Uncover the world of contemporary art with part II of Anna Fine Foer's interview on the "Insights of an Eco Artist" podcast by Joana Alarcão. The interview features eco-artist Anna Fine Foer, whose work is on view at The Peale in April 2023. Anna's work is a blending of digital tech with traditional collage techniques that challenge perceptions & raise environmental awareness. Dive into her inspirations, process & impactful work in this enlightening episode. Other episodes in this series are available on Spotify.

Anna Fine Foer (00:00): You know, it's hard for me to say art is accessible because I get in conversations with friends of mine who aren't artists who talk about how people are in intimidated to go into art spaces because they think it's like a, a rarefied thing and you have to be of a certain level of sophistication and yeah, yeah, yeah. At the Peale Center in Baltimore, they, they think of it as very much a community space and they don't want it to be like a snooty art gallery, you know, like in New York where you go in and nobody talks to you and all this kind of thing. But, okay. So to answer the question, I think it's like a gateway. It's an opening where people will look the picture and their mind is free to interpret it in whatever direction they want to go. And it's interesting because I've, I've had people in my studio who didn't even realize that art could have any meaning whatsoever which was really fascinating to me. because there's plenty of artists out there whose work doesn't have any meaning. That's true. But I just feel like a picture can open up a whole world.

Joana Alarcão (01:17): Welcome to insights of an Eco Artist. My name is Joana Alarcão. I'm an Eco artist and arts writer. In every episode, I bring worldwide artists that invite a fight to create a more sustainable world.

(01:32): Hello everyone, and welcome back to the podcast. I hope you are a wonderful Valentine's Day and are enjoying the sunny days As much as I am. As artists, our environment can have a big impact on our work. And I'm sure many of you can relate to the struggles of working in a cold studio wearing two winter coats and two pair of socks. it wasn't really doing it for me, <laugh>. So, speaking of artists, I am thrilled to bring you the second part of the interview with an ffi, a Baltimore based artist who seamlessly plans digital technology with traditional collage techniques to create stunning and thought-provoking works of art. In this episode, Anne shares some value advice for aspiring artist and give us a deeper insight into our past and present exhibitions and works. We'll explore the recurring motives in her art, the collaboration between science and art, and discuss how she uses a unique approach and aesthetic to convey a central message about the environment. Let's jump right in. When you look over your various projects throughout your career, which one resonates the most with you? Which one represents a shift within your artistic individuality?

Anna Fine Foer (02:55): I really, I'll just refer again to this series about Tulip mania because I think it was very successful in me doing a lot of research and the research inspired all these compositions. And each one is a different aspect of tulip mania. Some of it's more about the history, some of it's more about the scientific ideas that were going on at that time. And the reason why I can mention that one is also because what I was talking about where you don't have to illustrate all the ideas of the whole big subject matter in, in one collage, it gave me that free, that idea of having each composition just be about one very specific aspect. It was all still the first time that I worked on a series that was all about one subject matter.

Contact The Peale for a complete transcription: info@ThePeale.org.

An Interview with Anna Fine Foer, Part II, 2023

The "Be Here" storytelling project, in conjunction the Peale, Baltimore's Community Museum, and the Smithsonian's Stories from Main Street initiative, is an effort to gather and distribute stories about community life and places across the United States. The first version of this project began in 2011 with the Stories from Main Street storytelling initiative,  the brainchild of the Smithsonian's Museum on Main Street (MoMS) team. Today, the Peale is partnering with Museum on Main Street to continue the storytelling campaign, often connected thematically to MoMS' traveling exhibitions about topics like work history, waterways, food culture, traditional music, hometown sports, etc. Anyone with an interest in life in America’s towns and communities can add their own experiences to the archive.

The "Be Here" program is an effort to diversify the voices of American cultural stories, stories especially about places that are important to people. To leave a story, download the "Be Here Stories" app on the App Store. Learn more at https://www.thepealecenter.org/bherebmore/

An Interview with Anna Fine Foer, Part II, 2023

Be Here Stories | Stories from Main Street