Andrea Mongenie

Andrea Mongenie

• When did you first fall in love with art, and realise that you wanted to pursue it as a career? 

I fell in love with it twice, first when I was a kid and decided I wanted to draw every day. And then I fell in Love with it again about 4 years ago when I was pregnant with my son and started painting every day again. 

• Are there any inspirational creative influences that had an impact on you while growing up and also for you currently?

Growing up: my mother, she's a painter so I watched her paint a lot. Currently: seeing women slowly taking space in the art world, that excites me. I didn't see a lot of it growing up. 

• How has your practise changed over time?

It's changed a lot since I started painting, when I was younger I was all about drawing realistic scenes , portraits and representation, I also went through a digital phase when I studied print, I used the computer a lot, manipulating colours and shapes. I now I’m into abstract or the blurry line between abstract and landscape. 

• What art do you choose to surround yourself with?

Currently on my walls: Olivia Mansfield, Alex Brenchley, Tiffany Bouelle, Emmanuelle Vial (my mother), and some prints from the flea market brought back from Japan and Nice. Like my collectors, I like having a connnection to the art I buy. My next purchase I think would be: Chelsea Vivash or Christabel Blackburn.

• What things are integral to your creative process?

Nature, Good natural light, Calm (as in uninterrupted time alone), and childcare (lol)

• What is the best piece of advice you've ever been given from another artist?

I remember Tiffany Bouelle saying to me something on the lines of "No matter how many doors get slammed in your face just keep walking"

• Any current projects you can talk about?

I'm in France for the winter, and I'm working on a new body of work that will all come together as an exhibition at the end of the year here in Bordeaux. I'm working on some large formats and I want to collaborate with a ceramicist or sculptor as well. Also watch out for a painting of mine in Elle Deco next month and two large scale paintings at Liberty in London on the 4th floor 

• What would your dream art project be?

I'd love to do a residency in Asia, Japan perhaps. Have a gigantic studio, barn sized. And be able to take my family with. I also would love to be asked to do a gigantic mural somehwere on a building outside that anyone could enjoy looking out.

• How would you like to see Borneo studio evolving within the next few years?

I love the trajectory that I'm on, so I want to continue on that path, : making bigger, more ambitious work, meeting more amazing people, sending my work out into the world.

• And the hardest question... What's your favourite colour?

I love them all, obviously. But I go through phases, every two or three months I get obsessed with different colours and different colour combinations. At the moment I'd say purple, but I'm eternally curious, I like change and movement. I like changing my mind. I love looking back at my different colour phases and seeing how different they are to what I'm doing now.