Elisabeth Molin is selected by Futurising.org as Graduate of the week:
It’s hard to imagine that only twelve months ago Chelsea Fine Art graduate Elisabeth Molin was preparing for her degree show. Since then fine art photographer Elisabeth has quickly established herself as a rising star in the contemporary art scene, with solo shows in both London and New York.
Her journey began at her degree show in 2009 where her surreal stills portraying alternative realities attracted a great deal of interest from the visiting art dealers and gallerists. Elisabeth views the private view as a pivotal point in her career, not knowing at the time that the contacts she made would later take her to New York for her first solo show. She also met Andres Olow Clase from Orion Contemporary who is now her principal art dealer.
Hitting the ground running as a graduate is not always straight forward and for Elisabeth it’s all about work ethic: “I am extremely proactive. I work as a photographer’s assistant which allows me to continue learning technical skills and provides a good networking opportunity at the same time. I’m always contacting magazine and publications to get my own artwork out there and seen.”
Elisabeth’s first solo show ‘Gaps’ opened at the Art Currents Institute, New York, in December of last year. “I spent eight days out there but didn’t much sight seeing done. I was too busy meeting people and hanging the show. The gallery itself was in Chelsea which was funny as it had a completely different feel about it to the Chelsea I knew back in London.”
Despite her success Elisabeth is not letting herself get too carried away. Asked how it felt on the eve of her first solo show her response is a considered one: “To be honest I think it felt a little empty because you put so much effort in, but it was such a great experience meeting the whole art scene over there. The gallery did a good job getting word out about the show inviting art networks such as Artland and New York Art Beat”.
Back home Elisabeth is now shifting focus back to making new artwork. “I’m really looking forward to making new photos for future shows. My experience so far has made me focus on making new work rather than just putting on shows all the time.” She’s not planning on hiding herself away in a darkened room over the next few months, however, and sees networking as a ‘natural’ process to promoting yourself.
Elisabeth has not been focusing on social networks (Facebook, Twitter) when promoting herself and her work. “I’m only just getting into that world. I think I want the content to be suitable to that type of media. I’ve had a couple of art networks approach me and I really like these sorts of open communities”. She has been embracing other online communities, with a feature recently appearing on Pop magazine’s blog and another one in the pipeline for the new Sketchbook blog.
Elisabeth seems at ease with the business side of working for yourself as a fine artist and puts this down in part to her time on this year’s Immersion programme at CSM. She highlights the value of being able to create a sustainable living as an artist: “Take yourself seriously because you need to find a way to make money so that you can continue doing what you love to do. Just remain true to who you are. Trust your guts.” Courtesy Futurising.org and Adam Hayes.
