Artwork (or artist ) that changed your life and why? I think it was the retrospective of Rebecca Horn at the Guggenheim in New York many years back that motivated me to do a Masters in Fine Art.
When did you first know you wanted to be an artist? I don’t think being an artist is a question of choice. I think you are born with a kind of a storm inside of you. The choice is when you decide to make a living with it. I was obsessed with drawing since I was 12 or so. But, I became really committed to art in my 30s.
What do you like about making art in Los Angeles? There are a lot of clashes here -cultural, religious, there are many different characters ending up in Los Angeles, that makes this place interesting and exciting. It’s a micro-cosmos. It is also a place that teaches tolerance and I like that. Trying to get along is the only thing everyone here has in common. For an artist LA offers a lot of freedom - we are not restricted to a local tradition or lineage. It’s a place where one can experiment.
What do you dislike about making art in Los Angeles? LA puts more attention to film making, not art making. That is the strong culture here. There are other challenges like scarcity of affordable studio spaces.
Favorite book, film or food? I have a favorite book every month, but I really liked Arctic Dream by Barry Lopez. I’m attracted to the Polar Regions, but the way he describes the Arctic is truly poetic. And I love Indian food.
Favorite website? I don’t have a favorite website. But I love surfing the web.
Best art advice? To the policy makers: I do know there are more important problems to solve than funding art. But to have a creative outlet when you’re young teaches you about yourself. I think my art helps me give an identity; an individual identity. I don’t who I would be if art was not part of my life.
Layers of Separation by Corina Gamma is on view at Happy until May 30.