Courtesy Nina Bachmann
A WRITTEN STUDIO CHAT WITH NINA BACHMANN
WRITTEN BY Naomi Lo
06.10.2024
I virtually sat down with Nina Bachmann today. Nina is a visual artist born and raised in a home of freedom in Munich, Nina embraces a freedom-hungry adulthood in doing things on her own terms; and simultaneously, earning a crust as a designer for her co-founded brewery, no surprise as a self-proclaimed gastronome. Now get ready for a walk-through to Nina’s iconic portraits of ‘custard-glazed’ noodly characters, also Nina's picks on belly-filling local hotspots.
Naomi: How was your childhood growing up in Munich? And how did you see your creativity cultivated from that age?
Nina: I grew up in a very sheltered environment. Both as a family and within my circle of friends. My parents weren't artists, but they were always interested in art, music, fashion and theatre. My dad had a huge record collection with wild covers from the 60s and 70s, which inspired me to draw them. My mom owned a small fashion boutique where I could help with the creative design of the shop windows. And of course, art was on my top list of priorities at school. But family support was certainly the driving force in the end to go in this direction. I first did an internship in a small screen printing studio before applying for university in design. I worked in a graphic design agency after graduating, I illustrated and drew a lot, and later founded a brewery with friends. However, I had the urge to work on something original and transfer my style to canvas. and so the path as an "artist" began, didn't know where it would take me, but it feels really good.
In Nina’s words, Munich is an epitome of gentle living, where greenery nestles around the city, also everything is easily accessible.
Naomi: How would you describe your artistic worldview in 3 words?
Nina: I would prefer ‘ironic’, ‘intoxicated’ and ‘humorous’.
Naomi: Let’s talk about your working process. What is your weirdest, if not, the most fascinating epiphany when creating new artwork?
Nina: Observing people in their everyday environment is often obscure, entertaining and definitely fun to get some ideas from. I usually draw my rough thoughts on a simple sheet of paper, which of course, when you look at it again some time later, it’s really entertainingly "funny" more often than not. When it comes to my painting process, I always try to make relatively quick decisions, it has to "flow" somehow I think.
Rausch I, Acrylic, 2020
Mixed feelings, Oil, oil stick, acrylic, 2023
Naomi: In words, can you give us a studio tour at Moosey Residency?
Moosey is located in the heart of Norwich, UK. Offering month-long residency for artists and creative alike.
Nina: The studio was divided into a large room with a kitchen and a smaller one with a tennis table. I worked together with Natalia Maniaka and Gemma Carson. Each artist had a corner. There was a large table in the middle, which was ideal for putting everything down, sketching or having lunch. We usually painted the whole day, exchanged ideas, and people from the gallery came by every now and then to chat and plan. Everything was very open and relaxed, the apartment building was directly opposite, so you could come and go as you pleased. It was a fun time getting out of everyday life, making your own experiences, learning from other artists; you could try yourself out in the painting process, make new friends, become part of the moosey family, ruminating about creativity and the daily business as an artist. The four weeks just flew by.
Naomi: How do you spend a typical day as an artist?
Nina: Pretty boring haha. I get up early, drink coffee, have breakfast and then go straight to the studio. My commute isn't that far, so I can be there by bike in about 10 minutes. Whenever possible, I try to hand off my work by evening before I can't decide anything or see the big picture. Because It's better to start fresh the next day. Besides, I try to go running at least twice a week in the evening and to have enough time to cook or hangout with friends. But of course it doesn't always work out so perfectly. However, there's always paper lying around somewhere at home in case an idea comes around the corner.
Nina at Moosey Residency, artist courtesy
Nina’s quick sketches, artist courtesy
Interior of Moosey Residency, artist courtesy
Naomi: What is your advice on being an artist as a lifetime profession?
Nina: When I was studying graphic design, my professor taught me to get ahead by making decisions. "Which colour, which shape, which brushes" – Everything is a "decision". If you have a sense of feeling that things go wrong, you still gain the experience to decide differently next time. Knowing everything is a small decision generally helps me to move things forward. At the end of the day, it makes everything a little easier, including your day-to-day life, also in terms of work-life balance.
“Still not enough”, Oil, oil stick, acrylic, 2024
Naomi: Must-have dish(es) in a gourmet meal.
Nina: Definitely Ragù, a tomato-rich and gamey sauce cooked for hours, paired with good pasta, parmesan and a glass of red wine when served.
Naomi: What are your holy grail dining and bar spots in Munich?
Nina: If you like traditional Bavarian food, then the "Fraunhofer" pub is my favourite place. It has history, you can just get a beer but also enjoy good Bavarian food. Whereas my bar spot is "Boazeria". It is more like a lesser-known bar in my area. Generally, I prefer a normal bar atmosphere rather than a hyped cocktail bar scene. In summer, however, I will recommend the Munich beer gardens to everyone. You can sit outdoors from day to night, bring your own food, drink classic Bavarian beer, relax and enjoy the summer. The Isar, the river that flows through Munich, also offers a great pit-stop for barbecues, great activity for a big group’s hangout .
Bavarian food at Fraunhofer, online courtesy
Trophy Life, Oil, Oil Stick, Acrylic on canvas, 2023