Jessica Faiss

Interview

How would you describe the work you were doing when you received the Maria Bonnier Dahlin Scholarship, and what did the scholarship mean to you?

I had already been working with moving image for several years. Receiving the scholarship meant a great deal to me and gave me renewed confidence. It made it possible for me to continue developing my ideas around moving image.

What discussions characterized the art scene at the time, and what was particularly important to you?

It is difficult to remember everything clearly, but I recall discussions about video art being overrepresented in exhibitions. At the time, some people felt that “everything was video,” although I personally did not see that as important.

For me, moving image functioned in the same way as painting or drawing tools—it was simply another medium through which to think and work.

What exhibitions, films, and books were important to you, and what music did you listen to?

I listened to electronic music, watched films by David Lynch, and read Michel Houellebecq. I was interested in exhibitions and works by artists including Pipilotti Rist, Eija-Liisa Ahtila, Bill Viola, Shirin Neshat, Anders Widoff, Katarina Löfström, and Tobias Bernstrup.

If you were to identify a person who was particularly influential in Swedish art at the time, who would it be and why?

I tend to think more in terms of groups of artists rather than individuals, but Ann-Sofi Sidén comes to mind. Like me, she began with painting and later expanded into multiple media. Her installations offer compelling depictions of contemporary life.

How would you describe the social and political climate at the time, and were there any questions or events that particularly affected your work?

I find it difficult to recall specific events clearly. However, I remember a certain fatigue surrounding video as a medium within the art world, whether justified or not.

When you look back and compare the art scene then and now, what changes stand out the most?

The art world changes rapidly, especially through the influence of social media. I no longer participate actively in the art scene after moving to the countryside a few years ago, but social media still allows me to follow parts of it—for better and for worse.

What are you working on today?

I continue to work with moving image and have also returned to painting and photography. More recently, I have had opportunities to work with public art commissions.

Working with atmosphere, mood, and different forms of rhythm remains an important part of my artistic practice.

This text is an excerpt from Samlade stipendiater!: 30 år med Maria Bonnier Dahlins stiftelse, edited by Niclas Östlind (2016). Stockholm: Bonnier Fakta.