Meet Aleksandra Matyas | visual artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aleksandra Matyas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aleksandra, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Balance in work life for me is about choosing the projects which bring you joy, fulfil your visual hunger and makes you grow. Being open to step out of your field to find inspiration in unexpected places. Moving between a wide range of fields brings freshness to my work. That experience also gives me new possibilities to work with different kind of projects: from creating a book with an artist, identity for exhibition or collaborating with scenographer, through designing a floor in a garden with landscape architecture studio or outdoor forms for museum. My design work is focused on signage systems and space design as well as exhibition identity but also printed matter. In my personal projects I use photography, paintings and craft weaving techniques. Manual work gives peace and order to my thoughts. It balances my design work. In 11 years of my career I’ve always remained freelancer. It wasn’t always easy but it gave me space to explore balance in my work life.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a polish visual artist currently based in Lisbon, collaborating independently with architectural and curatorial teams, publishing houses, as well as individual clients in Poland, France, Portugal and Taiwan. I was part of the creation team of the Main Exhibition of the Warsaw Museum, I cooperate with the Art Museum in Łódź, the Ergo Hestia Art Foundation, I created design concepts for Accor S.A., Konglin Constraction & Manufacturing LTD. in Taipei.

Just after I finished my studies in western part of Poland in Wrocław, a local co-oworking space asked me to design poster for them. They didn’t had budget. I decided to take the job but told them they will need to accept my design without any changes. They agreed. I did something I really liked and after few weeks I’ve got a phone call from a design studio specialised in signage systems who wanted to work with me because they liked the poster. Few months after I graduated I was working with great people in the area, it was very interesting for me learning but also having lots of fun.

After some time I decided to move from my hometown looking for new inspiration. Warsaw was my first choice. Many of my school colleagues were there already and quickly I got a lot of projects. Always working. I realised that I don’t want my work to be the most important of my life. I finished all the projects and bought one-way ticket to Japan. I stayed in Asia for three months and learned how not to work, how to be present and be with people in the moment. It was a changing experience in many levels. The inspiration that came through this process brought me to a point where I understood how important is to keep balance between professional and personal growth. That gave me a broader view of life and my work and, what is very important, it brings the special quality to the projects in which I am involved.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m based in Lisbon, one of my favourite cities. I love it for its golden light, for its scale, not too big, where you can always feel like in a small town, as well as for its beautiful old gardens. Green parts of Lisbon are places where I find my peace. My favourites are Jardim de Estrela, Estufa Fria and Jardim de Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga. For some time I lived close to Praça das Flores where I discovered Cafeh Tehran, one of the best local restaurant where you can find fusion of persian and portuguese food. For a coffee I often go to Pequeno Café e Bistrô in Mercado de Arroios where you can find excellent vegan options. And one of my favourite places with food and wine is Tati in Arroios.

https://www.instagram.com/tehrancafeh
https://www.instagram.com/pequeno.cafebistro
https://www.instagram.com/tati_tati_lisboa

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to give shoutout to one of my biggest inspirations in terms of work life balance: Eike König, visual artist based in Berlin, founder of studio Hört. Eike created eight golden rules for his dream studio, including 1. Have fun, 2. Get paid, 3. Don’t work with jerks, and perhaps most crucially, 8. Quit when you don’t have fun anymore.

Website: https://linktr.ee/aleksandramatyas

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleksandramatyas

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksandramatyas