Interview: Art & Identity With Sophie Bass
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ART & IDENTITY WITH SOPHIE BASS
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Art & CultureWords By: Luc Hinson
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" text_orientation="center" text_font="neuzeit|on|||" text_font_size="11" text_text_color="#bababa" text_line_height="1em" custom_margin="||0px|" custom_padding="||0px|" inline_fonts="Bree Serif" /][et_pb_divider admin_label="Divider" height="30" /][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built="1" admin_label="Section" transparent_background="on" custom_padding="0px||0px|0px"][et_pb_row admin_label="row" make_fullwidth="on" custom_padding="30px|0px|0px|0px"][et_pb_column type="1_2"][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="1_2"][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" max_width="3000px" text_font_size="15px" text_line_height="2em"]We sat down with illustrator Sophie Bass, for a chat about art, identity, xenophobia and fitting in. Sophie discussed the subjectivity of identity, Bjork, her heritage and singing. Check out the rest of our interview with her below and be sure to check out the work of this insanely talented artist, her prints are for sale at: www.sophiebassillustration.bigcartel.comBB: In your work, your heritage, your love of music, the subculture around it and its importance to your art shines through. What would you say contributes towards your notion of an ‘identity’ today?SB: I think personal identity is constructed as a means to carve your place in society and ultimately understand your reason for existence. There are uncontrollable elements; your gender, race, social class, age. Then there’s the personal aspects; your experiences, beliefs, hopes, fears. It’s a journey.For me, with such a hugely mixed heritage, coming to know my roots and history has had an important impact on my identity and the way I view myself. You own your identity, how you choose to portray yourself to the world, to stand out, to have a positive impact.I struggle with the reality that perception is so subjective and that no matter what you know your identity to be, people will always view you how they want. But as I’ve grown up I’ve realised that knowing and respecting yourself comes first, above all else.BB: Who and what are the biggest influences upon your work and your life to date?SB: Big Question! Bjork is my all time Goddess of inspiration. Visually I’m inspired by so much; I’m observant and deeply excited by imagery that sings with me… I love 80s dancehall covers, Persian miniatures, Orthodox Iconography, Japanese Shunga prints, Activist art of the Civil rights Movement and the See Red Women’s Workshop, old 90s Jungle flyers, Gauguin’s Tahitian phase, I could go on and on and on! I’m drawn to bold and striking pattern and colour, symbolism, art that I want to get inside!My mum’s an artist, and I was raised in a family where pursuing my creativity was encouraged and supported. Which means a lot to me and always will, so I guess that has maybe had the biggest influence on my work and life.BB: What does Britishness mean to you in the 21st Century?SB: Diversity. Britain has some of the most exciting sub-cultures and underground movements that were born out of multiculturalism. For me the beauty in Britain comes from it’s melting pot nature and in the current climate of increasingly xenophobic rhetoric and division, the need to resist and to coexist is ever more necessary. How can I define my Britishness, when my blood is from all over the world, without acknowledging that. [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built="1" admin_label="section" custom_padding="0px|0px|35px|0px"][et_pb_row admin_label="row" make_fullwidth="on" custom_padding="37.0469px|0px|0px|0px"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_image admin_label="Image" src="http://between-borders.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/a4-serpentine_900.jpg" force_fullwidth="on" /][et_pb_image admin_label="Image" src="http://between-borders.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/fish-and-bird_900.jpg" force_fullwidth="on" /][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label="row" make_fullwidth="on" custom_padding="37.0469px|0px|0px|0px"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_image admin_label="Image" src="http://between-borders.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/chapter-one-final_900.jpg" force_fullwidth="on" /][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built="1" admin_label="Section" custom_padding="0px|0px|0px|0px"][et_pb_row admin_label="Row" make_fullwidth="on" custom_padding="0px|0px|38px|0px" parallax_method_1="off" parallax_method_2="off"][et_pb_column type="1_2"][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="1_2"][et_pb_divider admin_label="Divider" color="#eaeaea" show_divider="on" /][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" disabled_on="on|off|off" header_line_height="1.2em" text_font_size="45px" text_line_height="1em" custom_margin="50px|50|50px|0px" custom_padding="0px|||" saved_tabs="all"]
"DON’T FEEL THE NEED TO PROVE YOURSELF TO ANYONE. YOU KNOW WHERE YOU CAME FROM AND YOU DON’T NEED TO JUSTIFY THAT."
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BB: What to you, is the biggest obstacle facing this generation of young people?
SB: I don’t think you can pin point one defined issue without it being subjective to class or the confines of social structures. Separate fractions of society suffer from different obstacles. But I do recognise our generation’s obsessive need to consume as a major obstruction to knowing yourself. Social media and our Capitalist Society have created a dangerous and shallow preoccupation with self-image and self worth that removes you from reality. Defining yourself by what you have rather than who you are stunts real growth and relationships.BB: If you weren’t an illustrator and artist, what medium of expression would you be using to portray your beliefs? I love singing and for me it releases so much positive energy, so I’d say a singer! Music is so unifying and powerful, I believe often more so than art. But saying that, I am in love with my craft and am so grateful that I can use my creativity to speak out and of course, to make a living.BB: Where can we find/view/buy your work Sophie?SB: My website’s www.sophiebass.co.ukFind me on Instagram @sophiebass_illustrationAnd check out my online shop… www.sophiebassillustration.bigcartel.com Thank you for having me guys![/et_pb_text][et_pb_sidebar admin_label="Sidebar" disabled_on="off|off|on" /][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built="1" admin_label="Section" custom_padding="||0px|" transparent_background="off" allow_player_pause="off" inner_shadow="off" parallax="off" parallax_method="on" make_fullwidth="off" use_custom_width="off" width_unit="on" make_equal="off" use_custom_gutter="off" global_module="30379"][et_pb_row admin_label="row" global_parent="30379" make_fullwidth="on" custom_padding="0px|0px|0px|0px"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" global_parent="30379" header_text_color="#ffffff" header_letter_spacing="19px" text_letter_spacing="1px"]
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