What I find an interesting phenomenon, is that artists are no longer seen as life time artists. Interview with Sari Liimatta by Klimt02

How important is networking for you in your professional practice and what are your preferred tools for this?
For me, the most important thing is to make my work. To concentrate on making pieces (art) instead of thinking about how to be an artist among other people. Yes, the pieces have to be published and marketed, but I prefer leaving that to those, who know how to do it well. The best ones throughout my career have been Klimt02 (and Hannah Gallery of course) and Galerie Rob Koudijs. When my pieces leave my working table, I know they are in trusted hands.
Galleries have the best connections and also those collectors, who want to remain secret, can buy from artists that way the best. And I also like it that way.
So I just make my work, and document it.


What are your general thoughts on the contemporary jewellery world, (education, market, development...), where do you see chances and where are dead ends?
The contemporary jewellery world has been changing itself a lot I think during the past two decades. Earlier there used to be more long-term artists, with more individual language, and personal insight. Now what is mostly seen is material experiments, the play of non-figurative forms. Those are interesting parts of the art field too, but should not be so over-dominant. That is my opinion. But on the other hand, art is a mirror of the era.
Maybe it is also the easiest art to sell at the moment.

Also what I find an interesting phenomenon, is that artists are no longer seen as lifetime artists. Their careers. They should just work as much as possible as fast as possible… Or that is at least how it feels. And the prices should be kept just as low in the end as they were at the beginning of the career. Even after some of your pieces have been accepted into public collections. I find it very strange when compared to old historic painters masters, sculptors… Which is why I fight against it. And luckily not all collectors, galleries and museums see it that way.

Another thing too, that I have noticed, is that there has been a certain shift in the structure of jewellery competitions/exhibitions. It used to be that organizers used to pay the costs, but now the costs have been more or less fully delegated to participants i.e. artists. I don´t think this is right. Artists pay already for materials and time on making the pieces (and documenting them). They should not be asked to also pay for participating (or if worse: just being juried). Why support such a thing? I don´t.

Money is a boring subject but seems to be a very powerful influencer in the contemporary jewellery art field too, which is a shame.


Thinking about your career, what role do technology and the digital play in your artistic development & communication?
Most of all it allows my pieces to be seen all over the world via the internet. Also taking photos of pieces is nowadays so much more open for trying different ways.


How has your work changed over the past few years and what are you excited about these days?
My words have become more direct. I have often felt that these days don´t have time for poetry, which often needs you to pause and rethink. I think it is sad.
There is a question of light and darkness, which I have studied now for some years due to some sorrow and challenges in my private life. Maybe some new work will come out of it. But it can be seen in the future. Thoughts need time. It has been a struggle to find out which path to follow. Where to start? What to start? Or even why; is there an audience for it? But Nature will help me. I trust It. It is. Maybe I will go back to more hidden language, for I love studying words.


>> Check + 130 Artworks by Sari Liimatta featured at Klimt02