This week on Cosimo Studio Tours, we head to The Koppel Project, Bank to interview artist Ferg Cooper. 

Ferg is a visual artist who works in painting, drawing and collage. His work and style are rooted in queer theory – dealing with themes related to commercialism and the self. Through his process, Cooper strives to find ways to understand how the queer community can exist in a straight, heteronormative landscape.     

In this interview, we have a delightful conversation [over tea, Haribo Candy and fizzy drinks] where we discuss Ferg’s artwork, his background working in the music industry, Queer Artists, the present and future of Queer Artists, all things pop culture, music, artist community, as well as artist agency and representation. 

Ferg is a graduate from Central Saint Martins (’17) where he holds an MA Degree in Fine Art. He has participated in artistic residencies which include the Florence Trust and ‘Plop.’ Cooper is a part of the inaugural panel of ARTCRY, a fund which provides fast answers on political work funding, and has mentored for NPA Labs.

He has exhibited in galleries throughout London and the United Kingdom, which include Tate Exchange, Menier Gallery, San Mei, Mall Galleries and Islington Arts Factory. Ferg has worked with collectives such as Bad Art Presents. He has created and worked on commissions for The Unicorn Theatre, ARTCRY as well as designs for club nights and album record sleeves. 

This week we head to the studio of artist Karolina Dworska in Woolwich.

Born in Poland, Karolina holds a BA in Fine Art from Goldsmiths, University of London where she first developed a passion for her signature digital knit and textile artwork. The artist works predominantly in sculpture and textile-making. Her work focuses on dreamscapes - inspired by mythology, horror, science fiction and the complexities of our corporeal (real-world or material) reality.

She has exhibited her work internationally in the United Kingdom, Spain, and South Korea. Her works have been shown at Bloomberg New Contemporaries, JGM Gallery, D Contemporary, Unit-1 Workshop, The Feminist Library and start.fair [in London and in Seoul, South Korea].

In this interview we speak about the details of Karolina's works, childhood inspirations (from 80’s & 90’s animations and cartoons to wanting to be a pop star or ‘Britney Spears’ growing up), curating 'Creature Comforts' - a group show highlighting the work of textile artists at JGM Gallery in London, the need for further artist support (i.e., art funding) and the messages she tries to capture through her dream-like works. 

This week on Cosimo Studio Tours, we head towards the London Bridge area to the studio of artist Harry Rüdham. 

Harry is a noteworthy London artist most well-known for his signature paper cut technique and series. Through a meticulous work process, Harry Ruhham creates figures and landscapes via arranged paper materials. Utilising a scalpel to carve back the multi-layered paper foundation, the artist reveals a display of delicate figurations as the finished artistic product (which, as Archie Brydon notes,  can often “look like birds, flocking together in flight patterns atop varying coloured skies [...].” 

Rudham received a First Class Honours, BA Fine Art from Central Saint Martins (studying abroad at the Universität der Künste). He has exhibited work internationally in the United Kingdom and Germany. In 2022, Rudham exhibited his first solo show, ‘Lubberland’ in Fitzrovia. His work was featured by media outlets such as TalkTv and BBC Radio - Surrey. In February 2022, his work was listed under ‘The Top 5 Exhibitions to See in London in February’ by art critic Tabish Khan, FAD Magazine He received The Cass Art Award in 2019 and was a runner-up for The Clyde & Co Art Award in 2019. 

In this interview, we have one of the most enjoyable conversations we have had on this podcast. We cover a variety of topics from Harry’s vibrant, adventurous artistic journey (from studying in Berlin, living in a nunnery, to working as a professional artist in London).

We speak about the inspirations behind his body of work, the London art community, art school, the importance of learning art business as an artist, art investment and art collecting, artistic anonymity (in quotes: “Freddie Mercury vibes”) and art history. Harry also shares his own advice about how artists can go about launching their artistic careers - understanding the significance of legacy when it comes to artists wanting to leave his, her or their mark on the art world. 

You can see Harry’s artwork in the Wolfe Walker Summer Show at The Columbia in London on June 7th, 2023. 

