Meet Elina Bry | Multidisciplinary Artist

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

Hi Elina, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
When I went to Art School I didn’t really know much about the art sector and what type of work I would be able to do after graduating. Which is the life long question of the art student. I didn’t know much more after graduating. I started my career as an artist and educator hand by hand. It’s only a few years in that I realise that I could put the two together and creating films embedded in my community. In terms of the thought process, I just felt like as long as I had a practice that I kept true to myself and honest nothing else mattered. It’s about finding a way to balance suitability in a practice without falling down into a capitalistic way of thinking. By that I mean, it’s not about getting all the recognition quickly it’s about sustaining something for yourself long-term. Trends don’t last, but a well balanced practice does.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a multidisciplinary artist, which is probably the best way to describe me.

I work across video, storytelling and live performance, and is interested at listening to and re-staging the malfunctions of the human body. I am curious about the body as a sentient arena; as a responsive tool and as a protagonist of an everyday drama. By that, I investigate the known, model it and work in collaboration with the instability of my body. It is essential that I don’t cause any harm as I want to challenge my body with the everyday, in order to give a stage and witness what is already there.

I feel like we are pushed to pick one trade that we are really good at and stick with it, at least thats what we are taught. In opposition to that I see different art mediums the way I see languages. As a polyglot, I feel like different conversations need to happen in the language it is the best suitable, so if we translate that to art, I use different mediums to tell stories in the most suitable way.

It wasn’t easy, by no means, but my community is what I’m the most thankful for, I live in Glasgow, Scotland, and it’s been the best support network I’ve had so far. After graduating we would get together with pals and do crits about our new work. Giving each other tutorials if we were stuck and celebrating each overs successes. Which is the most important thing. We are all competing against eachother and it feels wrong not to celebrate other people’s successes even when it means that we have somewhat failed. This is what art is about, this is what real success looks like.
I’m currently working on a film research creating a fake scientific experiment connected to climate change. I wanted to keep true to the topic and decided to move across Europe by train, leaving Glasgow to go to Helsinki, Finland ( one of my homes) , which will take me then to the south of France ( my second home) and back to Glasgow. I’m really proud to have had funding for this project which will allow me to be as sustainable as I can and meet my convictions. Talking to people about the way the climate emergency is viewed in their countries and speaking in their language doing that.
I’ve also recently worked on a film with a group of people in recovery of drug and alcohol addiction, making them feel joy in the nature surrounding them and experimenting with the medium of film.
I’m using joy as a method of working, which is where I want to be at. There’s an assumption that funny and joyful work isn’t serious enough, but in a way that’s the way we can connect to a wider audience instead of being pretentiously smart.
Funny is the new smart.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a true Glasgow Southsider, so please come to this side of the Clyde! The perfect day would be going to Tramway to see some art, catching the free Tai Chi in the hidden gardens outside of the tramway. Getting a good coffee and cake at Sunny Acre — and taking it to Queens Park for a wee wonder. If you do get yourself in the city center, I would say either Mono or Stereo for your vegan delights, and browse what’s up at Monorail for some prime music discovery. And when the night gets to pick around, take yourself to Glasgow’s queerest wee special bar, Bonjour, for some alcohol free cocktails if you are like me or booze it up , it’s your choice.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Anastasia Poljatschenko, textile designer https://instagram.com/deamarianastasia?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
@dearianastasia

Website: Elinabry.com

Instagram: @elle.bry

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elina-bry

Other: Vimeo.com/elinabry

Image Credits
Sean Patrick Campbell Alexis Galbrun Thauré