Just stumbled upon ColdplayCorner on her interview and I thought maybe Coldplaying could do the same too..?
http://www.coldplaycorner.com/news-interview-mila-furstova.html
We interviewed Mila Furstova as part of its collaboration and its role in the creation and making of the universe and artwork of the album Ghost Stories.
Hi Mila, thank you for agreeing to answer our questions.
- First of all, can you introduce yourself. When did you start to create and draw? What was the trigger of your career?
I grew up in Czechoslovakia and it definitely had an impact on my art. Any travel outside the Communist bloc was virtually banned. That is what I think that made the introverted attitude of my country. This is of course a terrible violation of freedom for the generation of my parents and grandparents, but I was very lucky that my family has given me a loving childhood. I was not aware of the political system that was in power and even injustices that my family was facing.
In a political system where people feel a lack of freedom, imagination, tradition and storytelling become more important and I think that the exploration of the inner world rather than the outside world has made me a kind of dreamy and artist I am now.
Engraving is an extraordinary and beautiful technique that is overlooked in contemporary art. This helps to meditate, it can be unpredictable and requires a level of humility to understand ... just like everything that is worth to be understood
- Can you describe your universe? Where did the inspiration?
When I first started studying art, I've always worked very hard to get inspiration and my own language. At first I felt I could not do it, but I continued to work for the art was what I loved to do. One day, someone in the UK told me that he had visited the Czech Republic where I come from and could see that my work is "pretty Czech." Whether true or not, it made me realize that when you are an artist, you find your language if you continue to work with passion and honesty.
During my career there were times when I struggled to find inspiration for new work, but now I'm just trying to keep my eyes open and collect visual material that attracts me, even if I do not know why. All I can find out why later ... sometimes years later.
- How long have you been working with Coldplay? How have you found working with them?
I was introduced to the group by the fifth member Phil Harvey, who was already familiar with my work after he discovered by chance in London.
This particular project took nearly two years and was the most fantastic and inspiring collaboration I've ever done.
- What is your relationship with the band?
There are certainly more than just memories that stand out when you talk about Ghost Stories.
And Phil is an extremely important person in the group, he is the visionary artistic director and a great thinker and also the nicest men you could imagine. I think Chris Martin once said that everyone needs a Phil in his life.
I always knew that Coldplay were talented musicians but meeting them in person has surpassed anything I imagined.
-Avaient They a clear idea of what they wanted or were you free to interpret things your way and made it their choice then?
Initially, I worked on Ghost Stories with Phil, we talked in detail about different directions. Then I met Chris and he told me what his vision for the album.
To be honest, at first I struggled to draw anything that might seem fair. We all realized that we just had to know how to think of everyone. Phil made sure that many of my works are displayed in the recording studios in London Coldplay, like that group members had the time to look and choose the aspects they liked.
In short, because it's a long story, Chris was very attracted to my work Blue Dream III and wings that I had drawn on it. It was he who saw that if the wings are repositioning can be seen as a broken heart. And it was the most decisive moment of the whole story.
- What method did you use to create these works? How you immergiez you in this world?
I created all the works of Ghost Stories with the concept of etching etching.
Engraving with etching technique is beautiful and extraordinary which is rather neglected in contemporary art. It allows the expression of meditative thinking, which can be quite unpredictable and requires a certain level of humility to understand ... just like anything worth being understood.
Engraving with etching is an ancient technique, first developed in the 15th century. When I realized a print I'm working on a zinc plate that I heat before covering with a thin layer of wax is specially equipped. Once the plate temperature has dropped, I smoke layer using wax candles to obtain a black surface. When this is done, the plate is ready for drawing. I draw it by gently scraping the blackened wax with a needle thin, exposing the silver plate underneath.
All the lines are drawn and then etched by submerging the entire plate in a hot acid solution.
Once the plate is etched, I withdraw the acid I and cleans the wax with white spirit.
At this point, I take the plate and I press different colored inks in the etched lines and smooth the surface with fabric to achieve the tone I want. Finally, I put the plate in an etching press and I cover it with damp paper after it has passed in a print is made ... and that's what the etching etching.
- The group was demanding it with you? Does it represented a kind of challenge for you?
The group gave me access to all the songs on the new album which were then held in the utmost secrecy and Chris told me he was concerned that I have complete freedom in what I drew.
Only a true artist can give it because they know that to make real art there must have complete honesty, the artist must feel deeply what they say. It was a very nice gesture because I felt that they had opened a door for me about themselves.
From that day, I listened Ghost Stories every day and I fell in love with the music and lyrics and so I just let the images arise on my plate engraving. I did not make a sketch ... I just drew what I felt to be right.
- The next exhibition Album Artists (where you can view and purchase the works of Ghost Stories for the benefit of Kids Company ) held in December, can you tell us about the preparations.
Yes, we are preparing a comprehensive exhibition of my work on Ghost Stories.
After drawing the wings for the album cover, I also made prints for three singles. There are a lot of sketches for this and many different versions of the prints themselves. With this exhibition we will expose publicly for the first time this has been kept secret for two years working on this project.
The exhibition will open on December 3 and the group plans to attend. It will then be open to the public from December 4 to 7. It is organized by Album Artists whose director Fraser Kee Scott was the first person to have arranged a meeting between Coldplay and myself and that was my agent on this project.
All works will be for sale and Coldplay and I decided that the revenues should go to a work they support: Kids Company. If any of your readers are interested in seeing the exhibition (or buy), just contact Fraser by email at:
[email protected] .
- Can you tell us about your involvement with Kids Company , since when do you support this cause?
I have often given my work to raise funds for charity and somehow charities that help children are dear to my heart.
I firmly believe that every child deserves to be loved and Kids Company helps to show children how much they matter and are important.
- What is your favorite part of this collaboration with Coldplay?
My favorite moment was just before the final concert of the tour Ghost Stories where the group invited me to their "hug" before concert. We all embraced and Chris said how grateful he was to have met such an inspiring artist than me and thanked me for all that I had created for the album. I was very touched and honored by this experience.
- Were you a fan of Coldplay before this collaboration? Did you become one?
I have always felt very close to what people say Coldplay in their music, they have always resonated with me.
But now ... I think I have to say they are almost a part of me. I've never worked so closely with someone before. I let go completely in my art and they did the same thing with me. It was a beautiful work of faith, poetry and humanity.
- What is your favorite song Ghost Stories?
They change depending on where I am in my thoughts ... "A Sky Full Of Stars" is that I feel as if I had always known ... and the last "O" ... about the flock of birds ... is so sublime and true it looks like a prayer that touches me very deeply.
- Have you had the opportunity to attend a concert tour Ghost Stories? Was it your first Coldplay concert?
The group invited me to their concert in July at the Royal Albert Hall. Everything was like a dream. Their performance was breathtaking and they projected my art on the ceiling of the room. I could not believe it was actually happening, especially as the Royal Albert Hall is where I got my degree from the Royal College of Art for many years before ... if you m 'had told then what would happen, I would have said you're crazy!