This week on Cosimo Studio Tours, we traveled to Wembley to visit artist and photographer, Katya Ilina (in her lovely backyard garden on a gorgeous, rare sunny London day). 

Katya is a London artist working in the portrait, fashion, and observational photography genres and landscapes. Her artistic practice explores themes related to identity and gender expression. Informed by Katya’s own multicultural perspective, she is inspired by, “the human condition,”  as she writes in her own artistic statement, “in the context of social and cultural change.” 

In this interview, we delve into Katya’s artistic journey, her photography practice, how she uses photography to tell an artistic narrative, “imposter syndrome,” as well as the importance of an artistic community. We also speak about two of Katya’s projects - one focusing on her travels photographing female Muay Thai fighters in Thailand. 

Katya studied Photography at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) and the University of Westminster. She also studied Business of Entertainment and Management at the UCLA Extension (which we speak about a bit in this podcast interview). Her works have been featured in and by the BBC, The Guardian, Creative Review, The Royal Photographic Society Journal, PhMuseum. Her selected commissions include: Dazed and WeTransfer. She has exhibited globally at the International Photography Exhibition 163, The Royal Photographic Society (Bristol, UK) in 2022, Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize, The National Portrait Gallery), Cromwell Place (London, UK) in 2023, Full, Seoul Creators Series, Vofol Art Gallery (South Korea) in 2019 and Empty, Seoul Creators Series, Vofol Art Gallery (South Korea) in 2018. 
Katya ilina Website: https://www.katyailina.com/

This week on Cosimo Studio Tours, we are bringing you a special minisode with artist Lorelei Linklater. The episode was recorded and filmed at and with the help of the Motion Media Arts Centre (@austinschoolofilm) in Austin, Texas. 

Lorelei Linklater is a fine and digital artist. Her work focuses on realism. Lorelei’s practice stems from traditional painting, exploring cartoon inspired drawings and illustrations, ‘GIFs', textured collage, feminist influence and experimental found sculpture. She received a B.F.A. from California College of the Arts and is working towards her M.F.A. at ArtCenter College of Design. Her solo exhibitions include ‘Chaotic Duality’ at the Motion Media Arts Center, ‘I Can Feel Her Staring’ at ALT Gallery, Eikasia at College Avenue Galleries in Oakland, California. In 2021, Lorelei exhibited her work in a group show, ‘Museum of the Future Present’ in Austin, Texas. You can see her latest digital works via the Imaginarium Collection on the Blockchain and NFT platform, Voice. 

In this interview, we speak about Lorelei’s fine and digital artistic practices, how she expresses herself through her artwork, identity, her role as a female artist as well as the need for transparency in the art world.

This week on Cosimo Studio Tours, we head to West London to the studio of Anya Mokhova (@anya_mokhova). Anya is an artist who creates artwork from tallow, bee’s wax, soap, gold and brass. With a passion for art history and media experimentation, her work draws on the traditions of fantasy and mythology, seeking to question the boundaries of the notion of existence: exploring a narrative between the real and the metaphysical. 

In this interview, we have a thought-provoking discussion about Anya’s work, her inspirations, authenticity, art world barriers and its ‘snobbish elitism’ as well as how we can strive to create more of a community in the art world. 

Anya Mokhova holds a Graduate Diploma from Chelsea College of Art & Design. She also holds a Master of Arts Degree from Chelsea College of Art & Design. Some of her most notable art exhibitions include: New Japan (exhibited by Solyanka VPA), The Impossible is Inevitable (exhibited at the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Centre), MYTHS (shown at the 6th Moscow International Biennale For Young Art Parallel Programme) and How Can one Tell the Artist from Her Art (shown at the 7th Moscow International Biennale For Young Art Parallel Programme). Her solo exhibitions include The Intimacy of Vision (exhibited by CUT CUT Gallery) and In the Depths of Reflection (exhibited at the Regency Town House, Brighton). Her works have also been exhibited at the Royal Academy Summer Student Show in 2017. 

Currently, she is working on an artwork for 4BYSIX –  an organisation which, according to their mission seeks “to bring new life” to “retired London buses.” Through this initiative, 4BYSIX looks for artists to create pieces of art using this recycled material. 

