Interview with Hasti Sardashti
Hasti Sardashti | United Kingdom
An Iranian born artist living in London. She is always on the move. Moving through time & space through body & mind. Making art is for Hasti an attempt to stay in here & now -a vital practice to maintain stability, calm and fluidity in daily life. Making art is for Hasti like belonging to a place, having a home , like having a space where she can connect to the most genuine of herself and her immediate existence.
With the sounds of wind in poplar tree' leaves, There is no childhood lost!
Contemporary Art Station: Tell us about how you got started. When did you know you wanted to be an artist?
When I think about it, it feels like something it has been always a part of me, but somehow being afraid (by me) to come out, as I was so busy to adjust to maybe other people’ narcissistic needs than even knowing and acknowledging my own needs. I guess i haven’t had the real courage or being just lost and confused. I think I actively worked towards it about 17 years ago. I shall call it an organic process I guess :)
CAS: What is your process like, from initial idea to the creation of the piece? Do you usually develop the idea for a project before you find the "canvas", or vice versa?
I have always a list of ideas already in my head waiting for the time and space to be coming down on canvas. My head is my main workplace, I guess I discovered it from early age, I can work there and no one can see what I am doing. I develop the images there I turn them in different dimensions and observe them, I think about them and process the feelings I receive from them. Just after I prepare the canvas, I make a small and simple sketch on the paper, nothing more, anything more might stop the process. I do then the measurements etc, things might change in the process of creating the image on the canvas, but it is always the most difficult part for me as I feel some resistance and avoidance there in this process, not sure how to describe it. It feels pretty hard to me, not sure what that all means. But I seem to finish them at some point or at least explain them as a finished project.
CAS: What do you love most about your creative process?
The first part, from getting the image in my head , working on it and changing it. I guess I am naturally a dreamer, or just lazy.
Migration, Survival, Guilt: The who who left, survived and has survivor Guilt!
CAS: What role does art and the artist play in the broader social conversation today?
I believe art plays an immense part in our life and society but it seems if the most of us are either unaware of it or they just take it as granted. Being an artist is the best things can happen to someone in my opinion having that degree of freedom and responsibility at the same time.
CAS: Name a few of your favourite artists and influences.
When I was 11 or 12 I became really attached to two bands of books about History of Modern Art translated in Farsi which I found in my father’ library. I don’t know how many times I read them over and over again. I still have them . They are like my holy books. I aways identified with the most Impressionist artists, the fact of their rebelliousness, their courage and the amazing paintings they produced. I also always admired Picasso for his curiosity, his intelligence, his naughtiness with taking the short cuts and of course his mazing artistic abilities. I am not sure there are many more who I admire but these made the first impression on me when I was a child so there are somehow the most important ones.
CAS: What is the best advice you received as an artist?
Difficult question to answer. I think maybe I am just too stubborn. I do listen to others advice but aI do it my way.
Migration, Survival, Guilt: Ones who stayed , Fall in war and are forgotten!
CAS: When did you discover your voice as an artist?
I think to be precise there has been a break through for me in 2016. I cannot believe it took me so long.
CAS: What advice would you give to emerging artists trying to find their own?
Oh wow, I see myself still as an emerging artist though. I think I am rubbish in giving advice, but if anyone interested I would say ‘don’t be afraid to share the image in your head with others no matter how wired that might appear.’ I believe what i try to say is ‘ don’t let the fear of other people’ judgment stop you to live and grow as what you are. ‘
Thank you Hasti!
