Artist Portrait: Dolian Mara

Interview by Alex Schuchmann / 20min

Dolian Mara hails from the Netherlands but recently made the exciting move to Portugal, finding her place alongside her new friend and Portuguese artist Chila in a shared studio in Ericeira.

I first met Dolian on my 28th birthday last June when a close friend brought her along to the party. She gifted me a quirky ceramic dick that really struck a chord with me. It sparked my interest to delve deeper into Dolian's story. She effortlessly transcends the borders between professionalism and playfulness, embracing both with ease. Her journey as an artist is young, yet she's already discovered her artistic haven, her "island" as she fondly refers to it. Her artistic approach reminded me of my own childhood doodles, but with a twist - unlike me, Dolian's classmates would request her drawings for coloring due to her innate sense of proportions and dimensions.

Just recently, after returning from an art festival in Northern Portugal, I caught up with Dolian for an online chat. I'd been to a few events in Berlin and a particular conversation had stuck with me, so I decided to share its essence with Dolian.

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Alex: I met this guy called Jürgen at an art event a few days ago, and he mentioned something interesting. He said that to be able to buy and appreciate real art, you might need to make a sacrifice, like cutting off a finger. What do you think about that? Do you believe art should always be affordable?

Dolian: That's quite an interesting question, and there are different angles to consider. Personally, I sometimes feel that art shouldn't always be affordable. There are pieces I create that I just can't imagine selling because of their significance to me. Selling them would mean putting a crazy high price tag on them for others. But then again, there's the other side of the coin.

I want to keep creating art without getting sidetracked by other jobs. So, there's this balance where I create more accessible pieces alongside those that are more personal and valuable to me. It's like having both an affordable side and a more exclusive side. Some people find their groove working within fixed structures – like having a regular job. But for me, I thrive in the freedom that art gives me. When I have all the space and time to create without restrictions, that's when my best work happens.

Alex: I totally get that. It's been the same for me. I've been working behind cameras, in both photography and cinematography, since I was 16. I've never wanted anything else. This visual art journey has absorbed me completely. Speaking of journeys, how did you get started in art?

Dolian: It's funny because I've been a creative kid for as long as I can remember. I used to make things everywhere – whether it was in the car during a family trip or at school or even with my grandparents. If I could find any piece of paper or fabric, I'd turn it into something. My poor mom lost countless towels and stuff to my creative endeavors. Growing up, my family wasn't really artistic, so I had to invent my own ways to create stuff. Even though I had been making art for a while, I didn't consider using canvases or professional materials until about four years ago. I used to think they were too serious, too formal. I realized that was just in my head, and I started experimenting. I embraced that playful approach and began creating things on canvas. It was liberating, and it allowed me to develop my style and techniques.

Alex: Those early inspirations often leave a mark. Your dolphin which is set against the backdrop of a sunset and the horse on a human’s back, for instance - What's the story behind them?

Dolian: It's all about the concept of wholeness in my art. What has always struck me is how humans tend to separate themselves from nature and animals, acting like we're superior. I see it the opposite way – nature and animals are incredibly powerful and instinctual. I wanted to play with this idea. You know, seeing a man on a horse is normal, but a horse on a human's back seems odd. It's about how we've twisted our perceptions. By playfully turning things around, like putting a horse on a person's back, it makes people stop and think. It's about challenging those perceptions and drawing attention to the natural unity that exists.

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Alex: It feels like you're drawing a lot of energy from nature. Coming from the Netherlands, has your move to Portugal influenced your art?

Dolian: Yeah, for sure. I spent seven years in Amsterdam, always finding time to travel abroad. I lived in places like South Africa, Nepal, and various Asian countries. The connection with nature and timelessness was always essential for me. Being in the Netherlands, I felt a bit trapped and missed that deep aliveness of nature.

Around a year and a half ago, I came to Portugal, and it felt like everything clicked. Nature here flows, and I found that missing aliveness. Before that, I created art everywhere I could – from tiny studios to open spaces. But in Portugal, everything started to fall into place more naturally.

Alex: What's your current main source of inspiration?

