10 Questions with Marlene Jorge
Born in Santiago, Dominican Republic, in 1974, Marlene Jorge is a neurodivergent, autodidact, pop surrealist artist who addresses unconsciousness in its true nature. Jorge offers a unique version of liberated unconsciousness. Her style is best known for its liberation from the common perspective, providing a subtle yet unique composition from an elevated place, inviting the spectators to break free from preconceptions or society's blueprints.
Marlene Jorge spent her youth between her native Dom. Rep and USA. The artist's first drawing composition is dated 1982, which is currently owned by the artist's Mother, who had observed Jorge's artistry in drawing and painting at the very early age of 5. Challenging the spectators to sympathize with their inner selves, untouched by preconceived social, cultural, and background fostering. Jorge's style invites us to understand and embrace who we truly are without the life-giving preconceptions we ceaselessly experience.
Marlene Jorge - Portrait
ARTIST STATEMENT
“My process is made of impromptu expression and unforced outbursts, and my compositions are like a personal diary, with works stemming from volatile emotions that well up within my mind and inquisitive spirit. I try channeling my creative urges in order to produce unique artwork by extracting all creative juice from daily emotion-triggering activities as much as from more personal, deep realms.” — Marlene Jorge
Fornido, digital art, 840x840 px, 2022 © Marlene Jorge
INTERVIEW
First of all, introduce yourself to our readers. How did you start experimenting with images?
I am Marlene Jorge, and I am an autodidact neurodivergent Pop Surrealist Visual Artist originally from the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean. My trajectory as an Artist started when I was five years old, following an early curiosity for colors, shapes, and especially the human figure. I started drawing comics, imaginary stories about characters that I dreamed of or invented and brought to life through my drawings.
How would you define yourself as an artist today?
I define myself as a very dynamic & intuitive person with the need to use forms, colors, and lines to express my energy and my voice. When I am with other artists, or I admire their work at any given opportunity, I love learning from them about their personal life stories, their way of generating new ideas, their processes, concepts, and techniques, and I am working continuously on finding my inner self through them. Personally, in life in general, as well as in art, it is important to develop great curiosity about how others think, their outlook, their essence, etc., because it helps to find your own essence, transmit or translate it in your body of work so you can bring something uniquely personal into existence.
Esporadica, digital art, 3500x3500 px, 2022 © Marlene Jorge
Can you tell us about the process of creating your work? What is your artistic routine when working?
My process is very volatile. However, a constant is that I need music to create. It helps me to focus because my mind works 24/7. It never rests, I sleep very little, and I am always moving, doing something, so music allows me to mostly I would pick an idea or a mental picture from my mind and mentally dress and undress it (analyzed) and pursue it if I think it is worth working on. I work mostly on canvas, but in both physical and digital art, I mostly prefer using pure colors, rarely blending or mixing and showing their true nature, pure bold, dense, bright primary colors. I love arbitrary colors, but I guess this inclination to bold black lines and primary colors comes from one of my influences, Pieter Mondriaan.
How much planning do your work and practice require?
It will vary, months, weeks, sometimes more than that.
You define your work as a "personal diary". How much of your personal experiences go into each work?
Like most artists, my work is mostly driven by emotion or expresses an emotion or state of mind. I capture moments or elements of my life that resonate within the soul. Just like a personal diary, each one of my pieces possesses an emotional resonance; however, my body of work does not necessarily intend to convey any specific messages because my purpose it's just to convey those experienced emotions.
Inmense, digital art, 840x840 px, 2022 © Marlene Jorge
Caesura, digital art, 2837x2837 px, 2022 © Marlene Jorge
You work with portraits and primarily depict emotions. How did you come up with this concept?
I have always been captivated by people's facial expressions, body language, etc.. To me, portraits are not only a beautiful way to celebrate life but also a reminder of our own humanity per se. I believe that a very particular psychological enlightenment takes place when you gaze at someone's eyes & face to paint them, and unknowingly we start paving a pathway to unconscious personal connection. My bodywork represents the result of this fusion of my fascination for facial expressions, emotions I may perceive from them, personal introspection, and dreams, which I often write down in my notebook after waking up.
What about your style? You define it as pop surrealist. What are your sources of inspiration?
My biggest influencers are René Magritte, Jean Arp, André Masson, Yves Tanguy, Dali, Miro, and Kandinsky, among others.
Is there anything else you would like to experiment with, both for techniques and themes?
Yes. I would like to experiment with dripping and to splatter over mixed media using a more abstract subject.
Perpetuity, digital art, 2500x2500 px, 2022 © Marlene Jorge
Residumbre, digital art, 2500x2500 px, 2022 © Marlene Jorge
Do you find that the shift to digital exhibitions and art fairs has helped you promote your work?
Yes indeed. As an artist, this migration has allowed me to be part of art exhibits and events I did not have access to before due to geographic factors. Now I can showcase my art pieces, connect with other artists, curators, and collectors, and sell or promote my art from my country or anywhere I may be located in time. You know, I believe that art digitalization started a cultural revolution because it is changing not only how people buy art but also because it provides ample access to educate potential buyers on what they like or look for, and it also generalizes the process of buying art that for many decades has been monopolized by the big auction houses that were making art only available or accessible to" "High Rollers" or "Regular Customers". As artists, now we have a bigger reach to a larger number of clients online through digital or virtual art exhibits. It is a liberating phenomenon!
Finally, any new projects you are looking forward to for next year?
I am looking forward to a great year. I have several projects already confirmed internationally, some national projects as well, but also I am looking forward to launching my own clothing Art brand for spring of 2023. Among other things, I have been working in the background on this 2022. The last few months of this 2022 have been a bit rough for me because. I am still recovering from a double distal wrist fracture I had a couple of months ago, which prevented me from creating for several months. I am still recovering and hoping to regain at least 70% motion of the wrist because, at times, it is very hard to even draw on my table for more than 30 minutes, so I am looking forward to a year free of pain, and more mobility! Health is the most important thing I am looking forward to. I know Jehovah will always provide, open the right doors and help me heal accordingly. I wish that in 2023 everyone can accomplish what they are working, dreaming, and praying for! Let's all make art the peacemaker of this world!
