ALEX LEAV

2. Where do you look for inspiration? Could you tell me a little more about your artistic practice?

As cheesy as it sounds, I don’t think I necessarily “look” for inspiration, I find it at unexpected times. Inspiration can come from a photo I scroll past on my Instagram feed, a text I receive from a friend, a line from a book I’m reading, a really great exhibition I see (luckily, those are easy to find in New York). If I’m stuck, though, I’ll crack open the books I have on my favorite artists and sift through them. de Kooning, Mitchell, Krasner, Gorky, Picasso. They never fail to get some ideas flowing.

In terms of my own practice, I’m interested in female representation in the digital age. Working primarily with paint and abstraction, I aim to explore questions regarding “the individual”: Where does the authentic self begin and the digital self end? How does social media dictate “the individual” through its necessitation of self-branding, promoting, and selling? And, in a larger sense, is it possible for “the individual” to exist in its purest form, completely devoid of surrounding influence?

1. How did you first get started in your career as an artist? Did anyone or anything in particular inspire you? Were there any challenges you faced?

I’ve loved art for as long as I can remember. I grew up in a family of artists and started taking drawing and painting classes when I was little. It was always a hobby. I first realized I wanted a career as an artist, though, when I spent a semester studying art history in Europe during my undergrad at the University of Michigan. I was lucky enough to visit museums and galleries in different cities. I learned so much by looking and became inspired to give it a serious go on my own. When I got back to New York, I applied to an MFA program at the School of Visual Arts. I started in the program about a year later.

Of course there have been challenges! Literally countless. Every new painting is a challenge. Anything that’s easy is just kidding yourself.

3. What advice would you have for an artist who is just beginning their career?

I’m not sure it’s fair for me to answer this question as I feel like I’m just beginning my career! However, when it comes down to it, I’d like to believe that the most important aspect of any artist’s career is their work. So, to an artist just beginning, I’d say: spend as much time as you can developing the work. In the studio, nothing is off limits. Experiment with different techniques and materials. Go crazy, see what happens. One of my favorite parts of creating is surprising myself.

A more specific, concrete piece of advice would be to study art history, whether you apply to art school or check out some textbooks from the library on your own. It’s important and valuable to look at what has already been done - and to analyze the why’s and how’s - in order to contextualize your own ideas.

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