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Leah Oates: Please describe your work in terms of your process, themes and content? |
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Feminist Iconography: An Interview with Sandra Bermudez – Leah Oates
Leah Oates: Please describe your work in terms of your process, themes and content?
Sandra Bermudez: Thematically, my work is focused on gender issues and their visual representations in our culture. I explore the iconography that is often related to how women are depicted in societal outlets, such as advertisements and pornography. Currently, I am exploring imagery that is related to desire and the positions that females are encouraged to aspire to, by inference.
LO: What are you currently working on in your studio? Is it for a specific project or is it still in progress?
SB: I am getting ready for a solo at Spinello Gallery, Miami. I have new sculptural work that I am still tweaking. Specifically, I am formulating how to display the sculptures to maximize their conceptual and aesthetic impact.
LO: When did you know you where going to be an artist? Please speak about how you’ve developed in order to get where you are now.
SB: I always wanted to be an artist. However, coming from a traditional background, I was “encouraged” to study Business. I hated every minute of it. I quickly shifted to fashion design. While I enjoyed the creative aspects, it did not satisfy my artistic needs. Therefore, I went back to school and got an MA in Art Education at Columbia and an MA in Studio Art at NYU. It’s now been six years since I became fully dedicated to making art.
LO: Your work is very broad in terms of the media you utilize and so you do not limit yourself in this way. How do you conceptualize your projects and how do you select a final medium for a work? It’s always all in the detail, and you always get it right in terms of what media to use to show an idea in its most condensed form. How do you do this and how does your final work get to this stage?
SB: I keep notebooks inside of which I capture anything that interests me. They contain everything from snippets to sketches and cutouts. I usually mull over ideas for months, often referring back to the notebooks. I am constantly thinking about work and formulating solutions. I always have my work around. There is no separation between my life and my art. In the end, as the idea comes together, so does the medium. Then finally comes the challenge—execution.
LO: Your career is always very busy and you are taking off in terms of how things have gone in the last several years. How has this changed things for you in terms of your working process and studio time, etc?
SB: As an artist, I think we are all always busy creating work. The good part of exhibiting is that you can conceive larger scale, integrated projects. It also necessitates the hiring of assistants—amazing people that take care of everything at the studio, giving one even more focused studio time.
LO: You came to NYC for school, I believe, and have been quite successful in a relatively short period of time. What advice would you give others from your experience as an artist who is busy and thriving?
SB: Be curious. Learn as much as you can from everyone you meet. Be genuine and don’t stop working. Everyone gets in a rut, just press through it and keep on working. Work on what you are not good at and focus on what you truly enjoy.
LO: What has been your best experience in terms of responses to your work? How do fairs differ from a solo or group exhibition?
SB: I have had many “best” experiences. I love the whole process. Sometimes I struggle with it, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. Fairs, solos and groups are all very different. I love the challenge of solos. That’s when you are on the line. You need to deliver conceptually sound exhibitions. They are the most consuming, both time-wise and emotionally. However, it is also when I see the most growth in my work.
LO: I really value my friendships with my colleagues in the arts. I find that these relationships nurture me and keep me going. What are your thoughts on this?
SB: Colleagues and friends are incredibly important in the art world and in life. They are the network of people that keeps you grounded. Additionally, they are sounding boards for my ideas.
LO: Your work is often about gender identity and sexuality from a female perspective. Do you consider yourself a feminist and, if so, how has this informed your work and approach as an artist?
SB: Yes, I do consider myself a feminist. What I don’t understand is how everyone else doesn’t. Feminism means that you advocate social, political and other rights for women as equal to those of men. As a person, it has changed me dramatically in the sense that I am always trying to look for a way to change the status quo. For instance, all my assistants are always female and I make a point of trying to help them get along with their career and to broaden their options. You know how there is the old boy’s club? Well, we are working on the new girl’s club. It’s all about support and helping each other.
LO: Do you think the art world still treats female artists or artists of color differently? Do you think that the art world is ultimately quite conservative? What are your thoughts on this?
SB: Absolutely. A male artist is first an artist, while a female artist is usually a female first. The media has repeatedly pointed out the fact that half of all graduating MFAs are female, but only 10-20% of solos in Chelsea feature women. However, I do not think dealers get together and ask how they can keep women down. I think it is all about money, track records and self-fulfilling prophecies. I think that sexism now is much more subtle. The status quo is what it is and it’s up to us to change it. As a collector, artist or dealer, you have to put your money where your mouth is. Ask questions, challenge and be the difference. You can‘t complain and follow the system.
