Interview

Sep 6

Inga Elser

Inga Elser is a Swiss artist born near Salzburg. She spent her childhood and adolescence in Austria, then moved to Switzerland at the age of 18. Her business life took place exclusively at the economic center of Zurich, with most of her working time spent prominently in the largest life insurance company in Switzerland.

Inga speaks German, English, Spanish, some French, and understands some Italian and Portuguese. She is a self-taught abstract artist. An NLP Master Practitioner training in 2001 drew Inga’s interest very strongly towards the medium of non-verbal communication, the opposite of what was customary in her working world. Unexpectedly, an inexplicably intrinsic motivation arose in her—an impulse to deal intensively with the non-verbal form of expression through art, especially abstract art.

Over the years, Inga has challenged her high expectations to develop an art collection. Abstract art is her world now.

Many of her works are privately owned. In the early years of her project, Inga’s artworks were shown in Berlin, Marbella, Nymes, Innsbruck and Zurich.

Her successful collaboration over the last few years with the Spanish gallery owners Will and Alexander Yaya, Crisolart Galleries from Barcelona, as well as Artventurous Gallery Barcelona have brought her works to Barcelona Spain, Doha Qatar, Dubai Saudi Arabia, New York and Portimao Portugal. And in October 2023, Inga’s works will also be shown in Paris, France.

What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?

“I discovered my creative side, my vivid imagination, my ability to see the world in colors, and my mental power to create my own world all without support from anyone. The unlucky environment I was born into pushed me to find a long-term strategy to mentally escape reality, which I found in the silence in nature, the flowers, trees, and woods in the mountains. Eventually, I moved to Switzerland on my own at 18 and built a life there.
My work in the insurance company business world was dominated by facts and figures, abstract thinking and a lot of regulations. The change and the big challenge came with the NLP Master Training at the age of 50. I realized that I could achieve much more if I would only use my creative and innovative side. Abstract art, freedom, open space—what else could I wish for for my future? My intrinsic motivation pushed me to work very hard, to let myself be attracted by art, and to even merge with it. For me, it was like a calling, and this makes my work unique because every single painting is an expression of my soul and of my deepest inside.”

What inspires you?

“I see a lot of paintings on social media and in exhibitions, some of which give me vague ideas. Reading about artists can also inspire me. Normally, my inspiration comes from within, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say that my outside doesn’t influence me concurrently. It’s always working in a subconscious way.
There are days when I get up and I have this inescapable urge to paint. I start to paint and forget about everything else.”

What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?

“My fascination is for series. Most of them have a certain theme with an underlying message to reflect, think, see or feel emotions in colors, or just open the eyes and see the beauty and the details. I want to offer aesthetic abstract art designs.
I don’t touch cruel, ugly, political themes.”

“We all need beautiful things around us; things that give us the feeling of positivity.”

How would you describe your work?

“I’d describe my work as unique, spontaneous, and intuitive. I’ve been working on my collection for the past 22 years. My project has become more and more structured because I’ve got high goals, and so my designs have to reflect a professional quality.
I’m eager to develop my skills with each new painting. Before I put my work on Instagram and Facebook, I put it through a self-criticism check.”

Which artists influence you most?

“As I work completely on my own, I don’t think I orientate myself to any one artist. However, the famous French impressionists Alfred Sisley, Vincent van Gogh, and Paul Gauguin have my deepest admiration for the passion they put into their work without receiving the recognition they have been longing for so urgently. Those examples show me that painting can influence a person’s mind, and to a large extent it can become a real obsession. They never gave up being unique, determined, courageous persons.
Do you know the most contrary examples in art? The two most famous Japanese contemporary artists Yayoi Kusama and Takashi Murakami both have an international resonance and both have contracts with Louis Vuitton. They’re both very creative, have their own design teams and big ateliers, have been marketed to a very high extent, and they both sometimes look as if they’d be integrated in their artworks.”

What is your creative process like?

“My process is spontaneous, creative, innovative, and always very positive. I couldn’t feel any happier than I do when I’m painting. When I’m working on a series, I find I get a certain energy to work fast which fades away after a few days or even weeks.
I love being in this energy wave. It makes the colors and shapes dance, the knives start jumping and my heart starts singing. The world doesn’t exist anymore.”

What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?

“An artist’s role in society has different aspects. It ranges from the rude, ugly, cruel and political statements of today to fine art, which I personally prefer. My personal aim is to make people feel something, to arouse their emotions and help them to see the beauty and the details in a painting, to open their minds and make them realize that everyone has the freedom to interpret an artwork, especially an abstract one. One doesn’t have to be a specialist to be able to do so.
Art will play an even more important role in future. Great parts of the outer world will be dangerous and insecure, and people will need to make their homes a safe and comfortable place. What else could bring more comfort to a home like artwork? It makes your place perfect.”

Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?

“Will Yaya, Founder, Gallerist and Art Director of Artventurous Gallery NY and Barcelona, showed some of my artwork at the Art Expo in Portimao, Algarve, Portugal from 10-12th of February 2023.”