Jessica Soueidi, A Visual Artist from Paris, France www.jessicasoueidi.com  // @jessicasoueidi

What was the situation in which this photo was taken?

I was looking at my hair in the mirror and I noticed how flat it looked. So I took my phone and tried to take a selfie while adding some volume to my hair. I took maybe 20 selfies this day…and I hated most of them. I got a bit pissed of at the end.

Could you tell us something about what you do?

I work as a visual artist. I am sort of a “vagabond”. Usually artists have their own studio. I don’t. I am always looking for inspiration in new adventures. My work revolves mainly around drawing and painting but I started exploring new media such as virtual reality. It is strong, bold and uncanny. It explores the relationship between women and social media (#Instagram). It satirizes their image used in art history and in social media advertizing.

How did you first become interested in the visual arts?

It all started back when I was studying at the Atelier de Sèvres in Paris. It’s a one year preparatory school for prestigious art universities/schools. I remember that at the time I wanted to study animated movies. And one day my teacher gave me a book about Outsider artists. I discovered Dubuffet and Chagall’s works and I was really amazed about the composition of their paintings. After that I started painting on big pieces of paper.

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

The freedom, and also the idea that my art can inspire people.

What are you working on at the moment?

At the moment I am working on a new series. I have always been painting/drawing on paper and I recently started working on canvas. It is a colorful series of selfies (of myself). In this series I decided to be my own muse. It’s a feminist and rebellious approach on how women have been portrayed through art history. I am also trying to create some GIFS related to these selfies, I would love to make them come to life in a disturbing way.

What are the challenges in what you do, and how do you overcome them?

As for me, the biggest challenge being an artist is the FEAR. The fear of not being interesting, the fear of not doing good art, the fear of being boring…

Could you describe your personal style?

Simple, cool and feminine.

What is your present state of mind?

Believe in yourself, life is so short, don’t waste it by being insecure about who you are or what you do.

What music are you listening to at the moment?

At this particular moment I am listening to “Starboy-acoustic” from Simon Samaeng.

Which artists or designers inspire you?

Mark Ryden, Louise Bourgeois, Marlène Dumas, Egon Schiele, Joumana Haddad, Quentin Tarantino and Britney Spears 🙂

What is the purpose of art, in your view?

In my opinion, the purpose of art is to change people’s opinions. Art should be in connection with the era we live in. It should teach people something they didn’t know or couldn’t see by themselves.

How do you spend your free time?

I love spending time relaxing at the sauna with some friends or just doing anything that is really fun.