YDF25 Artist 13 Q&A: Grecia Balassone

What’s your background?

I was born in Venezuela and lived there until 2016. Left the country along my family due to the country’s socio-economical situation. I have lived some periods in Italy and Spain, before moving to England in 2019. I had started to study Graphic Design in Venezuela due to its lack of artistic communities, but I had retaken my interest in Fine Arts seeing how lively the art scene is in Greater Manchester.

Who are your biggest influences? Artistically? Who inspired you to become an artist?

Frida Khalo, David Hockney and Marina Abravomićć were artists that would inspire me since a young age, but now there is an ever-groing list of artists whose work I adore, like Lacy Susan’s or Lubaina Himid’s.

How have you developed your career? (From student to artist)

I tend to obsess with inner inspection, trying to understand my emotions and behaviours, and the roots of these. I tend to do a lot of research on themes of identity, belonging, community; as I am ever trying to become and adapt. I like to work with whichever medium I see appropriate depending on the theme and perspective. I seek to work with communities as people are a wonderful subject, and source of knowledge.

How do you seek out opportunities for work and practice?

I am always on the lookout for Open Calls and residencies. Nowadays internet has made it very accessible to find opportunities online. There are many websites and resources out there!

What current trends or area of work are you currently focusing on?

Clogs! English clogs, more specifically. I am to visit some clogmakers soon and talk about their trade, the challenges they face, and the joy clogs bring to communities. This is a project of heritage and belonging. I will be working on a film, that hopefully I can deliver by the end of summer. As an immigrant, I realise there are many things I overlooked from my country and only really started to understand how important these were when I left.

What jobs have you done other than being an artist?

What haven’t I done?! Since being in England I have worked at Beefeater, Tim Hortons, McDonald’s, selling photo kits at Sea Life and I’m A Celebrity, or working in the Guest Services team at Chill Factore. I have also been a student mentor while in uni, and volunteered as an invigilator for exhibitions, or in the Mustard Tree food bank. I also worked in various customer service roles in Spain, selling ice cream in a zoo, and being a Summer camp English teacher.

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