Alexandria Coe on the Body as Creative Muse
Alexandria Coe is an artist and self-confessed dreamer. We recently caught up with the UK based creative to talk travel as a practice of working through creative ruts and the body as both medium and muse.
Tell us a little about yourself, where you're from and what you're up to.
My name is Alexandria, I am artist, and a dreamer. I am from the UK and have lived in London for the past 11 years. Throughout my childhood I told stories with drawing - as an adult I semi do the same. Stories about bodies, and intimacy, our relationships to ourselves and others. My artworks are mainly loose, tactile viewpoints on nudity. A lot of my work is about how I experience my body, more than how I see it. I am big on self-care and never like being in one place for too long. I am currently prepping for some travel over the summer, and planning a new book to document my love of sun chasing.
What is currently inspiring your work?
I am often inspired by my own internal landscapes and relationships. Of course this is always a result of external forces and life’s more challenging emotions. For me my experience of the world affects my own practise so deeply - I am uprooting my current home to move to the sunshine. The sensuality of existence under a hot sun completely changes how I experience myself and more importantly my body. As although my work focuses on the external body, much of how we feel (and see) ourselves is based on an inner dialogue and the culture around us. Food is not the only thing that nourishes us.
How do you move through creative blocks or ruts?
I travel often - I find being in transient places really interesting. Switching off your phone and just being. I find the physical act of travel more than the destination really therapeutic. Yes, it’s often stressful but it really teaches you to be ok with all outcomes, to relinquish some form of control. I think we are often so stuck in the identity that our “home” gives us. It makes us resistant to change and new ideas - we often strive for status quo. Travelling changes this - it forces you to step out your comfort zone. This is where creativity happens.
What are you currently working on? What can we expect to see from you in the future?
I am not sure what is next. Its taken me a long time to be ok with that. Someone taught me art is a long game, and plans and creativity don’t always align. I’m preparing to relocate, it’s all based on a whim. But who knows where that will take my art. All I know is when you love what you do, you need to love where you are and the work will reflect that. The world is one giant artist studio if you allow it to be.
For more information about Alexandria’s practice, visit alexandriacoe.com
Photographs: Alexandria Coe and Thea Løvstad
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