Interview
Britt Knoff
Britt is a Norwegian artist living in Moss -N, where she does her daily artistic work. She is strongly influenced by human relationships and experiences, as well as nature's impact on her emotional life in the artwork. Britt’s artistic expression varies from architectural and graphic to organic forms in various techniques and she considers herself a multidisciplinary artist. She has to challenge herself to try new expressions, if she freezes in a form she loses her creativity and that's what makes her come alive.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I have always had an artist in me, ever since I was little and was allowed to express myself in my father's artstudio. Before I found my way back to art, I took a master's degree in building construction and architecture and worked as a civil engineer for a few years. But the need to express myself artistically was there all the time and in the end I took a 2-year education at Nydalen art school (painting and drawing) and then a 3-year education at DTK, the Interdisciplinary Art Institute, both schools in Norway. Today, I work as an artist full-time and live the dream.”
What inspires you?
“I am strongly influenced by human relationships and experiences, as well as nature's impact on my emotional life in the artwork.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“I am a multidisciplinary artist where the theme I follow depends on the technique I use. I am concerned with the environment and reuse, where I pursue this theme through my sculptures. In my paintings and drawings, it is most often people, feelings and relationships that are reflected, but also architecture and constructions. The latter probably has to do with my engineering education, previous experiences are with me. Through my artist books, I create my own free stories where the themes vary from the materials I work with to the mood I am in when the book is created.”
How would you describe your work?
“I would describe my art as a curious research through different techniques and materials. Much of my work is simplification and abstraction of forms, especially in my paintings and drawings but also in the sculpture. Reuse of materials is an important part of my art, especially in the sculptures.”
Which artists influence you most?
“It's a difficult choice, there are so many people who inspire me. But if I were to choose someone, it would have to be Karin Mamma Andersson, a Swedish visual artist. I am very inspired by her process in her works and her paintings often have dreamlike and expressive compositions that give my imagination room to play.”
“In my paintings and drawings, it is most often people, feelings and relationships that are reflected, but also architecture and constructions.”
What is your creative process like?
“As I said, I work interdisciplinary. Most often I start with a sketchbook, then it can develops into a painting or sculpture. In the process, my projects often take several directions, some I note for later use, while others I pursue and work on. This often ends up in several different expressions such as painting, drawing, graphic art or sculptures/installations within one and the same project. For me, it is important that, in the process, I do not put barriers to my creativity and desire to develop myself as an artist.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“I think an artist's role in society is important. An artist dares to focus on themes and engagements such as natural pollution, environmental and climate policy, mental health, sustainability etc. With this, the artist creates debates and highlights the problem through art.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“In 2021, I was one of three artists in Cerveira, Portugal, as a representative of DTK art school in a research/art project dealing with plastic waste in maritime areas. The artist residency finally resulted in an exhibition in the Foundation Art Biennial of Cerveira. This exhibition was also the theme of my graduation exhibition at DTK art school in 2022. The exhibition in Cervira consisted of artist books with abstracted drawings and paintings from plastic waste, the graduation exhibition in 2022 also included paintings and reliefs.”