Dolian: My inspiration always circles back to that sense of oneness between nature, animals, and humans. I like to approach it playfully, bringing these elements together in my art. Recently, I've been exploring the balance between masculine and feminine energies within myself, not necessarily gender-related but more about individuality and nurturing. I don't usually consciously think about what inspires me; it's more about feeling an image and starting from there. I've been working on a painting of a female figure surrounded by abundance and nature, but I felt it was getting too pretty. So, I added a big fence to bring some contrast and depth. And, Portugal's environment, those gates and fences, they've become symbolic to me. They remind me of my “island”. You can let people in and out.

Alex: Why do you choose to depict the human body in its natural form?

Dolian: Oh, for me, it's just natural. I don't overthink it or anything. I'm not trying to make a statement. To me, humans are like animals, and we're naturally naked. I don't have some deep meaning I'm trying to convey with this. It's just how things are. I mean, you can identify with any gender you want. It's all-natural. You can be whoever you are. I don't feel the need to question it. It's just the purest and rawest form, and I love seeing all these different bodies. Sometimes I'll adorn my female body with clothing and jewelry, and other times, I won't. It's about embracing what's natural. Honestly, I'd feel strange having to draw clothes on figures.

Alex: Still there comes a sense for abstraction with your work. How do you create this world?

Dolian: That's an interesting question. It's nice. Recently, I was talking to another artist about how my art reflects the natural world. To me, it's a world of connection and joy, where everything is intertwined and unique in its own form. It's like a colorful and light-hearted place, although not everything is always happy. It's a world where things just are, where everything is raw and pure. Sometimes, I fear losing that aspect, like an island surrounded by a sea of lava. On the other side, there are other people – the rest of the world. And sometimes, I struggle to build a bridge between them.

I guess I'm also scared that the island will get disrupted. But it will always be there, yeah. Still, it's tough sometimes. I don't know exactly how to let people onto that island, because they'll never truly see it, respect it, or feel it like I do. I believe every creative person has their own island like this. It's challenging, you know because you're the only one who really understands the depth and significance of all those little things on that island. It's hard to explain.

Alex: On the one hand it's a very satisfying image, an island in the middle of the sea that you would really live on. But then also with the prospect of the lava or any other danger rising, of course, there's a certain fear somewhere in the back of the head.

Dolian: Exactly. Even the fear is what keeps it alive, the eruptions and disruptions are part of the experience. The fear becomes fruitful like the blackened lava creating fertile ground. So, it's all part of the cycle, where something ends for something new to begin.

I feel that lava, even though it can be destructive, is a natural force that shapes things. I like to be mindful of the world we’re in. And put effort in sharing stories that break the illusion of separation. I worked with artist; Thirza Schaap, from Plastic Ocean. We collected plastic from the beaches, made sculptures out of it, photographed the Now, treasures, and shared the story of pollution by attracting with a beautiful color scheme.

With Lewendig, the realization I like to inspire starts at an even earlier stage. When there's plastic in the ocean, it's not just about us separating the plastic, it starts with our connection – to the Earth, to ourselves, to others. And I think sharing these stories in a playful, colorful, and loving way is much more helpful and connecting than only focusing on the bad or wrong things we've done. We should showcase the beauty in this and that, and then when you see it, you're like, "Fuck, yeah."

Alex: I've noticed you've been exploring different mediums like ceramics. How did you get into that, and what intrigues you about this art form?

Dolian: Well, actually, I've always had an interest in various mediums. Ceramics has always been intertwined with my art, even though I hadn't worked on it professionally before. I used to experiment with clay, making candles, and working with fabrics. I even studied fashion at one point, which led me to explore different avenues. Recently, I decided to learn the craft more seriously, so I applied for a fund and got into ceramics. This new dimension opened up for me, and I love combining different artistic outputs to tell stories. Different people are drawn to different forms of expression, so I aim to use different mediums to connect with a broader audience. It felt like finally adding a 3D aspect to my work. Opening a whole new dimension, you know. During my time in Nepal, I had a project where I realized that there are countless ways to tell stories, even within one subject. Take Tibet, for example, and its suppressed culture. There's music, visual arts, and various forms of expression. The art they create and the objects they display, like the yoni and lingam, the symbols for female and male genitals - you'd see them all over Nepal. When someone passes away, they create these floating boats and set them on fire in the river. Then, you have these statues of the yoni and lingam, representing the cycle of life and fertility. So, with all these stories, you can convey them through different mediums. I'm not skilled at every medium, but I want to be. And I love blending these things.

