Meet Nina Minnebo

Nina Minnebo’s bright, graphic, abstract paintings just grab you. Working in a mixture of acrylic, ink, watercolour and pencil – depending on her mood, her layered pieces evolve over time – and we think they are definitely worth the wait! Hailing from Brussels, Gooik (a lovely little place in the countryside) and Ghent, Nina studied Graphic Arts at the Luca School of Arts in Brussels, and we’re delighted that she will be adorning the walls of Affordable Art Fair Brussels in March. Fair Manager, Louise Malfait interviewed Nina to learn more about her inspiration and practice.

MEET ARTIST NINA MINNEBO

Hi Nina! What inspires your work?

Happiness. I get really excited when I put colours together and it works. It’s crazy when you feel positive energy from the canvas or installation. These days, we are constantly surrounded by so much negative news that I feel the need to create another dimension filled with colours, it’s like a breath of fresh air. Colour is something very powerful, if you use it correctly you can change how someone feels and behaves.

Can you tell us a bit about your practice?

I’m quick to get bored and instead of forcing myself to do what others expect, such as having a consistent style and a distinct signature, I have embraced this aspect of my personality. It means I am always engaged with my work, focussing only on what I feel like doing and what satisfies me. It’s a non-pretentious approach to colour and form.

Which artist has had the greatest impact on you and why?

I can’t really say, art in general I guess. I am drawn to artists that have a colourful universe, I like large scale art and immersive installations. The well-known artists I look up to are Joan Mitchell, Anish Kapoor, Ai Wei Wei, David Hockney, and some of the the less well-known are Super Future Kid, Jonny Niesche, Christian August and Mike Okay.

Can you talk us through how you produce one of your works?

It depends on my mood. Most of the time I go to my studio and dive right in. Often, I start with some sketches and try out some new colour combinations and then work on a canvas or a large-scale piece. Each of my artworks are made out of different layers, so time is also a big influencer on when how a piece develops, I need to let the work rest inbetween the layers and let it talk to me. There is a lot of discussion between me and my work. We talk, we fight, we hate and adore each other!

What would you say are the most rewarding and the most challenging aspects of being an artist today?

The most challenging is standing out. There is a very large artist community out there and we use these massive, innumerous platforms to share our work, it’s a constant tsunami of visual information. The use of social media to market your work is also time-consuming. When you’re on your phone or PC you’re not creating, but If you don’t share pictures of your art, people will not know your work. It’s a double-edged sword.

What advice would you give to any aspiring artists reading this interview?

1. Stop comparing yourself to other artists, it’s toxic. You will never be them and they will never be you. Heureusement [fortunately].

2. Respect and trust yourself. Don’t copy other artists their work. You can be inspired by them, but never copy their style and call it your own. You have your own style, don’t force yourself finding it, it’s there.

3. Work, work, work, work, work, work.

See Nina’s work for yourself at Affordable Art Fair Brussels (15 – 17 March, 2019) where she will create a bespoke, colourful and larger-than-life installation to greet you as you enter the fair!

Click here to find out more about the fair »

Snap up a ticket to the fair here »

Main Image:
Artist Nina Minnebo at work in her studio.

Featured images from first to last:
Artist Nina Minnebo.

A selection of paintings by Nina Minnebo in situ, mixed-media, sizes range from 24 x 18 cm to 200 x 150 cm, prices start from €80.

Nina Minnebo working in her studio.
Nina Minnebo, Mr Pink is Angry, 2018, acrylic on canvas, €1,950.

Nina Minnebo, “O”, 2018, acrylic on canvas, €80.