5 Minutes with...AGATA MAYES 'Visual Artist'

Published on 22 March 2022

1. What influences and inspires your creative practice?

   • I am a polish-born artist, and I get a lot of inspiration from my cultural heritage. I often go back to European films, Polish post-war paintings, and classical music. I also soak anything new and experimental. I am fascinated with projects that combine art and science. I feel art has no limits and exists in all areas of our everyday life.

   • I am very inspired by music. Analysing my work retrospectively, I realised that each of my previous exhibitions was closely connected to sound in its development stage, almost as though I needed to 'hear' the artwork before visualising it. I am working closely with a polish composer, Ania Massetti, for my current project. I feel we understand each other on a cultural level and can combine visual and sound seamlessly to create an immersive experience.

    

2. What does the term “arts and culture” mean to you?

   • Art and culture are interconnected, and they continuously evolve and inform each other. For me, art is one of many aspects of culture, where we express our thoughts, emotions, and beliefs by creativity. With art being now more interactive and installed in public space, it is almost impossible to separate the two.

   • It is interesting to reflect on culture in Australia as I immigrated here only ten years ago, and I appreciate First Nations Arts that shapes Australia's diverse contemporary culture and national identity. I also feel that art practitioners like me bring other colours and flavours to the multilayered Australian art community.

    

3. Out of curiosity, what is your perception of Frankton? Be honest!
   • I moved into the area in 2015 and I have always had a great experience with the Frankston community. I exhibited in Frankston Art Centre in 2021, and my art was received well. I also appreciate the progressive direction in art and the appreciation for everything experimental and based on new technologies. The South Side Festival is an exciting opportunity to promote the vibrant and creative community of Frankston City, and I am very grateful to be part of the festival event programme.

    

4. How do you view the relationship between the artistic creator and audience?
   • For me, the relationship between the artistic creator and audience is a 'conversation' - the energy exchange we crave in these difficult times. I create art that becomes a place and the opportunity to experience something intimate and personal for each of my viewers. The audience becomes a part of this creation. I love talking to people and listening to their reflections or interpretation of my art. I get inspired, and the energy comes back to me.

    

5. What song would be your theme song in the movie adaptation of your life?

   • I am such a clash of old and new. If I could create my soundtrack and travel in time, I would bring Chopin back with me to reinvent his nocturnes using electronic sound.

    

6. Describe yourself or artistic practice in five words (Note: you are infinitely awesome beyond these 5 words).

   • self-discovery

   • innovative

   • no limits (sorry two words!)

   • sensorial

   • intimate

Catch Agata Mayes' vibrant art installation, Architecture of Inner Space, at Cube 37 during the South Side Festival and beyond, from Friday 6 May to Saturday 11 June. Click the link for more details.