Wham recently met up with magical artist Selina Scerri, after seeing her artwork whilst interviewing one of our other inspirational women….We just had to learn more about the magical artist behind these intriguing large format “magical” paintings.
Francesca: Tell us a bit about yourself.
I have always compared myself to Peter Pan. Not in the way of a person that never grows up, but as a child who never grows up. The only way for me to survive in this world was to always believe in magic and paint. I have been a professional painter since 2007 and have had different studios around Europe including the UK, Italy and Spain. At the moment I have a lovely little space in Senglea. I tend to be very selective about who comes in and don’t really invite people over. For me, my studio is like a shrine. Some people might not understand it but I really need to be left alone there when I am working. The solitude sets off my creative flow and the process of painting itself as meditation within my shrine.
Francesca: Where do you draw your inspiration from and how do you process it?
I used to read a lot of magic realism short stories for a long time, just to get that kick from the surprise and excitement of discovering “what just happened here?!” kind of thing. Kafka, Master and Margarita, The Man who could walk through walls, and of course Don Quixote to mention a few, are sources for my inspiration.
Since I had an accident a few years back that broke my hip bone, I have been looking into magical manuscripts, modern day wizards podcasts and spells just as a source of inspiration, that one can see in my paintings but obviously it is not the central theme. I guess some may detect a bit of a magical artist in me and my paintings but I mainly create artwork to find joy. To give joy. I paint to heal my wounds and work through the hardships of life.
Becoming a mother has also had a profound effect on how I paint as well. I learned that good things take time to grow, and to evolve and refine over time.
Francesca: Which themes do you explore?
I am currently exploring domesticity against boredom by attempting to shed a new light to vases full of flowers, imbuing them with a magical character. Magic realism…. Magic and more magic and glitter and fairies..
Francesca: Do you have a signature style?
Yes, my signature style is magical, flowy, dreamy images of flowers and fairies and tigers… or cats and horses. The female figure features frequently, as this is how I often imagine fairies to look like.
Francesca: What is your medium and preferred scale?
I am currently doing a masters in illustration and learning tattooing so I am always looking into transforming my practice into what it needs to evolve in. I can’t wait till I learn enough about illustration and tattooing to be able to create a design around a body. I am already addicted to the buzz sound of the needle.
But truly there is nothing I love more than super large scale. In painting, which I do in every kind of material available, I just excel in super sizes. Super large scale paintings can be hard to accommodate in modern houses and to price reasonably but I cannot do otherwise.
I would love one day to be in a position of making artworks as large as 600 by 600 or more. I have worked on large scale murals but I do feel working on a super sized canvas would be something else.
Having said that, I have also been working with the gallery to have smaller size limited edition aluminium prints of some of my artworks so it can be enjoyed in smaller places.
Francesca: Tell us about your latest collection.
This collection I feel is by far the best I have ever made in my entire career. It started in a time of contemplation in which I needed to withdraw from society to work on my private life and emotions and it became a symbol of perseverance and self realisation and joy.
I was lucky enough to be given a lot of support by friends and professionals this time and I put all my experience into full on practice. The collection, which I named Efflorescence, takes on the tradition of still life painting, and explores the simple vase of flowers in a contemporary idiom. I have used found images and real flowers as references. I have painted larger than life floral bouquets, explored different materials and floral representations through painting. The end result reflects the contemporary and profound need to connect back with nature. To appreciate and crave the natural habitat that often lacks in our cosmopolitan life.
The entire collection was painted during the coronavirus lockdown periods, and the craving of connection with nature, and the protective bubbles around the female figures reflects this period of time. Looking at flowers loving every single thing about them and just adding a splash of magic, and enjoying being myself… this is what this collection is about.
Francesca: How has your practice changed over time?
When I was younger my work was predominantly figurative, depicting ethereal young girls in a dreamy fairy tale setting. This continued for many years. A turning point in my practice was when I was commissioned by Embassy Complex in 2018 to do an installation in Valletta, for which I did a trail of transparent strips of fabric, all hand dyed, that created a kind of colourful tunnel to another dimension. The artwork was about 23 metres long and was installed over St. Lucia Street. From then on, my colours became brighter and at the same time more controlled. I am now a mother and therefore I guess these blooming joyous feelings that my son gives me are being translated into bouquets of flowers.
Francesca: What are your future plans?
I have some plans about exploring art and creativity and new scientific processes…But my plan for the future is simple – I just want to be happy.
Francesca: Where can I see your work?
My collection will be exhibited at 111 Art Gallery in Gzira and Ta’ Xbiex, for two weeks starting from the opening night on October 9 until October 23. All works will also be available online simultaneously. For information on magical artist Selina Scerri visit https://111art.gallery/product-category/selina-scerri/ or www.artsy.net/show/111-art-gallery-efflorescence.
What do you think about magical artist Selina Scerri? Contact us or send us an email at [email protected]
Francesca Fenech Conti is passionate about social issues and has a BA in Social Policy. She is the Founder and creator of the women only facebook group Women for Women (Malta) and the Women for Women Foundation that works hand in hand with other NGOs and businesses to empower and support women, especially single mothers.
Francesca recently also launched Wham.com.mt to provide a much needed space on the local media scene to promote women’s voices and to provide women with a source of information regarding their general wellbeing.
Click here to check out Francesca’s full bio as well as a list of all her Wham published articles
