Jennifer Abessira – Exclusive Interview (Kitsuné Hot Stream)
Jennifer Abessira is a French artist based in Tel Aviv. Following the success of her project Elastique, she now combines pictures she took and drawings, reveling the quintessence of the photography while ironically hiding some parts of it. Mixing her art with music through the digging-playlist Hot Stream was an obvious thing to do, as music is for her an endless inspiration: “I can’t create without music. From the first second I’m up till I’m going to sleep – the music is always there.” (Jennifer Abessira)
Do you remember the first picture (illustration) you’ve ever taken (made)? What was it?
It was during a big accident I had 4 years ago, was unable to move from the hospital bad for 2 months so started to draw in pink with my ipod on pics I constantly hunted from the Internet.
Does music inspire your work?
I can’t create without music. From the first second I’m up till I’m going to sleep – the music is always there. I don’t see my work separately from my life so when I live I work.
If your art was a song, what would it be? Why?
That’s a hard one. I have thousands answers to that of course! It really depends on my mood. Now it will be “Plus doux avec moi” “Be softer with me” from an album I admire since I’m 14 “Charlotte Forever” Serge Gainsbourg wrote that album for his daughter. Because lately I really suffer from a lack of softness and understanding from my environment.
If you could shoot/draw one artist for its album cover, who would it be? Why?
Charlotte Gainsbourg, because that her existence makes me happy and i feel that it would be amazing.
My main project #ElastiqueProject is name after a song in the album “Charlotte Forever”.
Is there a song on Kitsuné Hot Stream you think would have been great for you to depict?
Because it sounds like my brain lately
Now that you have linked your pictures (illustrations) with music, what other art would you like to explore?
Started to do ceramics! It’s nice to touch something beside of my smartphone and computer and much cheaper than a psychologist