We were lucky to catch up with Johana Moscoso recently and have shared our conversation below.
Johana – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a Colombian – American artist currently living and working in Memphis, Tennessee. My artwork explores co-narratives of South American and North American cultures from a subjective point of view. Gender roles, identity and migration are explored through movement and labor. Radical expressions inform materiality that manifests in a variety of mediums in large scale dynamic installations. My application of textiles, sculpture, video, and performance activates physical environments. These performative installations conjure the feminine presence while celebrating culture and migration.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Being an artist is without a doubt choosing radical resilience.
I didn’t know what resilience meant until a beloved friend, an outstanding artist, said that I was a resilient artist. After looking up the meaning of resilience, I began to understand its true meaning as it pertains to me. What my friend was saying is similar to a phrase my mother has said to me several times in Spanish: “Ay mamita, acuérdate que la perseverancia alcanza lo que la dicha no logra.” This translates to something like this, “Mmm, dear remember that perseverance achieves what bliss fails.” It can be taken as don’t give up.
Resilience manifests throughout years of dedication, making and believing in the power of your artwork, while continuously applying to opportunities that fit you best. A resilient artist continues this process while getting more rejections than awards, investing endless time, resources and space in a leap of faith because you never know when a piece will resonate with your audience and become part of a collection or open doors to new opportunities. I believe that to be an artist you need to always make art because it is part of you, regardless of opportunities and finances. This relationship sounds simple but in reality is complex and deeply emotional and rewarding.
Part of my ability to be resilient comes from the amount of love and support I feel from my family and my community. Being resilient is a personal endeavor that relies on the magical relationship between the artist and their art. The act of continuing to create art is my act of resilience.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I am originally from Bogotá, Colombia. In 2007, I was awarded a fellowship from the Savannah College of Art and Design to pursue my MFA in Sculpture. This is where I met my partner and one of my favorite artists Scott A. Carter. After completing my MFA we moved to Chicago. This was a difficult time for me and the biggest challenge was to understand and decide what kind of artist I am. Quickly, I learned about opportunities in the United States for artists, especially grants, and that this was the only way to realize many of the projects that I envision and become the multidisciplinary artist that I am today. With my broken English, I started trading Spanish classes with other language teachers who would edit my applications in exchange. My partner and friends would check my applications in exchange for food, coffee or drinks. I would go to the writing center at the school where I worked, focusing on writing grants and applying for as many opportunities as I could. I promised myself that I was going to improve at writing grants even though I never really liked it. This process helped me to dream and learn to not lose hope. The most important thing that I learned was to listen to my voice and allow myself to dream big.
Contact Info:
- Website: johanamoscoso.om
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johanamoscoso/
Image Credits
-Photos by Aman Shakya. Courtesy by SCAD museum of art -Still form video. Videos by johana Moscoso. Video editor Eliezer García, Audio Engineer Daniel Lynn