SIT DOWN WITH: Emilia Momen

Emilia Momen in her studio in London

Having grown up around artists and engaging with studios from a young age, how did these experiences shape your perspective and approach to art?

I was brought up by creatives and surrounded by interesting objects and art. I think I was taught to notice things and when I was bored I was told to go and do a drawing, I still have some of those early pieces, framed, my favourite being a line drawing of two chickens.

You have studied life drawing at Charles H. Cecil Studios in Florence and Fashion Styling at Polimoda in Florence. How have these diverse educational experiences influenced your artistic style and subject matter?

I think I have combined my love of fashion and art…. I found at fashion school I was wondering how I would paint a dress rather than style one, at which point I moved to art full-time. But my background in styling has really helped with photo shoots and styling my models before I paint them.

Participating in the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition in 2021 must have been a significant milestone. How did this experience impact your career, and what insights did you gain from showcasing your work in such a iconic setting?

It hugely impacted my career and gave me the confidence to be an artist full-time. I’ve been told artists starting out have to be really good at their own PR and marketing as well as a talented artist, and that’s tough because the character of an artist isn’t usually the character of a salesy PR person. Getting into the RA meant that I didn’t have to do this, as I was quickly noticed by a gallery who saw my work hanging. Ronchini, like most galleries, don’t open unsolicited emails, so they wouldn’t have seen my work if it hadn’t been on display.

Bathers by Emilia Momen

Your solo exhibition, "Men About Town," at Ronchini Gallery in 2023, featured compelling portraits. Can you share the inspiration behind this series and the themes you aimed to explore through these works?

At that time I was living in Florence, studying at Charles Cecil Atelier and still visiting London. Back then I was interested in painting mostly strangers whom I was intrigued by, some of whom I’d never met…. The ‘Cheeky Chef’ on his cigarette break, or ‘Cock ‘n Bottle’ a well dressed boozer strutting out of a pub in Notting Hill. But I also painted my Grandfather, the best dressed man I know! It’s not what I paint now, I’m more interested in groups of people and the dynamics between them.

Cock ‘n Bottle painting

Could you walk us through your creative process, from conceptualization to the completion of a piece? How do you select your subjects, and what techniques do you employ to bring your vision to life?

I know within the first few seconds of meeting someone if I want to paint them or not. Then, when I am out and about with them, they will make a movement that shows their character and I will quickly take lots of photos, trying to reposition them, usually I end up collaging two or more of the photos together. On top of this, the light needs to be perfect. Sometimes, as in the case with my collaboration with Jim Lee, when I went through his photographic archives, I will see photos that need to be turned into paintings… with a few changes… for instance some are in black and white so I need to work out the colours I want.

Composition is what takes me the longest, I think that’s the most important thing in a painting. As for bringing my characters to life, I am constantly thinking about who these people are when I paint them, so they have the character that I have given them…. It's not necessarily who they are if I don’t know them of course… it’s my version of them… but then I guess that’s the case even if you know them really well… it’s still your version of them…. At least who they are to you.

As a London-based artist, how does the city's vibrant culture and diverse populace influence your work? Are there specific aspects of London life that you find particularly inspiring?

It used to be, I mean the characters you see on the street in London are fantastic compared to other cities, but I’ve done that for now.

Looking ahead, are there any new themes, mediums, or projects you are excited to explore? How do you envision your work evolving in the coming years?

I am currently fascinated with places where grass meets water, and bathers, as I’m working towards my next solo show which will be centered around this theme. Its hard to predict what I have in store for the future as my subject matter seem to change a lot, but technique wise I am trying to be less of a perfectionist and use bigger brushes.