Laura Tura: the young Italian emerging artist on the continuity of exploration on herself.
As a digital artist, Laura Tura has proved the construction and deconstruction of her own identity by consistently searching for a new image of herself. The young Italian emerging artist is interested in self reference as she feels the need to show her diversity. Such continuous manipulation on her own body is the core of her artistic research and process. By dwelling into this concept, she distorts, plays and reassembles pieces of new found beauty that transform into infinitude of forms.
Ciao Laura! ☺ Can you tell a bit about yourself?
Hi! Sure, I’m a 22 years old girl who, like many others, moved to Milan to pursue university studies. I am very framed and meditative, sometimes maybe a little too set. Contrary to what you might think, I love to see myself in constant change, both external and internal. I enjoy experimenting with my image, trying out different styles and dressing up simply for fun.
All this has helped me to understand that the image I have of myself is not static but is fluid and constantly changing, as well as my mind and my body. This awareness has greatly influenced my work.
When did you know that you wanted to be an artist? Have you always known that you wanted to become an artist?
I’ve always been shy and reserved, that’s why since I was little I preferred to spend my time putting my hands in the clay, painting or drawing, instead of in the company of my few friends. I had become for everyone ‘Laura the little artist’ and I really liked these words even if to be honest I never fully believed in them because of my low self-esteem. Already at the age of 6-7 years, I dived headlong into every imaginable art course, from DIY to ceramics, maybe because after a while what I already knew how to do bored me or maybe because I always wanted to surprise myself. I loved to share my work with as many people as possible to see in their eyes that amazement, probably exaggerated, that made me feel appreciated and valuable at that instant. This feeling made me so happy that I never had the courage to abandon it, so I continued all my studies in the artistic field.
What I am now is a natural evolution of all this, so maybe yes, I always wanted to be an artist.
Your work consists of a constant change in forms and the continue manipulation of your body. What inspires you to approach this direction?
The study I do is on myself and as I said at the beginning, I like to see myself always different, so it seemed natural to start manipulating my body in the most varied forms. I use my image to question the conception we have of our bodies, showing how fragile and limited is our idea of it. It takes very little to create something inhuman out of something very human.
Your playfulness on distorting the ordinary is often seen in your work. What do you normally look for in your content/work?
I want to present figures of an alien beauty, able to attract and repel at the same time, so when someone tells me that my works make people uncomfortable, I am happy because this means that I have fully succeeded in my intent.
Can you tell us about the process of making your art?
Most of the time my projects come spontaneously as flashes in my mind, other times instead by observing myself in the mirror or from what I have at home, such as an object or a dress. Before photographing myself, I need to have a clear idea of what I’m going to do, what I’m going to wear, how I’m going to apply my make-up and, above all, what pose I’m going to adopt. Then I choose the frame of the camera, which will remain static throughout the shooting. After that I choose the most suitable photos and bring them on photoshop where I create a kind of collage of parts that together will make up a single image.
What are you currently working on?
Currently I’m working with a fashion brand and at the same time I’m collaborating with other artists and magazines, however, I leave space for my personal research enriching it with new techniques such as animation and 3d.
Discover more about Laura Tura here!