Alexandra Boaru

Alexandra Boaru (b.1997, TImişoara) is a multidisciplinary artist, whose practice provokes the concept of ”human” and its impact on ‘the other’ and its own self. One of the main themes that can be seen throughout her artworks is the exploration of boundaries between being human and becoming something else. Her approach can often be described as poetical, being influenced by contemporary speculative fiction literature and the ’70s conceptualism. She has a BA in Photography from the University of Portsmouth and an MA in Photography and Moving Image from the National University of the Arts Bucharest.

You can follow Alexandra on her Instagram profile:
https://www.instagram.com/boarualexandra/

When did you discover your passion for art, and what does art mean to you?

In college, I enjoyed wandering through the library and randomly picking up books to browse. I did this almost every day. I would grab a stack of books and flip through them, and one of these books happened to be about conceptual art from the ’70s. I instantly liked it because it was so ordinary but provoked your mind when you started peeling back the layers and looking at what could be behind it. Works by artists like Charles Ray, Ai Wei Wei, or Rebeca Horn pushed me to think of artworks not just as objects but primarily as ideas.

Describe yourself briefly: what do you like, what moves you, what angers you?

I like cats, I like it when a work arouses my curiosity or makes me very sad, and I like knowing that I’ve done something exactly as it should be, all the way to the end. Of course, I’m a visual artist, but what moves me the most is music (I recommend Patrick Belaga). Many things anger me, and I prefer not to name them but rather to take action when I see them happening around me.

Describe your artistic vision: sources of inspiration, methods, messages you want to convey to the audience.

I really enjoy reading, and that’s where many of the ideas for my projects come from. In recent years, I’ve been very interested in speculative fiction, with writers like Octavia Butler, but also the writings of Han Kang or Yukiko Motoya, which tend to fall more into the realm of absurd literature. I’m usually very attentive to words and how they come together, and I immediately jot down something interesting when I read or hear it. So I can say that the titles of my works already exist in the notes on my phone and are just waiting to be used. Regarding the relationship between my works and the audience, I believe that, in principle, I want to create curiosity, to intrigue. I think in the future, I would like to have a work that creates such an overwhelming feeling that those who see it won’t be able to hold back tears, but that’s just an idea.

Who has influenced you on your journey so far and how?

Everything. I try to be as attentive and present as much as I can.

Which of your works do you like the most, and what does it mean to you?

For a work to become something I like, it takes at least a year. When it’s exhibited, I can’t appreciate it, and I somewhat avoid it. So I don’t think I have a favorite work, but reading the question, I immediately thought of “A Farewell Act of Love,” which is part of the installation “On Being Human and Other Speculative Beings. A Parable of Becoming.” It’s a photographic print with a clay frame and thorns, and in the image is my back in contact with a part of this speculative system. What I like about this work is that everything, from the title that rolls off the tongue to the hard-to-handle frame that leaves marks no matter how you grasp it, to the curvature of my back, which becomes almost animalistic, everything fits so smoothly and seamlessly that it’s as if they have always existed together.

What has been the most joyful moment in your career so far?

I think one of the most important moments so far was the opportunity to exhibit my master’s project as part of the call organized by Galeria Posibilă. It was an exhibition that involved a lot of hard work, and I learned a lot about planning and installation, information that proved to be very helpful in the exhibitions that followed.

What are your expectations from the Accelerator Brașov program?

I hope to gain a better understanding of all the relationships that arise between the artist and their work and the professional environment, which isn’t necessarily about creating the project but rather about organization, deadlines, and effective communication. I’m sure that through this program, my managerial skills in terms of what to do when a work is ready to be presented will visibly improve.

Which other artist do you admire and find inspiring, and why?

There are many artists I appreciate, and I’ve learned something from them, and if I were to name a few, it would be Patricia Piccinini, Alexandra Davenport, or Sergiu Matis. I thought of them because they address themes that interest me and are tangential to my projects, using either their own bodies, the bodies of others, or, in Patricia Piccinini’s case, inventing bodies that are placed in poetic situations that question their relationship with the environment and with others.

What are your future plans?

I don’t necessarily have plans. Of course, I want to go as far as possible in my career, but what I want the most is to have the same enthusiasm for what I do and for the future. I believe plans can be made and unmade, but for me, what’s more important is constant perseverance and strong motivation.

in Fabulating About a Gelato Machine Exhibition