Jonathan Bergström: What details can you provide about your contribution to the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition’s Salon des Refusés?

 

Natale Adgnot: My piece features gold thread embroidered over cotton tape, which is sewn onto a background made of dyed cotton muslin. This muslin is a standard in fashion prototyping and has been dyed using Sumi ink mixed with acrylic medium. The cotton tape is also a fashion element, typically used in couture to indicate lines on a dress form at the center, waist, and bust. These materials hold personal significance for me, as they relate to my experiences in French couture, while the sumi ink introduces a Japanese element from my years in Tokyo.

 

JB: What was the experience like for visitors at your open studio during Gowanus Open Studios?

 

NA: Gowanus Open Studios is quite impressive, possibly the largest art event in New York City, with over 350 venues, mainly artist studios. With so much going on, attracting visitors can be quite a challenge. I set up a small gallery space within my spacious studio featuring a scaled-down version of Life Cycle Of A Bird Brain. Though it doesn’t feature every piece or the exact layout from the original show, it includes most of the works, including the large nest installation. Many guests were thrilled to be there since they couldn’t make it to the original exhibition.

 

JB: I heard portions of your Bird Brain series are included in the I Was Not Born Alone exhibition at Transmitter Gallery. Is that correct?

 

NA: Yes, the title I Was Not Born Alone refers to the concept of twins. Each of the four artists is showcasing work that reflects an iterative process. This means creating a piece and then crafting another that is similar but distinct—not duplicates or diptychs, but separate explorations of colors, techniques, or compositions. You can find two of my Phoenix pieces here; the smaller work served as a study for the larger one, allowing me to identify improvements along the way.

 

JB: What has been the response to your solo exhibition Life Cycle Of A Bird Brain at Sweet Lorraine Gallery?

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NA: The overall response has been really encouraging, many viewers see it as a pivotal moment in my work. Some viewers have said things like, "I’ve been watching your work for six years, and it’s amazing to see how far you’ve come!". People are curious about my techniques and materials, and it surprises them to find out my work is made from plastic rather than glass. I really enjoy that sense of intrigue and the ambiguity it brings to my art.

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JB: You're also preparing for an exhibition at Gallery 1923, that is scheduled to be on view between November 8-17. What can you share about the gallery and your upcoming show?

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NA: Gallery 1923 has already hosted several shows and specializes in textile arts, with occasional photography exhibitions. Their first show opened in April of this year, so they’ve been operating for a few months now. For this upcoming exhibition, I will be showcasing some of my textile artworks. I'm currently working on them, and this show marks a shift from my Life Cycle Of A Bird Brain series. I’m focusing more on the process this time.

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JB: Are there any other artists showcasing work in these exhibitions that you’re particularly excited to be sharing the space with?

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NA: For the upcoming show at Gallery 1923, I find Tegan Brozyna Roberts' work particularly impressive. She explores the idea of interaction with her art using vertical threads that have bits of paper collaged into them. When you move around her pieces, you experience a parallax effect because of the two rows of threads. As you change your perspective, the threads shift past each other, creating a moiré effect, which is a bit like the parallax in my own work. With both of our works, what is visible at first glance is just the beginning. It pays off to spend time viewing the pieces from different angles rather than just accepting them at face value.

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JB: This might be difficult to answer, but how do you define success in your exhibitions?

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NA: I think the first measure of success for me is the quality of the conversations I have with visitors. When people spend a lot of time engaging with the work and ask thoughtful questions, that signals to me that they are truly connecting with it. That’s already a success in my book. Of course, sales are often seen as a measure of success, but that doesn’t really apply to my "Bird Brains" series right now. My focus has been more on the artistic dialogue. I felt satisfied with Life Cycle Of A Bird Brain because it was cohesive. Every piece in the show felt necessary and contributed to the overall message.

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JB: How do you see the role of textile arts evolving in contemporary art?

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NA: I believe textiles finally have the moment they deserve, which should have happened long ago. I’m really grateful I had the epiphany to start incorporating fabric into my work when I did. I’ve mentioned this multiple times over the weekend to visitors: I often wonder why it took me so long to realize that fabric was the missing element in my art. After all, I worked in fashion for years—why didn’t I think of combining art and fabric sooner?

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JB: Looking ahead, are there any themes or concepts you want to explore in your upcoming projects?

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NA: For the next few months, I want to take a sort of interlude to play with new materials and let them guide my creativity. I don’t want to think too much about concepts right now—instead, I want to allow the materials to inspire me.