Contemporary artist Kaja Upelj talks about her mission to draw people to the emotional power of glass as a soft, warm and welcoming material.
I believe the main purpose of any artwork is to help people explore emotions and feelings they might not be aware of. It is beautiful to see the connection between the observer and the artwork, which is in a way the connection between the artist and the observer.
How did you begin your journey in the world of art?
It was the performance of hot glass in the streets of Murano that changed everything. I experienced glass differently. My mind associated glass with the image of hot and liquid movement of a soft material. That is the first memory I have and it changed my entire view of glass as a medium.
I wish to change the perception people have about glass by freezing organic movement and line, and choreographing them into subliminal form. My works possess a life of their own, avoiding definition and embodying a sense of warmth and a wealth of emotions that arise from the working process.
Vanguard Court. Otherworldly Bodies. Photo by Ester Segarra
What inspires you? Give us an insight into your process.
I see how charming the world is by looking into the smallest of details – the smallest treasures that nature reveals if you take time to see them. Inspiration for my latest work comes from various gemstones such as labradorite and mother-of-pearl. I was intrigued by the iridescent colours that danced with the movement of light. The movement was so subtle and yet mysterious that I knew at that moment I wanted to create artwork that would bring out similar emotions in the observer.
Vanguard Court. Otherworldly Bodies. Photo by David Barreiro
What is the primary role of an artist?
I believe the main purpose of any artwork is to help people explore emotions and feelings they might not be aware of. It is beautiful to see the connection between the observer and the artwork, which is in a way the connection between the artist and the observer. My main goal was for people to perceive glass as a soft and warm material. Due to shifting colours and silky surfaces people focus on the tactile sensitivity of glass in my work.
Vanguard Court. Otherworldly Bodies. Photo by Ester Segarra
How do you deal with the conceptual difficulty and uncertainty of creating work?
Each project is a challenge in its own way. Any uncertainties that arise during the working process guide me to newer explorations of the material as well as techniques. I appreciate unexpected moments that expose a question because, in that way, I can search for even better results, a new creation.
What are you looking for when you look at other artists’ work? Which shows, performances and experiences have shaped your own creative process? Who are your maestros?
I am drawn to minimalistic artwork. I am mesmerized by work that focuses on the material itself and not on unnecessary details that are not true to the medium. Only then I can truly hear the voice of the material. Hans Arp, Constantin Brâncuși and Tapio Wirkkala are some of the names that I would say understood the laws of the materials they use. I have been on a mission to draw people to the emotional power of glass as a soft, warm and welcoming material. I always seek to be in harmony with the material because it is then when it allows us to manipulate it into a beautiful creation.
Vanguard Court. Contemporary artist Kaja Upelj. Otherworldly Bodies. Photo by Ester Segarra
What do you observe in an artist in flow?
I’m continuously intrigued by the passion artists have for the materials they are employing to deliver their ideas to the world. Artists manage to develop a language with the medium and translate it in a way that is accessible to everyone.
What is that one thing you wished people would ask you but never do?
What kind of collaboration would I wish to do and with who.
Subtle Flow. Contemporary artist Kaja Upelj. Photo by David Barreiro.
What are you working on now? What’s coming next season?
My mind has been occupied with various ideas which I hope to develop in the following year. As an artist, I strive to achieve perfection in my artwork, which is why I always take the time to research the materials and develop a new project that would encapsulate my vision. I hope to soon reveal the direction I am going in with my next project.
Before you go – you might like to browse our Artist Interviews. Interviews of artists and outliers on how to be an artist. Contemporary artists on the source of their creative inspiration.
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