It was my pleasure to interview the multi-media artist (and new Crit Group Crew mentor) Anna Perach, a Ukrainian born Israeli artist living and working in London, UK. Using hand-sewn tufted carpets, Anna painstakingly creates garments that are then used in performance pieces inspired by Slavic folklore and her own community practices as a counselor at Place2Be, a children’s mental health charity. In her collaborative performances, she aims to connect shared archetypes of domesticity with folklore and female identity.
Having both experienced our MFA programs through the lens of being pregnant and caring for newborns, we talk about the preciousness of time and the pressures of making every moment count in the studio and at home. Taking her son to art museums is a large part of his education, just as it was for her as a child. Anna reflects on her own childhood growing up in the Soviet Union (before it was the Ukraine), moving to Israel at the age of seven, and then moving to the UK in adulthood as her partner was pursuing his PhD. We also discuss how she pursued an art therapy degree and how helping others process and feel their own stories continues to inspire her own work.
Anna’s outlook on her art practice is so refreshing. Her orchestration of her whole process shows us that we can think bigger than what we can make with our own hands. By connecting her whole life story into her art practice, she reveals that no life paths are wasted – even when they seem to divert off of the typical art career trajectory.
See more of Anna’s work on her website – https://www.annaperach.com
Find her on Instagram @anna_perach
The Artist/Mother podcast is created and hosted by Kaylan Buteyn. You can see more of Kaylan’s work on her website or connect with her on Instagram @kaylanbuteyn
