Mia Fairooz
Year of birth: 2000
Where do you live: Germany
Your education: University of Europe of Appiled Sciences
Describe your art in three words: Random, Deep and Weird
Your discipline: Drawing, printmaking and photography
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Could you tell us about your artistic journey? What made you decide to become an artist?
As I child, I dreamed of being an actress but I knew that wasn’t allowed in my family. So, I found an ‘acceptable’ alternative and didn’t even complete that path because I was burned out. I had to lie about studying Illustration at first because I didn’t want to deal with the unnecessary backhanded comments and pressure from them. It, sometimes, feels better when they didn’t know that I was studying Illustration. I remember at the age of 15, where I would be constantly asked of which career path should I follow. Deep down, I knew that I could not afford to say I don’t know. I made choices that didn’t consider, whether or not it was the right fit for me nor what I actually wanted to do.
I had trial evening classes at acting school and I did enjoy until I started to realise that acting was not for me. I hated memorising lines. I enjoyed the excercises and the people were kind but I couldn’t see myself doing acting in the long run. That was around the same time I went to expressionism workshops with Safy Farid. I feel more at ease when I make art and exploring and making pieces based on my emotions and perception of the World. Ever since I started making art, my life became clearer and much more statisfying. I am doing activities that I always wanted to do such as reading more and not being dependent on social media.
How has your background from Bangladesh and your experience studying in Germany influenced your work?
My bangladeshi background has inspired me to be my authentic myself. I learned more about my culture.
Moving to Germany really allowed me to develop as a person because all of the my hidden desires came out. Studying in Germany means that I have more freedom to be explore topics such as sexuality without being judged. In my city, you can see lots of graffiti in the streets and they are quite nice. I also get to travel to museums sometimes for class trips and I saw many interesting exhibitions. There are so many opportunities within and nearby Germany where I get to develop as an artist.
Mia Fairooz, Unicorn flying, 2024Your work spans various mediums, including printmaking, photography, drawing, and painting. Do you have a preferred medium, and if so, why?
Each medium is special so it is difficult to have a favourite. Sometimes it depends on my mood. However my favourites would be drawing, printmaking and photography as I don’t paint often.
With printmaking such as lino cutting, I can be experimental and stuff that I thought were mistakes, actually made my pieces better.
Photography has allowed me to relax and be more flexible. I get to work more with others compared to my other mediums, where I tend to work more independently.
It has pushed me to talk to strangers. I enjoy documentary photography at the moment because in the future, we get to see documents of the past and its really interesting to see how life from years ago is similar and or different from the present.
Painting is something that I enjoy but I feel like I need the entire day free. I paint rarely just because I have 3 go-to mediums and currently, I am doing multiple University-related projects. I am also working a student job to help my own independence and make my own dreams come true.
You mentioned that expressionism workshops played a key role in discovering your passion for art. How have these workshops influenced your style and approach?
They allow me to be more open and experimental. I am still learning but even after five or ten years, there will still be more to discover. There are so many techniques within each medium. For instance, I, recently, took a screenprinting workshop with Kelly Stewart where I printed the layers by hand instead of using a computer. It was so eye opening to see how different materials create textured effects. I was introduced to new materials such as a lithographic pencil which created a beautiful effect. It made me enjoy screenprinting much more than I did when I did it last semester at my university. I am excited to explore creating screenprints layers by hand and play around with materials and different effects. With workshops, I have guidance and advice which helps me for my future pieces as well.
Mia Fairooz, Mirrorselfie, 2024
Many artists face self-doubt at some point in their careers. How did you overcome your initial self-limiting beliefs about your artistic abilities?
I started making art around a year ago and starting my artistic journey as an adult felt easier than when I did art during school. School gives grades and numbers to your art work. Having strict parents who care about the number of As I got than my efforts, meant that I focused on grades and numbers during high school. It got a point that I stopped taking Drama after grade 9. It took years for me to unlearn the values that led me to burnout out.
Art is subjective and its ok for your work to not be 100% perfect and or realistic. There are many different styles and you can make your own style. What I really love about printmaking is that each piece is never the same. Some pieces are lighter than others. Some have different marks which makes a really cool effect. It’s great and sometimes frustrating when i’m doing reduction prints due to misalignment. A lot of printmaking involves exploring and trying new techniques and it doesn’t need to according to plan.
Once I spent time with other artists and made my own pieces. I enjoyed the process more than being considered good with my technical skills.
You’re currently taking photography electives—how has photography affected your approach to other forms of art?
Currently, I am working on a photobook for my university course that deals with my artistic journey and a series of comics potraying situations that I dealt with as a Bangladeshi immigrant. I just did three new linoprints when I visited Edinburgh to also take photos for my photobook. My concepts come from my desire to be myself without these nonsence expectations (especially as a woman) put on by my family and cultural society. Its also allows people be seen.
Some of pieces may push boundaries but it helps me deal with the stuff that I experienced.
Photography has inspired me to blend reality and fantasy to make really thought provoking pieces. Recently, I was looking at other self potrait photographers and I found some such as Liu Susiraja and Ahn Jun. I love how refreshing both their photos are and they inspires me.
I just want my pieces to be honest and provoke emotions exactly the way films,books and other pieces of art made me feel especially as a child. I also make pieces to let the scribbles in my head unscribble itself.
Mia Fairooz, Under the Sea, 2024
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