LOTTIE CONSALVO Interview feature in ‘TERRA FIRMA’ magazine

December 5, 2018

Lottie Consalvo features in issue 05 of terra firma magazine in conversation with gallery manager Alanna Irwin and editor Sophie Willison. The three caught up at Lottie’s Newcastle studio to discuss her art practice and endurance performance projects, such as her year of living with minimal possessions and her year of living out her desires.

“Alanna Irwin: Tell us about some of your favourite moments in your year of living out your desires?

Lottie Consalvo: We landed in Paris the week that I started the project… I wanted to do gardening, but I was staying in this tiny apartment for three months where there was no way to garden. So, I went to the plant shop and I bought bulbs and seeds and as I walked through the city every day, I would plant at least one bulb or cluster of seeds into these garden beds. So, all these very organised beds that are being maintained by Parisian gardeners are all of a sudden popping up and growing randomly.

I went to Monet’s garden and I planted a bulb in his garden, so there’s this random flower that will hvae come up and I planted some seeds and bulbs in the field where van Gogh shot himself and then at his grave. So, even though I’m saying that the desire is gardening, essentially, I’m not getting the satisfaction from nurturing a garden, but it is pursuing and ticking off the desire through an artistic intent. When you’re playing with it being an art form [rather than a lifestyle choice], you start to do things a bit differently.”