes the thought process different. Much love ❤️ 🙏

[@wallprinterworld.]

totally agree

[@cowzah8551]

Love the non-seriousness rather the playfulness of her approach which translates very well into her work.

[@CG-Bloxfruit]

So lucky,huge studio,lots of paint, doing what you like . Well done to her,very talented

[@ziraprod6090]

Wealthy. This is the tragedy of new art. It takes no bravery.

[@GrubblandeGrapplern]

@@ziraprod6090 Her works sells for thousands of dollars. She's no hobbyist.

[@albertoballocca]

"Using the material in the wrong ways" great!!! 🔥🔥❤️

[@moo1388]

im a Landscape designer. When I drive down the road I "fix" people's yards! i add color, shrubs and trees. I prune plants that are overgrown, remove some things- add others, redesign sidewalk driveway and landscape bed layouts.. Even change the designer color of shutters ,new mailboxes etc... The list goes on and on and mile after mile I am constantly "working"! So I totally understand What she means when speaking of seeing work everywhere.

[@floccinaucinihilipilifications]

Me too! And landscape/ garden are sculptures that continue to change/ move after created. “Mobile Art” if you will, of living tissue.

[@lisengel2498]

I like the experimenting, curious, playfull search “finding something interesting’ .”something resonating with me” …. Its all about seaching for something I resonate with - searching, experimenting, breaking rulles, experiencing and playing

[@babbsromero3471]

Her paintings look like icing on a cake

[@ansisrozentals]

You have excellent colours! So much Old Holland in one place! I have never seen that! 😊

[@TimMcFarlane]

Really good work and I like her risk-taking approach.

[@ziraprod6090]

WHAT RISK?!

[@marcschmiert9431]

beautiful and fresh, thank you ida.

[@stever2583]

Never stop learning and challenging... I love it!

[@robhead22]

What an excellent thought process you have. Very familiar to me!! Thank you! This is encouraging. I describe my process as ‘swimming away from shore”. Thank you! Onward!!

[@arlinejernigan]

As a painter myself, I resonate with what the process and I agree that talking and planning too much, can take away from the essence of what could possibly be.

[@ueckbueck]

😮

[@omni_naomi]

Very dynamic work with all the textures

[@ahmedyasser.m]

As an artist who feels lonely, I believe that the girl of my dreams is an artist like you. It will be a bomb of creativity and love. My art is everything, but a paradise without a woman who understands you is never complete hahah

[@CG-Bloxfruit]

Dude, never work with your woman, she will eat your liver🤣

[@ahmedyasser.m]

@@CG-Bloxfruit 😅😂😂😂

[@demarcusharrison3609]

Thank you 🙏

[@EalainKloapa]

Seems like there's a 'play' aspect to the creative process... awesome!

[@johnadamsartist]

Fantastic video and art and what a beautiful artist too.

[@wesleypetersen3089]

Very creative and willing to experiment, just enjoyed listening to your conversation (your sultry voice has it's own atmosphere) love the space/size of your studio.

[@abetterhell]

I got the same work ethic as her… keep experimenting and failing, but to overcome the failure is the hardest. I think I almost getting there. Thanks for sharing this interview.

[@shakey3306]

It seems all like failure

[@Jimmie-zw7cj]

this one stroke is so beautiful

[@AVBNOW23]

Beautiful ❤

[@K.ART_vlog]

amazing, so nice painting ❤️😍

[@ioneeamigo8357]

I will be one point in my life where i can be so proud to tell about my paintings 🖼. I like the idea of coming in idea .

[@visualsbyE]

I love her ability to play with the materials and not take the outcome and herself too seriously 🥲

[@Malik_Hoff]

I like your work

[@ricardofelipelo]

very inspiring!

[@nickrodis6862]

Thank you

[@sulkychild8597]

Ugh!! I love her art!!! Stunning 😍😍

[@samradja5275]

Brilliant...!!!

[@Artnhustle]

Love this.

[@pkp-vw7pb]

great work!

[@bearbait7405]

Thank you.

[@Moe-zo4fm]

Your work is beautiful. I can relate to what you are saying about shapes, negative space, lace…Searching for shapes, I sometime go on google maps and I’ll pick place in the world the pictures, the other day I saw a beautiful metal balcony railing in Europe and I had to use it in my paintings. I almost find if I don’t paint it, I just keep thinking of it.

[@nuascannan]

Interesting

[@dodgygoose3054]

Gosh she is incredible.

[@andreazauli2883]

-------- The color of her paintings, the color of her voice (like Jennifer Lawrence's one).

