Sanda Mieva - Q & A

One of this months cover, with layout
& design by K.K.W, photo by Leni von Geleva,
with model: Milena Atanasova.
Dress design by Katerina Mikrut.

Interview with Sanda Mieva - By K.K.W. 

This month we're focusing the spotlight on an amazingly charming little country, brimming with the possibility of a new creative, cultural capital in the Balkans.

SP: Sanda, Blagodaram (thank you) for taking the time for this interview. 

SM: Nema na sto (your welcome) Kerwin:). 

Sanda Mieva, photo courtesy of the artist.

SP:  When did you start seriously creating art?

SM: I was growing up with art as a child, so I can't exactly say when was my beginning of seriously creating art. Although the children's drawings and art stuff should be considered as very serious art:)My formal education was in art high school - department of sculpture, and continued at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Skopje, painting department.

SP: Is there a certain group or section of artists (past or present) that influences you?

SM: I guess the influence is subconscious, practically unaware of it. I appreciate art which is progressive, many segments of the digital art world are interesting, new technologies that are being used in art- interactive artistic technologies, biotechnology and computer robotics as art, kinetic art...but I cannot separate a group or section of artists that influence my art directly.     

From Sanda's first solo exhibition 'HARMONY'
April 2013. Image courtesy of the artist. 

SP: Why does your interest go towards experimenting, could it be that your more of a scientist working in visual art?

SM: Living with art brings me freedom, and that brings me to experiment as something fun, interesting, as a game. 

Sanda Mieva, image courtesy of the artist. 

SP: For your recent project 'HARMONY' you said the title is connected with the perfection of your harmony, detaching from everything else. Would you say your art is a method of full, self awareness? 

SM: The title of the exhibition was 'HARMONY', it was just a few months ago in April 2013, in Skopje. I assume that some of my art works are a kind of a method of full-self awareness. This exhibition was an installation, multimedia project. At the essence of things, the harmony and dissonance - perfection and imperfection are homogeneous. 

I start from the fact that they exist simultaneously, although  in the eyes of people they are separated. In my setup-exhibition (whole) forms have the shape similar to the shape of a circle, near the circle shape. 

There are many different symbolisms which are connected to the circle, but in my work only one of them is taken as the starting point. I'm using the circle as a perfect geometric shape, but I'm changing it. Changing, which is close to my concept. Creating an atmosphere that will convey to me calmness, and detaching myself from everything else. 

My harmony, my view towards this consideration, is a specific atmosphere with the sounds of the vibraphone and a play of light and shadows. We are looking for perfection in imperfection and vice versa. Whole life. Of course, everyone strives to find balance, harmony, throughout life, in its self …I have the circle as the perfect form, but it is made up of the small pieces that stick out from the sides, not allowing me to enjoy the moment. Those are the permanent things in life that prevent us to experience harmony, but only if we imagine as such, and although they exist, we should neglect it. 

To see the moment, to experience it, and simply enjoy. In a real sense, what we call imperfect we need to feel it as a perfection, loosing ourselves in the layers of life through the game of colors that escape from each other, cover each other. This is my expression of a thought that maybe to the audience will seem dark, obscure, or it will be more close to them the disinteresting liking. But always, at least in this dimension where the human is living currently, there will be things that are not according our understanding, feeling, acting, and they have to be only an incentive for respect and development of our precious uniqueness and a sign for a rich diversity in this world (majority).

People talk about criteria for better, joyfull life, more perfect, forgetting that another identity of the other is the thing that makes this world richer. Diversity by having your own world with your own way of living, the harmony and inner self. I felt the atmosphere of the Harmony, I pictured it and realized it.

My work is like a game, that I put in front of others. A game that could be seen, apart from the fact of how they will perceive it, or whether they will feel at least a bit of my (their) Harmony). Or, maybe it will provoke uncertain feelings.

SP: Being so young, do you feel this explains why your interested in many different mediums (painting, sculpture, etc) ?

SM:  Yes. I’m exploring the art world for now, the different mediums, techniques, variety of themes implemented in my art work, all kind of sections in art, because it’s a fun experience.

SP: The art scene in Macedonia has a lot of potential and qualities. Also, we have an enormous and rich artistical heritage. But, the creative potentional which the young artists in Macedonia have, should be more supported than it is at the moment.  

From Sanda's first solo exhibition 'HARMONY'
April 2013. Image courtesy of the artist. 

At 25 years old, her creative interests are towards experimenting - working in sculpture, painting, video, installations & jewelry. Having participated in numerous art exhibitions she is at this point becoming more widely known, and daring in her creative pursuits. Her recent first solo exhibition 'HARMONY'  was a multimedia project composed of music in the background (sounds of a vibraphone), with her mobile, transparent, colorful hanging objects, altering the space & the perception of her viewers. The exhibition was connected with the perfection of her harmony, detached from everything else - a play of light and shadow. 

With in this one can see an intimate need to go beyond the standard 1-dimensional surface of some mediums, and break-on-through, to the other side - so to speak. There's a need not just to present the viewer with something she has done, but to alter the space in order to find herself away from it all (far removed), only to come back.

If you would like to know more, go to:https://www.facebook.com/sanda.mieva. "Art is the reason, art is the way".