Interview
Soufiya Ennasri
Soufiya is a self-taught artist who has lived in Dubai for twelve years. Her paintings are often described as ‘beautifully imperfect’. Each piece is a source of discovery, large in scale and comprised of vivid colors and textures.
Soufiya’s creative process is rooted in memory and imagination, and her feelings are evident. She is a positive force, but the contrasts in texture and hue imply the opposition of forces. She is exuberant, sensual, and frequently surprising.
Soufiya enjoys incorporating the world’s textures and hues into her artwork. She uses acrylic paints combined with various mediums and textures to redefine her overall perspective. She discovers the composition of the work through the delicate manipulation of paint on the canvas, working toward an ‘inevitable’ result.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“As a child, I had an innate ability for imagination and creativity, but I chose to focus on academics instead. Years later, I moved to another country and worked in a different field. It was only when I went on maternity leave that I paid attention to the lingering feeling telling me to get some paint and canvas and release my energy. That was one of the best feelings I’ve ever had. So I decided to take up painting as a way to process my feelings and rekindle my creative spirit. Armed with a determination to learn as much as possible about art, I searched online and found the techniques I needed to rediscover my love of painting, and awaken the artist within me.
My husband and family have been extremely supportive of this journey. Slowly but steadily, I began showcasing my work to close friends and family. Then I decided to go public by creating an account, publishing my creation, and sharing myself through my paintings. People began to show interest and my creations started selling. As a result, I began exhibiting my works in art galleries, both online and in-person, as well as in other venues.”
What inspires you most?
“My surroundings, travel, and most importantly, my emotions all serve as sources of inspiration for me. But my primary source of artistic inspiration is my own life. I like to paint things that I come across. I also make an effort not to be phony. With my paintings, I try not to please others, but rather to express myself.
Ultimately, my inspiration is my love of creating. The process itself makes me happy and fulfilled.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“The wabi-sabi philosophy parallels an artist’s ongoing journey in developing their artistic style. I began exploring, playing, and experimenting in my sketchbook after years of struggling and attempting to force an outcome with my art. I let go and let the process do its thing. I stopped drawing everything in pencil, painstakingly planning out each piece, and started letting my hand lead the way. I made many terrible drawings that were riddled with errors and flaws. But I was opening up and accepting where I was in my artistic journey. I was learning to appreciate my art for what it is, rather than what I want it to be.
Gradually, my ‘mistakes’ began to lead me down new and different paths. I started experimenting with new drawing techniques and tools, and developed a more accessible and playful drawing mindset.
Wabi-sabi doesn’t tell us anything about our artistic style or where we’re headed. It tells us to appreciate and see the beauty in the present moment. It tells us not to worry about when our art will be ‘better’ or when we will finally be ‘successful’. Instead, we should appreciate where we are in the journey today, as well as the art we are creating.
This is not lack of ambition, laziness, or a refusal to learn. It is acceptance and comfort with the journey, patience with the process, and appreciation for the present moment.”
How would you describe your work?
“I enjoy incorporating the textures and colors of the world into my artwork. I experiment with hues that reflect my emotions and values, in a style that represents the universe’s fluidity. My emotions are easily visible during the creative process, which is rooted in memory and imagination.
My work attempts to evoke nature; I seek accidents and unpredictability. I also like to combine materials in an attempt to elicit a response, removing myself from the canvas when the surface begins to crack and erode without intervention. A combination of human design and an uncontrollable organic process determines the appearance of the resulting works.”
“There are no mistakes when creating art. There is no wrong way to create art. Wabi-sabi liberated me from the anxiety preventing me from making art that felt true to me.
Making wabi-sabi art allows us to be more present in the process, allowing our tools to influence where the art goes. It emphasizes the process over the finished work of art.
As Richard R. Powell says, ‘Wabi-sabi nurtures all that is authentic by recognising three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is completed, and nothing is perfect.’”
Which artists influence you most?
“Vincent Willem van Gogh is one of my favorite artists. He only sold one painting during his lifetime, but in the century following his death, he became perhaps the most famous painter of all time. He struggled a lot to find his own identity, and it was really difficult for him to find peace with painting and society.
Another inspiration is Jackson Pollock. He took very unique approaches to art and abstract in general, and made it his own. He created a future for many artists out there struggling with the concept that art has to have a face and shape. Paintings come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Personality abstract speaks to me; it gave me a voice and a reason to create.
From the modern era, I’m inspired by Bosco Sodi, a Mexican contemporary artist who works primarily with natural materials and pigments. His paintings are unique and stunning. There are so many talented artists around the globe, and I feel privileged to have the ability to view different galleries, artists painting in the streets, museums, and online.”
What is your creative process like?
“I usually don’t plan for my paintings; they come to me as a vision. I always like to keep my studio tidy and ready for whenever I have an urge to paint, so I don’t waste time. I sometimes feel an itch, a constant need to paint. When that happens, I prepare a canvas, prime it, and take my time to connect with it. For me, the canvas is the vessel that allows me to create the body and spirit of the painting. I like to paint in total silence as this makes me more in control of my thoughts, allowing me to become utterly absorbed in the work.
I work with different mediums. I consistently push my limits: try new materials, see different chemical reactions, experiment with different types of paint and how they create. There’s so much in the process, and soon the painting reaches the stage I like, where I have to balance between the natural reaction and the manipulation. I want my paintings to have their own identity, and that’s what makes them unique.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“The artist’s role in society is critical, but has been undervalued. I say this because it seems that the aesthetic quality of the work has recently been overshadowed by secondary aspects of the work, such as the demands that the work’s intention has and its monetary value, among others.
An artist is a thinker who brings light to the world, illuminating new perspectives of reality and new approaches to life. An artist discusses the collective consciousness of their time. This is crucial especially now that we’re in the process of deconstructing ourselves as a global society.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“Since 2019, I’ve taken part in group and solo exhibitions. It began in a small gallery in Dubai, but my exhibitions have now taken me all over Europe.
So far, my art show with DIFC art night is the most successful art event in Dubai. Even though the COVID lockdown made it harder to attend more events, some amazing things happened. For example, I have an exhibition coming up in Paris in September 2022.”
Website: wwww.soufiyaart.com
Instagram: @Soufiyaart
