Artist talk: Frederikke Lange
Frederikke Lange, also known as Frohline, is a Danish- born artist, illustrator and art director based in Copenhagen. Through surrealism and subtle details hidden in her artwork, Frederikke aims to influence and tell stories to the observer.
Welcome to Postery! Tell us a bit about yourself! Where do you live?
I live in Copenhagen, in Christianshavn.
How and when did you become interested in creating art?
When I was growing up, I started exploring the world in my own way and found out that art gave me a safe way of exploring myself. I was quite under the influence to pick up whatever pencil and piece of paper I could find to try drawing what I felt, and all of my drawings started in one corner of the paper and then filled the whole surface. I guess the main point I’m trying to make is that I’ve always had a passion for creating art from an early age. I imagine the same goes for many people when someone asks them when they started to sing, dance or write. Being creative came naturally to me. I don’t believe it’s the exact time and date when you first pick up a pencil that makes you an artist. It’s the effort and love you put into pursuing your lifelong enslavement to this form of living that defines you as an artist.
What is it about art that makes you passionate about it?
The universes I create move between design and art. These two worlds combine aesthetic compositions that challenge the laws of nature. This approach helps me abolish norms and rules, so I can break down existing boundaries to make it possible for the viewer to restore and establish new ones. For example, I often create little creatures in my illustrative universe who tell their own stories, all with a kick of harmony and humour. I use creativity to renew myself. I use it to explore reality, and I often discover myself in my first ideas. So creativity has always been a dear friend.
What does your creative process look like?
I like to think it’s alternative - I use surrealism to illustrate expressions we find in each other. My stories have subtle and curious details hidden in my works.
What is your preferred media to work with?
I love working with water together with acrylic paint, ink or gouache. Lately, I’ve found a renewed passion for paper. I buy old used/unused paper to get the tactility and history you cannot find elsewhere.
What inspired you for this collection?
I was inspired by my heart – and it is guiding me. I've looked at all my friends in this collection – sitting, eating, laughing, and smiling. I tried to mould it into what they never thought they could be, leading them to places they never thought they would go. Mary Grace Wolnski experienced it firsthand, and her story deserves to be told: "I don't think I'm all that talented; my thing is less talent and more just willingness to create and make mistakes".
Does this collection follow a specific theme?
I like to think alternative – to come up with ideas beyond the usual, using the imagination as my primary driving force for exploring a broad spectrum of visual solutions before choosing the right one. Aesthetics are an essential part of my workflow – the product should be pleasing to both the eye and thought. As I see it, in whatever mediums the artist’s work emerges in – there is a detectable urge to probe deeper until submerged under the surface layers of interactions. In the process, the artist unearths exchanges that are often gentle, painful and awkward but always honest.
"I often create little creatures in my illustrative universe who tell their own stories, all with a kick of harmony and humour. I use creativity to renew myself"
Where do you get your inspiration from, generally?
For me, it’s still the case that the best ideas don’t come when they’re forced, though I still sit there waiting. It’s almost like a devotional process. Though I usually need a reasonably high mutual risk level in life to get inspired and not get bored. I get my inspiration from lots of creatives, famous as well as upcoming artists. I currently dig Alex Foxton and his expressionistic way of sketching the human body.
Which setting do your prints fit in?
Any loving home!
Apart from creating, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I love climbing, music, culture, nature, barefoot running through sand, food, friends and family.
What else are you passionate about?
One of my favourite pastimes is working with clay – I love being able to create something beautiful from nothing. But, of course, clay also requires keen attention to detail and patience. Luckily, in my experience as an accountant, I have cultivated both of those qualities.
Is there anything you can’t do without while creating?
Coffee, pencils, and love :)
How do you see your art evolving, and what are your plans for the future?
Yes, mood and place do indeed affect my work. It’s magical when work can make you pause and feel more connected with life. Art is one of the most powerful ways to bring people together as a community in a public space.
Does your mood, place or weather affect your art?
Yes, mood and place do indeed affect my work. It’s magical when work can make you pause and feel more connected with life. Art is one of the most powerful ways to bring people together as a community in a public space.
How do you see your art evolving, and what are your plans for the future?
Art gives us meaning and helps us understand our world. Scientific studies have proven that art appreciation improves our quality of life and makes us feel good. When we create art, we elevate our mood; we improve our problem-solving ability and open our minds to new ideas. Why are art and emotion linked so strongly? Whether we know it or not, we make emotional art every time we pick up our pencils, dip our brushes in paint or start chipping away at rock or wood. Pablo Picasso said: “Without great solitude, no serious work is possible.”
Thank you, Frederikke!