For instance, you excel in photography and film, which could tell a part of the story. I'll convey another part through a different medium. That's why I explore various mediums – different people are drawn to different forms. Some might connect with music more, while others resonate with visuals or paintings. It's about telling the same story through diverse channels.

Alex: It sounds like you have a really holistic approach to your art. Do you find that people are more interested in buying your ceramics or your paintings?

Dolian: People seem to love the ceramic pieces, especially those little "dicks" I've created. But I've also received many inquiries about my paintings, and I've sold quite a few of them. Currently, I'm focused on making prints of my paintings that are framed beautifully, making them more accessible to people who can't afford the original artwork. It's not about being affordable, but rather about sharing the joy and love that art brings. When someone reaches out and tells me how my art has impacted them, that's the real reward for me.

Alex: That's cool. It's just so nice if you have the confidence and if you have to have the stillness in yourself to do these things. That leads me to the question, what is your practice or what shaped your perspective and approach to life and art? I’m always curious about the influences behind an artist's mindset.

Dolian: I think I was just born with this kind of perspective. It's like an inner knowing, a natural state of being present and chill. I've always been able to step outside myself and view situations from different perspectives, which often helps me find joy in even difficult moments. When I was a kid, I used to imagine myself as the sun looking down at me, saying “Oh baby, why are you mad?” and that always made me laugh and see things from a larger perspective. It's all about finding vibrancy, passion, and surrender to life, even in stressful times. I think it's just how I am wired. It really is a game, you know. And I just want to enjoy it, live fully, feel the energy, and embrace everything. Sure, sometimes I can feel stuck, but for the most part, I'm pretty calm and steady, like cool water. But also, the reverse is true for me. I can see you doing so many amazing things I'm getting inspired by while I'm just chill *laughs*.

Alex: You know, it's funny how we're often drawn to what we don't currently have. Lately, I've been feeling a bit uninspired, and I couldn't quite put my finger on why. It's like creativity led me into a lonely place. I was engrossed in reading and ended up feeling quite isolated. Fortunately, I managed to bounce back quickly by spending time with friends, staying active, and changing my surroundings. How do you handle these down moments in your creative journey?

Dolian: Yeah, I totally get that feeling. I think going through these phases and having these realizations, including the loneliness aspect— Well, that's something we all experience, right?

I mean, it's like having your own island. You're the only one living in your body, so you're always on your own, you know? There are times when you can connect with people, nature, and everything else. But even that can feel like being alone at times. Yet, it's not necessarily negative or sad. I guess what I mean is, loneliness is personal. Each of us is an individual. And you are you, your unique self. In that, you're alone, but you're also collectively alone. And that thought sometimes helps me when I'm feeling really alone and sad. It reminds me that there are all these individuals out there, each with their own strengths. We're all alone together in that sense, going through various processes.

Alex: You mentioned earlier about your tendency to isolate yourself a bit. Could you tell us more about that and how it relates to your art?

Dolian: Yeah, sure. I'm still figuring it out myself, but I think I have a strong sense of authenticity. I appreciate people being true to themselves, honest, and genuine. If someone is unsure about their identity or pretending to be something they're not, it's hard for me to connect with them. It's not intentional; it just happens naturally. I find that when I'm around people who genuinely inspire me, I'm naturally drawn to them. I enjoy being social with those kinds of people. I value my time alone, but also meaningful conversations like the one we're having now. And sometimes, when I meet people who seem to align with me, I can be a bit hesitant to engage. Maybe I worry about not connecting or not being understood. But usually, once I do interact, I realize we resonate well because we share similarities. It's an ongoing process of navigating these social dynamics. It's like my island. I have space, but only for those who naturally complement my life and vice versa. They contribute to each other, just like my best friend and I do.

Alex: You mentioned earlier about your tendency to isolate yourself a bit. Could you tell us more about that and how it relates to your art?

Alex: So, what's up next for you?

Dolian: I'm actually heading to Colombia for an art residency. It's in the middle of nature, far from everything, and there will be artists from around the world, each working on different forms of art— music, sculpture, painting, you name it. I'm really looking forward to this experience of immersing myself in nature while still connecting with fellow artists and engaging in deep conversations about our craft. Also, I'm currently exploring making jewelry, which I plan to combine with my ceramics. It's an exciting new direction I'm taking.

Alex: Thank you for your time Dolian, that was an inspiring chat.

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