[@dirtyflotsam]

Beautiful

[@willalwaystelehandler8450]

I could buy a house with that amount of paint tubes,

[@nuascannan]

Eh.... interesting comment 😁😁

[@lobstermash]

@@nuascannan I thought at least 1000 dollars on that top shelf, probably much more.

[@atoms-to-atoms]

great studio great mind

[@thekikster11]

What an amazing studio

[@gbmbg114]

I dig her work..

[@lisengel2498]

I really love her playfull, experimenting attitude - its really recognizable - I believe that nearly every child has been there. Its part of the innocent attitude of easily opening the Doors to Paradise… not judging, just rejoicing Life -singing the threads of life

[@truthlivingetc88]

Lis sings the threads too it would seem

[@shakey3306]

Bullshit

[@bille77]

Kickass person.

[@angelajsacaartistaffiliatedwpl]

Beautiful work

[@tekannon7803]

Your work looks fantastic. I am an artist, but what I can't understand about the size of many of the paintings I see in your vocast and in galleries is that some are several meters long and a couple of meters high etc. Who on Earth has a living room wall that could be big enough to have one of these huge paintings on it? Practically every person I have ever known lives in a flat or a medium-sized home where a painting of one meter by 70 centimeters would be the maximum that could fit in their residences. I have seen so many gorgeous paintings like Ida's work, but where would you hang a painting of that dimension? I understand that in an art gallery, they stand out and you can see them from 40 meters away very well, but I guess the large paintings are only for art galleries and large public buildings.

[@jaylucas8352]

1% of the population has huge walls or corporate buildings etc

[@yopestevens1505]

Totally with you on this. Galleries are not where you and I would buy art. It's like Hollywood, and we don't live in Beverly Hills! But at least we still get to enjoy the fruits of their labour, even if we can't own it :)

[@AnaDunjic]

It's rare that collectors even display art in their living spaces, they buy it as an investment and keep it locked away.

[@tekannon7803]

@@AnaDunjic GGGGGGGGGreat to hear from you. I am an artist who has tens of dozens of artworks still in my atelier as I have sold few throughout my career. The world of the art business is... business and I have never known it...

[@AnaDunjic]

@@tekannon7803 My amazing artist friend compares this to collecting stickers when you're a kid, the collectors are just competing with each other for trendy new pictures. There are artists that sell to "normal" people who are usually not repeat buyers, and these artist's expression is maybe geared more towards decorative than art

[@ainaaina4505]

I’m so happy that she’s from my country, i feel so honored💕✨

[@ayoubFinearts]

👏👏👏

[@georgekatzenberger2144]

Fabulous studio

[@ivanklymenko]

😍

[@sadanguverte7536]

Mükemmelsiniz

[@Grandiloquence]

אהבה ולב לכולם! 💙 Hər şeyə sevgi və səhifə! 💋 Miłość i serca dla wszystkich! ❤ Láska a srdce všem! 🥰 Amor e coração para todos! 😍 Herkes için sevgi ve kalpler! ¡Amor y corazones a todos! 😘

[@knowthyselfandyoullknowthe8216]

The colors and the roughness are agressive to me could not have that in my home...

[@duart310]

Use beeswax with the oil and get the same result

[@xitapedrao1377]

Gostei

[@jaya.art._]

Como se llama la artista?

[@zeldalove]

xox

[@emilydes1342]

I channel paint after the last painting I stoped though the painting were to deep

[@TheOtherKine]

I wish I had the room to do such large sized things and all the supply in the world. I hate that the art community has fallen into the bamboozled concept that SIZE DOES MATTER lmao

[@akaHORUS2000]

paintings were great, sculptures were absolute garbage

[@ddkratochvil5593]

And does her work sell well?

[@valboolin3538]

there are juzz

[@yopestevens1505]

Hmm, I kinda feel bad for the person who has to keep those paintings clean. Nice, but they don't really "speak" to me. The artist tho, I know exactly what she means about leaving the studio and then seeing the world repeated in the strokes she made. My dreams are also that way after a day of painting. Such a weird phenomenon.

[@Schizonoise]

+

[@Lexwell_Lavers]

Truly horrible.

[@achimborn5850]

f painting is your language, then you speak incomprehensibly

[@infopablo]

Total lack of talent

[@angelobule2082]

Ow come on. Stop being toxic please. Shes brave an Passionated.

[@vickyneville374]

I stretch my own canvas can do a 7ft x 4ft for only 20$ NOT. Costing 100$. . please

[@marymc9601]

Just a different type of talent. Her work is clearly appreciated and successful.

[@ziraprod6090]

Crap.

[@Wilson099]

im clearing my throat the whole video

[@susannecromwell3461]

Beautiful