Every spring, Art-A-Whirl cracks open Minneapolis’ arts district for curious, self-guided browsing of “the largest open-studio tour in the country.” How big is it? More than 70 locations and over 1,200 participating artists, galleries, and businesses show off northeast Minneapolis’ bohemian character. This is the 28th year of the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association’s sprawl. Check it out May 19-21 (and consult the online map for guidance).
Today, we’re featuring another new Art-A-Whirl artist to visit this weekend: Victoria Eidelsztein. (Yesterday, we spotlighted jewelry designer Lina Adjogble. The day before, we featured candlemaker Emma Remer.)
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Victoria Eidelsztein
Eidelsztein was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she lived most of her life before moving to Minneapolis in 2019 with her husband. Her artistic practice (@vcksz) focuses on screenprinting: She prints her drawings on large pieces of fabric, then sews them into wearable or functional objects, including pillow cases, oven mitts, napkins, and blankets. This is Eidelsztein’s first year at Art-A-Whirl.
Where to find Victoria Eidelsztein during Art-A-Whirl: Moth Oddities, Friday through Sunday (13 Fifth St. NE, Minneapolis). On Saturday, someone will stand in at Moth Oddities for Eidelsztein, who will be at Sociable Cider Werks to live-print T-shirts.
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1. What makes you excited about art, making and/or viewing it? It’s hard to answer this question since I find myself liking very different kinds of art. I guess what I love the most is when I see something that’s innovating, a new take on a discipline or on a theme.
When I’m screenprinting, I get excited thinking in overlapping layers of color and shape. And thinking in ways of using that fabric. I love creating patterns on large pieces of fabric; it satisfies my Virgo sun.
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2. Is there a theme, feeling, or quality you pursue in your work that you can recognize in all or most of your pieces? I love being able to transmit a universal feeling. My drawings reflect about simple yet complex themes like loneliness, self-care, homesickness. I love when people feel represented by my figures.
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3. Can you explain the inspiration behind one piece? I created this quilt during the winter. I love the contrast of the colorful, bright, happy background colors with the repetition of the character’s angry face on top. For this piece I wanted to play with the contradiction of feelings and how a composition can change the original meaning of the artwork.
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4. What is inspiring you right now? Spring is inspiring! The flowers, leaves, and lakes are giving me a lot of ideas on how to incorporate color in my work. I’m also feeling very inspired by textile techniques, especially artistic mending, and indigo dyeing.
