Artist from Sweden
Gwendoline Nalvarte is an interdisciplinary researcher and artist who seamlessly merges documentary filmmaking, performance art, and visual arts. Her upbringing in Lima, Peru, amidst a diverse blend of cultures and traditions during a politically turbulent era, significantly shaped her unique artistic journey. Her heritage, a mix of Basque, African, indigenous, and Spanish ancestry, is a rich and intriguing influence on her craft.
At 12, Gwendoline Nalvarte moved to Sweden, a pivotal moment that shaped her identity and artistic perspective as she learned to navigate the complexities of living between two distinct worlds.
After completing her BA in Film and Drama Studies at Queen Mary University of London, Nalvarte immersed herself in diverse cultures and explored the intersection of performance art, theatre, and filmmaking. These experiences further enriched her understanding of the human condition and the power of art to challenge conventions, enlightening her and the audience about the beauty of diversity in art. Upon returning to Sweden, Gwendoline Nalvarte rediscovered a newfound appreciation for the country’s natural beauty and peaceful atmosphere. Despite feeling a solid connection to
Sweden and Peru, she ultimately identifies as a citizen of the world, recognizing the interconnectedness of humanity and the importance of preserving cultural heritage.
In Sweden, Gwendoline Nalvarte pursued a Master’s in Film and Media History at Lund University. This rigorous academic training, which deepened her understanding of the historical context of cinema and media, is a testament to her knowledge and expertise. It provided her with a solid foundation for her future artistic endeavours. For instance, her thesis on the influence of Indigenous cultures on modern cinema directly informed her passion for ‘ayahuasca documentaries’.
more about Gwendoline Nalvarte. gwendoline nalvarte | Video interview
INTERVIEW with Gwendoline Nalvarte
Carmela Loiacono talks with Gwendoline Nalvarte who takes part in the International Art Exhibition STORIES OF IDENTITY – From hidden places to daily life in Matera, at cultural hypogeum Lega Navale Italiana Matera-Magna Grecia.
Carmela Loiacono – Please introduce yourself and talk about the selected video art work: “Latin Swedish Women, 2024” you presented during the exhibition STORIES OF IDENTITY – From hidden places to daily life.
Gwendoline Nalvarte – born Swedish artist. Concerning The Stories of Identity exhibition, I wanted it to be something organically made. All I wanted to do was to connect to the inner child, because I think connecting to the inner child… will unfold answers… So I asked, these women to write a letter to their individual inner child and that is how we started with a workshop. We actually filmed outside my house in the surroundings. I live close to a natural reserve and so we went outdoors and just being connected to nature. Being grounded in that way. So that felt… Organic and raw, somehow where we could be ourselves without any masks.
Carmela Loiacono – How would you describe your creative process? What or who influenced or is influencing your work?
Gwendoline Nalvarte – Sometimes we lose the connection to who we really are inside and we are a bit, you know looking for answers. But really, it’s about looking inside and so I wanted to build this bridge, first for myself in developing the process, but also for these two women that I interviewed and that was part of the creative process… And then… that actually unfolded memories… And they remembered games, that they have kind of kept locked in the back of their heads. So it was fascinating to look that happening right there.
Frida Kahlo, because of her unfiltered human experience, the power of authentic storytelling, the vulnerability.
Salvador Dalí, because of… the surrealism and boundary pushing visuals… which in this case, I didn’t use it as much in that short video piece that I had. But there are elements that I considered when exploring… the physical.
Agnes Varda, who is a documentary filmmaker from France. She is such a dynamical… eh… influence because of her energetic candor and she is also very intimate with the things that she films and I like that.
Lastly, Paramahansa Yogananda, because of the spirituality and her focus of introspection.
Carmela Loiacono – What do you think about shared art on social media? Could it be an alternative way of communicating contemporary art?
Gwendoline Nalvarte – I believe social media it’s a vital tool for Art communication because it democratizes Art connecting people and stories that might otherwise be unseen. It allows us to transcend geographical and linguistic barriers through, features like… Multilingual subtitles now we have that so we live in a world where now we are having all these different tools and we should use them, but the way on how we use them plays in the intention. It’s all about the intention.
Carmela Loiacono – What are your future goals and/or projects?
Gwendoline Nalvarte – Well, I want to continue on portraying different women in Sweden. Sweden it’s a small country with about ten million people, but we do have about over a million of immigrants or generational mixed races, ethnicities and cultures, nonetheless. So I want to explore that. I look forward to it to interview and… to meet different cultures within Sweden, to explore and also to raise awareness, because there is so much we can learn from these women.