This week on Cosimo Studio Tours, we head down to James Robert Morrison’s studio in southeast London. Born in Elgin, Scotland, James is an artist whose artwork stems from personal experience. 

The artist aims to reflect on the pivotal experience of discovering an individual's sexuality and the journey that they must take when it comes to understanding, accepting, and valuing it. 

His pencil and cigarette paper, or ‘Fag Series’, entitled ‘There's Never More Than a Fag Paper Between Them’, engages directly with the subject matter through which he depicts and captures LGBTQ plus couples and intimate yet tender moments. 

In this interview, we speak all about his process, his delicate drawn creations, representation, queer artistic perspective, working in the commercial gallery and government art sectors, as well as how emerging artists can build and shape their professional careers.

This week on Cosimo Studio Tours, we stopped by artist Mia Hawk’s (@miaskyhawk) studio in South London. 

Mia is a full-time artist who works in a variety of media and artistic disciplines, from hyper-realist paintings to surrealist, pop-art illustrative works and designs. In this interview, we delve into many different topics, including social media, the art world of Instagram, the female vs. male gaze, how Mia balances both the entrepreneurial and creative sides of her art business and career, mental health, as well as, her multi-disciplinary approach to creating her bold, expressive, imaginative (often funny and/or humorous) works whether they be fine art, digital prints, or silk-screened creations. 

You can find (and see) Mia, her artwork, and her designs in person at Canopy Market in London, where she will be showing her artwork in an exhibition in October 2023. She will also exhibit her works at Ruby’s Rooms in Hastings next month.

This week on Cosimo Studio Tours, we visit artist Fiona G. Roberts’ studio located in Bank at The Koppel Project in London. 

In this interview we delve into a variety of topics ranging from her latest body of work, women artists, as well as gender inequality in the art world (running through the statistics as well as the stagnant two percent of top-tier female artists who sell at art auction).  

Fiona G. Roberts holds an MA in Painting from Wimbledon College of Arts – University of the Arts London where she received the Vice Chancellor’s Scholarship. 

She completed two years at the Turps Banana Painting School (2019-2021). She has participated in multiple group shows in London and in the U.K., including Dentons Art Prize Exhibition, 2018, Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize Exhibition, 2018-2019 (Runner-up and Winner of Staff Prize), ING Discerning Eye, 2020, Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, 2021, ‘We Are Such Stuff As Dreams Are Made On’ at Aleph Contemporary, London, 2021, ‘Two Doors’ at Tart Gallery, Winners: Award Winning Artists, Mall Galleries, London, 2022. 

She was also shortlisted for the Ruth Borchard Self Portrait Prize 2021 and the 2021 Figurative Art Now Exhibition where she was awarded a Mentorship Prize. 

This week on Cosimo Studio Tours, we are incredibly excited to present a special podcast episode and interview with artist Caitlin Flood-Molyneux (@floodmolyneuxart) which we recorded post the artist’s first solo show in London, Suspended in Time (April 3 – Private View) at Fitzrovia Gallery. 

In this interview, we speak about Caitlin’s ‘Artist Story,’ the artist’s process, the curation of the show, the artist’s Pop Art and DADA inspirations as well as the healing power of art. 

Caitlin was included in our list of “Highly Commended Artists” for the Cosimo Art Competition in 2022. The artist is a contemporary Welsh Artist residing in South Wales. Their practice delves into the relationship between pop culture imagery, memory and nostalgia. Through Caitlin’s work, it is important to the artist that audiences develop their own subjective opinions: forming their own symbiotic relationships to the artwork. In this way, audiences establish a sense of personal self-reflection: reconciling with past trauma and hardships.

Caitlin holds a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts Degree from Cardiff Metropolitan University (also Bergen Academy of Art and Design). The artist also holds a Master’s Degree in Fine Art from Cardiff Metropolitan University. Flood-Molyneux has exhibited in group exhibitions in the United Kingdom, United States, Hong Kong, and Japan. Most notably, the artist was published in Saatchi Art, “See who’s in the studio” in 2022.