Florine Imo is an Austria based German painter currently studying in the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. Throughout her studies Florine developed a special technique, combining soft pastels, acrylic gel and oil colour on canvas. Before moving to Vienna Florine grew up around the Vienna Woods, where she developed her admiration for vegetation and nature. Alsongside vegetation, the four elements became a recurring component in Imo’s works. In addition she is influenced by travels, personal experiences, poetry, daily life and buddhistic believes, as for example the illusion of duality and the idea of the whole. In her paintings Florine reflects her own experiences of life, still connecting all of us together in it. Her latest series depicts the individual, but general human, struggle with it self. By creating multiple, ironically, dual self portraits the artist let’s the self interact and play out different personal scenarios that can be also yours.
☆ about my work ☆
"In the beginning of my practice I thought I could only create impactful paintings through brutal or provocative images. Soon I found out that this was me working exactly against myself, so I decided to stop forcing a specific theme for my paintings and just see what comes out. I thought whatever I will paint I will make sure that it comes from myself and is filled with life, emotion and mood. It’s important how my figures and objects feel in my pieces, what they wear, how they stand or lay or interact. Each one of them is alive to me. I start with sketching the composition directly on to the canvas. I believe for this part it is crucial to be totally free. That’s also why I don’t make sketches any more, they don’t allow me to fly. Having an idea is good, but never force what you have in your mind on the canvas, just go with the flow and trust yourself. The painting tells you what it needs any ways. For inspiration I look inside myself, what is happening with- and around me. I can get an idea for a piece from a dream or a memory or a poem, but in the end these are just stimulants for my soul, which I later try to unfold on to the canvas."
it’s like going on an expedition through a jungle
not even knowing
what exactly you are looking for
you might find something you’ve said goodbye to
a long time ago
something you know is there
but well hidden
from yourself, by yourself
it’s okay to find it
and it’s good to acknowledge it
but plant a seed in the bad
so you can grow beyond your limitations
hug yourself and say
“it’s okay
I take care of you now”
and as you do
you hug the whole world
because you understand
there is no
you and me
there is just us
but after a while
you come around the same corner
where you’ve started
and you realize
you’re caught in a loop
Education
- Higher School Certificate, BORG of Music and Art, Hegelgasse 12, 1010 Vienna, Austria
June 2014
- Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
start of studies in the figuratve painting class in October 2016
with Kirsi Mikkola
Exchange
Erasmus semester at the Icelandic University of the Arts, Reykjavík, Iceland
Jan-Jun 2019
Exhibitions
2016 Rundgang, group show, Vienna
2017 Tschau Ragazzi, Academy of fine Arts, Vienna
2017 JUNGE KUNST VOL.03 in Damani , Vienna
2017 group-exhibition in „Otto Bauer“, Vienna, 2017
2018 Young Vienna Surreal, Kolja Kramer Gallery - Art Area Brotfabrik, Vienna
2018 Art for Peace in Semperdepot, 70 international Artists, curated by Kolja Kramer Gallery, Vienna
2019 open studio installation in the Icelandic University of the Arts, Reykjavík
2019 Book presentation, “cold stones warm hearts” in Safnarhúsið - Culture House of Reykjavík
2019 solo exhibition “cold stones warm hearts”, Damani, currated by JUNGE KUNST, Vienna
2019 group-exhibition with “ vienna pop up gallery”, Vienna
2020 the artist appointment, solo exhibition and artist interview with Mariella Pertschy, Süßwasser, Vienna
2020 group exhibition with "art attach" , Vienna
2020 "alone. not lonely", einflussraum, Vienna
☆ upcoming exhibitions and events ☆
☆ visit me on instagram ☆