Meet Fanni Kopácsi | Artist

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

Hi Fanni, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
Since I can remember I have been drawing, painting, creating.. I guess it has always been a necessity for self-expression, to put in pictures what I can’t describe in words and to create a visual representation of the world inside and around me. It continues to be this way, but over the years it has also transformed into a vessel of healing, or maybe it has always been that way too. There isn’t a straightforward answer to this, because I’ve always felt the need to create, like an extension of my skin, it has been necessary for living. So I guess I pursued an artistic career because it is in my bones, something that comes from such a deep place that I must obey for my soul to be healthy.

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.
My practice has been a natural evolution. After graduating from the Secondary School of Visual Arts in Budapest, Hungary, I didn’t feel or trust myself as an artist. I worked for two years in various jobs, then went to University to study tourism and event management. Looking back, this time also gave me so much, including meeting with people that otherwise I wouldn’t have met with. The most important part was my dissertation that led me to Bódvalenke, a small village in the countryside of Hungary, where I discovered a hidden world. I was creating, but only as a hobby, for myself, until around I moved to England and started to paint on T-shirts. I started to get many commissions and in 2016 I decided to commit a bit more seriously to this practice. I had a part-time job and found a studio space at Pete Spowage Gallery in Nottingham. This experience was very important, because for the first time I was around professional artists, and their support has been very enriching and inspiring. I started to experiment with painting on canvas and using different materials and methods. In Derby too, where I worked later at the QUAD Arts Centre, I found like-minded people, and a mentor, Peter Bonnell. To be honest, all my connections came from working at various jobs, in restaurants, galleries and bars. Somehow the way has always shown itself, with little signs along the road. Then in 2019 I moved to Barcelona and, again, was so lucky to find the people and places that helped me to grow further. First a small studio place with my flatmate, then a bigger one, and now I am in a studio called Kaleido. I found this place because I went to the cemetery one day that gave me inspiration for a project. And while writing that, with my friend, we had to find a big space to create the work for the proposal. While I was looking for the possible places, I came across Kaleido, and decided to rent it for myself, moving out from my old studio. Here, too, I am surrounded by professional artists, which gives me the drive and inspiration I need to develop my practice. Sometimes the way is not visible and I am not sure about the next step, but looking back so far, I learned to trust, especially in my intuition. Sometimes even if it seems completely out of place or reason, one thing can lead to another that can reveal the way. That is also a big part of how I create. Often, I see an image, or fragments, or just start putting materials together and a form starts to emerge, almost like there is something that is guiding me. I work in two ways, one is this intuitive part, where I leave my intuition to guide me, and other times, when I have a specific idea that I am developing, where the concept starts before the visual image is created.

As for my art, while I was experimenting with different materials and methods, I did a course on fashion design, and learned how to sew basic clothes. During this time I learned about the dirty side of fashion, with its environmental and social impact. And that was the time when I discovered the source that has been my primary material ever since: waste. It has been such a natural and deep connection, because I felt that I found the material that can express everything I want to say. In our times when everything is disposable, including people, I became obsessed with how I can connect and reveal the hidden aspects behind the visible world. I slowly left clothing to focus only on the fine art practice that has a strong social and psychological element, together with its environmental facet. In a world that is dominated by appearance, in an era of environmental crisis, decadence reveals the essence. Creating sculptural pieces from waste materials, mainly textiles, is an ongoing process of touching the rawness of humanity.

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.
One of my favourite places in Barcelona is Montjuic. It’s like a little green shelter in the concrete. Long walks, especially during the night, or live music during the weekend at ‘La Caseta’. My favourite bar is Pastis, in Raval. With its dusty bottles and red lights, there is something very real and human about this place, almost like you are immersing into another world while drinking a cocktail. I really like Poblenou, which is a former industrial disctrict, and where there are many creative places and things to discover. For eating, I would go to Raval to try the various foods, Cal Chusco or Petit Bar in Barceloneta for tapas. Another favourite spot is also in this district, a bookshop called ‘Central’ with a beautiful garden. Watching an old movie in ‘La Filmoteca’. The various art galleries in Eixample and Grácia, like Uxval Gochez, Arteria and Rocio Santa Cruz Gallery, the museums like CCCB, Macba or Tápies. My friend’s creative studio called ‘VibrArt’ where there are many workshops to participate in. Going dancing to ‘Espai Cosmos’ on Wednesdays or Sundays, and trying ‘Laboratorio Bhakti’ in Laboratiorio Escuela on Monday mornings. Going to an event in Utópia in barrio gótico.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people and things I am grateful for that have supported me and continues to support me on this journey. From my parents, to my closest friends and my biggest support has been my partner, who held me during difficult times and supported me through everything, always believing in me. 
, to mentors and people I have met with along the way, who have seen the light in me even when I couldn’t and inspired me sometimes even only with their presence. Their support have been and is incredibly helpful as I am still in a very early stage of my career and learning how to navigate it. Sometimes these are old relationships and sometimes they are only moments, glimpses of time that touch me deeply. I am also deeply grateful for my collectors, for people who purchased a piece, for without them I wouldn’t be able to continue doing what I love. As for books, there are many I could list, but the one that is probably the most important is ‘Women who run with the wolves’ by Clarissa Pinkola Estés.

Website: https://fannikopacsi.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fanni.kopacsi/

Image Credits
Andreas Mack