ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
KENT ARTIST PROFILE :
INÊS MOURATO
EMERGING ARTIST INÊS MOURATO FINDS INSPIRATION IN CLASSIC HISTORY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF WOMANHOOD AS AN ENDURING IDENTITY AND SYMBOL THROUGHOUT TIME . WE SPOKE TO INÊS ABOUT HOW SHE BECAME AN ARTIST , THE DEEP CONNECTION SHE HAS MADE BETWEEN ANCIENT GREEK POTTERY AND HER OWN ART , AND THE FEMALE INSPIRATIONS THAT HAVE IMPACTED HER LIFE AND HER PRINTS .
Tell us about your journey into the art world ?
I have been creative and artistic from a very young age . The main reason why I have always felt the need to incorporate art into my daily life is because I was lucky to grow up surrounded by museums , concerts and many other artistic settings . After completing my BA in Fine Art , I continued my education with a Masters in Curation as I was particularly interested in the research work and processes of the job . It interconnects history of art and contemporary art practice , which are present in my own artworks .
Your prints are reminiscent of ancient Greek pottery , how has this artistic era inspired your work ?
Greek pottery is used as a resource of ancient lifestyle studies , as most artistic remains got destroyed throughout the years . Besides its functionality of carrying water and food , it portrayed day-to-day activities that have taught us much more about that era . In my work , I take influence not only from its ancient aesthetics but from its background and story . It appeals to me ; the idea of producing an artwork that creates a narrative and consequently depicts an idea or a point of view .
Women and the nude form also feature prominently in your work , what is it about the feminine shape that inspires you ?
My main focus when producing art is to explore the female perspective in life , especially if it explores the female body and its symbolism throughout time . Women have been considered as the ‘ other ’ and are mostly judged by the way they look and present themselves . Therefore , ‘ woman ’ is the protagonist of my work ; she can be portrayed as a metaphor or can take influence from ancient deities , female artists and powerful women . The women I portray tend to have exaggerated features , such as thicker legs or longer arms - this is to emphasise the singularities of the female body and exalt body empowerment .
As well as being an artist , you also sell printmaking kits so your customers can create their own prints at home , how did this idea come to you ?
My printmaking kit was created with the aim to teach beginners how to print and learn more about the art media in itself . I spent most of lockdown learning about the technique and perfecting it . It is very time and money consuming hence why I wanted to share the knowledge I wished I ’ d had from the beginning .
Who are your artistic heroes ?
My artist research is mostly constituted by female artists . My favourite ones being Paula Rego , a Portuguese artist whose work is based in fairy tales ; Jenny Saville , an artist that explores the grotesque side of the female body ; and Frida Khalo , a Mexican artist known for her symbolic and colourful self-portraits .
Where can we find your work ?
My work can mostly be found on Instagram ( imourato _ art ) or on my online portfolio at imouratoart . co . uk . My work can also be found selling online at my Etsy shop www . etsy . com / uk / shop / Imouratoart .
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