Minds Of Amsterdam - Camille Guitteau

I’d say Camille has taught me three major things: The importance of eating well, what feminism really means, and how an old school hip hop beat can heal just about anything. In her house she keeps a toy Llama called Jean Patrique, four to five plants, and hundreds of pieces of cut out paper she then turns into collages. She started mixing and matching bits and pieces back in her hometown in France. It’s been 10 years she’s been at it, and she can’t seem to stop. I guess that is what happens when you truly enjoy what you do.

1. So, you cut up pieces of paper and pair them together to make a collage?
If you ask me, I do much more than that... Collecting magazines, selecting images, cutting every picture that triggers a reaction, storing them, reviewing when ideas come, storing again. Arranging the papers into a collage, bringing more images in while discarding some, re arranging... I share a piece of life with them. 

2. Do you recall when you first thought about making a collage?
Actually I do! It first came to me that I wanted to make a (pretty wide) red collage; red is my favorite color. I said that to my Mum, and she told me that, well, I’ll just try on a small one to start with. So she bought me a tiny, square canvas. I made that one. And I’ve been doing that ever since for 10 years.

3. What does your work aim to say?
Everything that is in my brain. And that’s why there’s so much in every artwork!

4. How do you know when a work is finished?
When I can feel the overall cohesion I’m aiming at. 

5. Can you name a few things in life which inspire you?
All the themes you find in my collages, and so much more. Philosophy. Science. Creativity itself, colors have always inspired me. 

6.  What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
I think it’ll have to be the basic, but percussive: if you feel something deep down, and work extremely hard for it, it is achievable. But don’t ever forget the hard work part. 

7. Can you describe your life in three words?
Music. Body. Movement.

8. If you were not living in Amsterdam right now, where would you be?
That’s a tough question... Probably back to Russia for a little while (I lived there for a year). It inspired me very much, I would like to go back and retrieve the same feelings. But it’ll have to be Summer time!

More info: https://kiwii.studio