5Qs

Francisca Valenzuela

Chilean Multimedia Artist

in partnership with GIRLSCHOOL for LAPhil

1.

What was the last book you read and loved?

The last book I read and loved was The Life of Leonardo Da Vinci by Walter Isaacson.

And how do you organize your books?

I don't have an specific system to organize them. I live with my books in chaos, and I've always running out of space!

I usually have art books in one area, and then reading books or fiction or non fiction books in another with poetry and text books and try to have them all at hand because I'm always pulling and reaching at them and going trough all kinds of different books.

2.

Please list 1-3 of your favorite artists and a short sentence about why you like each.

It is very hard to choose three artists, the mere idea of having to select 3 and leave others out, makes me nervous and upset, because there are far too many writers, visual artists, painters, musicians, authors that I loved and inspire me and have made me the person I am today. But these 3 I have selected, I choose them because the following reasons:

Violeta Parra

Because she is a multi faceted artist that explored the depths of being human from every single angle. From the most dark places to places full of light and joy, she does it also recovering the roots of chilean culture, where she and I are from, and also exploring play. She made playful music, she was free and sharp, and full of wit and created in a way that is unafraid and emporing and used music, art and creations as a tool to communicate and tell stories.

Keith Harring

Harring was and artist who had a conviction to pursued a vision, to know who he was as an artist, and who was also always in tune with his side that was playful and free and importantly, was someone who united art and activism and was a humanitarian. Someone who had a futuristic-humanistic view of the world.

Sylvia Plath

She was one of the first poets I read in english and I identified with her. I felt that I was sometimes reading myself in her poems and her texts.

Is community important to you? Where do you find your kindred spirits?

3.

Community is important for me. I find kindred spirits in the most different places. I think for me it's important to have a community where I can feel I can be myself. Where there's a sense of humor and joy and pleasure, and the things I love as well: in music, in the arts, in reading, in talking, in eating, in watching films, in consuming all sorts of delicious art and cultural things, in have critical conversations and having fun.

Community and people I choose to be around are people I can also be curious with, that we can be creative with, that we can be ourselves.

And where do you find inspiration?

In myself, in the world outside. Sometimes in a story, an emotion, a word, a moment. A rage, a joy, a darkness, a sensuality, a question.

4.

What’s on your playlist right now?

Sade //Nine Inch Nails//Elsa y El Mar //Heith Jarrett//Gorillaz//Los Jaivas//Les Rita Mitsuoko//Lauryn Hill

5.

Who are your favorite female icons?

There are so many favorite female icons: from Chavela Vargas, Violeta Parra, Frida Kahlo to Barbara Kruger, Björk, Margot Loyola, Kate Bush, Joan Didion, Alejandra Pizarnik, Kathleen Hanna, Roxane Gay, Susan Sontag, Gabriela Mistral...

And when did you first discover Yoko Ono?

I discovered Yoko Ono while in my Jonh Lennon discovery period. I began watching videos of John and Yoko, specially the performances art pieces, where Yoko would accompany Jonh on stage. I was very intrigued by her. I loved how unapologetic and defiant she was and how she was such a humanitarian and had such a futuristic vision from the beginning.

I loved and was really drawn to the fact that she had a multi faceted and interdisciplinary approach to art and music and she inspires me in how she has made her career the way she has wanted to make it. She's authentic and she follows her own ideas and dreams.

She has an attitude and power whether on stage, whether in her artwork that it's genuine and seductive and makes want to be an artist that has no fear and it's free and raises her voice.