Female Fluidity with Zahra Holm
It’s good to be back writing again after a couple of months…and this time with a special feature on Swedish-Tunisian artist Zahra Holm.
As I am always researching and discovering new artists for my client’s projects, last spring I came across Zahra’s beautiful collection on Art She Says website, as part of the exhibition ‘Nature of Women’ featuring several contemporary female artists and their approach to nature. I call Zahra’s style a female fluidity that really stands out from just abstraction, I felt a connection with the artist’s use of warm or cooler colours, plus her lines reminded me of Matisse.
Zahra’s works on large canvases with oils, smaller works on paper are created often with charcoal, she also experimented with ceramics and is completely a self thought artist. I love how her figures, when present, are here to remind us about every woman in a feminine and powerful way. Simplicity is always a winner for me.
I had a pleasure of interviewing Zahra just before she moved her studio from Paris to Stockholm, an exciting time ahead for this artist who is developing a great trajectory in the coming months that will make sure more we will hear more and more about her work and new projects. Read more below…
Zahra Holm in her Parisian studio, all images in this article are courtesy of the artist - as always copyright is by Zahra Holm.
DBD: Tell us, in short, what is your journey so far as a visual artist.
ZH: Art has always been with me, always been part of me. I have worked in different artistic environments, experienced different styles for the past years, to do what I do today. It’s just lately, for about 4 years that it feels that I found my medium of expression where I’m the most comfortable, the more myself: painting. Painting is for me the continuity, my path. Like you said, it’s a journey ! My art will always evolve and that’s what I love the most. Art is for me the testimony of my feelings. I guess I’ll have different periods and I can’t wait to see what’s coming from me. Like everything in life, things evolve and change. I’m excited to be part of it through my art.
DBD: Your work has a certain feminine fluidity, which artists have inspired you so far?
ZH: A lot of artists inspire me, anything can inspire me. I’m not sure they have inspired me precisely for that. I have always loved wavy shapes, twisted things, imperfection. And what interest me is the movement, the gesture. The artists I always go to for inspiration are Helen Frankenthaler, Sonia Delaunay, Matisse, Mark Rothko, Hilma Af Klint…
DBD: How do you see women in your artworks?
ZH: I see women as unique beings with their imperfections aka beauties. I like to play with their shapes to only feel the essence.
Abstraction is more and more present in my work because I want to put forward emotions and body language. I want the viewer to connect, feel and see what they want to. It’s important to open a dialogue.
DBD: I love your use of warm colour tones. It reminds me of the dune of a desert and Africa. Do you think your Tunisian roots influence the colours you choose?
ZH: Thank you, I don’t always consciously do it but yes of course. As a human we are all influenced by what we’ve seen in a way.
I do think that my Tunisian and Swedish roots influence me in my art, it’s part of who I am, my identity. I have just recently moved from Paris to Stockholm, Sweden and I’m sure that it will also have some sort of impact in my work.
DBD: What are your tips for a successful presence on Instagram as an artist?
ZH: I wouldn’t give any tips… haha! Instagram has become too hard to understand with all the algorithms and changes. All I can say is that it can be overwhelming, especially for an artist. So my advice is to take it step by step and try to have fun with it. It’s like everything, it’s a lot of work and eventually it will pay off. For me at the moment, I don’t plan and overthink. I just post whenever I feel it. I just want share my work, it’s as simple as that.
I hope you enjoyed this short interview, I loved Zahra’s candid views, it’s refreshing to read her and I can feel the passion she puts into her art practice…definitely she is on my list of new artists to watch!
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