Show notes
Ceri interviews award winning filmmaker Halina Dyrschka, whose documentary "Beyond the Visible: Hilma af Klint" brought worldwide attention to the pioneer of abstract art. Halina shares her creative experiences, from acting and classical singing to filmmaking, the challenges of securing funding for her documentary and her battle against institutional gatekeeping in the art world. She also talks about how artists can embrace true creativity by recognising the essentialness of exploration and that reality is often overrated!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Halina's creative journey began in acting and classical singing, but frustration with the narrow minded theatre system led her to filmmaking, to maintain creative independence and tell stories that matter to her.
When first seeing Hilma af Klint's work, Halina experienced an immediate emotional connection and became angry at how institutions had overlooked such powerful art, revealing systemic problems in museum culture.
The art world often operates on institutional thinking rather than individual vision, people in museums across different countries think similarly because they prioritise career and success over the true purpose of art.
Creating great work requires collaborating with people who will challenge you; Halina values working with editors and composers who bring different strengths and aren't afraid to push back when something isn't working.
Funding is a major challenge for independent filmmakers, but Halina emphasises the importance of starting projects through self-funded research and following your enthusiasm before securing complete financing.
After winning film prizes, Halina realised the happiness didn’t last and that what matters most is the inner journey and connecting with even one person who understands your work.
Halina is drawn to extraordinary, overlooked biographies like Maria Sibylla Merian, a 17th-century female scientist and artist who travelled to South America to study insects when people were still burning witches in Europe.
True creativity often emerges from spiritual exploration; both Hilma af Klint and James Howell (subjects of Halina's documentaries) were interested in spiritual questions.
BEST MOMENTS
"Reality is highly overrated. Especially as an artist.”
"It would have been a completely different film if we had gotten funding immediately. It took me quite a long time, five years for the research and doing it. But those were important years because even in the last half year, things were discovered."
"When my film was finished, I was refused from festivals for weeks, over months. Then I had an interesting moment; I felt that if I could just reach one person with it, that would be a huge success."
"If you put yourself alongside people who you are happy to be challenged by, I think that's a really great and exciting creative environment, where someone can playfully tease you into another way of thinking."
"The ego is the biggest problem for all of us. It's something we really have to get rid of, hopefully in this life."
"If it happens, it happens. If it should be, it will be. And if not, it does not. You have to trust life a bit, always trust life."
"The most important thing is that you trust yourself because then other people can trust you as well."
EPISODE RESOURCES
Guest Resources:
https://ambrosiafilm.de/en/film/jenseits-des-sichtbaren-hilma-af-klint/
PODCAST HOST BIO
With over 30 years in the art world, Ceri has worked closely with leading artists and arts professionals, managed public and private galleries and charities, and curated more than 250 exhibitions and events. She sold artworks to major museums and private collectors and commissioned thousands of works across diverse media, from renowned artists such as John Akomfrah, Pipilotti Rist, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and Vito Acconci. Now, she wants to share her extensive knowledge with you, so you can excel and achieve your goals.
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