Martine Castoriano is a qualified photographer and filmmaker. After studies in History of Art and Classical Archaeology and Ancient History she worked as an arts and culture reporter for Swedish television for many years. She’s had many photo exhibitions and published several books.
For the past two years Martine has made an illustration a day published in her Instagram feed as a kind of diary. The drawings have sprung from things she’s seen; like a colour or a pattern. Everyday scenes mixed with dreamy ones. At Form/Design Center she’s showing her illustration and an animation together with a printed fabric she’s made from her drawings. She’s also presenting a new children’s book.
Q&A
What is your name?
Martine Castoriano
Where were you born?
I’m born in Västerås but moved to Malmö when I was 8 years old.
How old are you?
47
Where do you live?
Malmö
What do you do?
I work as an artist, illustrator, photographer and sometimes reporter.
Favourite place?
At home and at a café.
Favourite material?
My drawing tablet that I connect to my Mac. I take it everywhere; to a café, on a train or the dance studio waiting for my daughter.
Favourite designer?
There are so many; designers like Bouroullec brothers, Philippe Starck, Charles and Ray Eames to artists like Matisse, Giotto, Peter Doig or other contemporary artists.
Favourite colour?
It is the combination of colours that are interesting.
What inspires you?
Things surrounding me in everyday life combined with imagery from magazines, art, interiors, sculpture.
Your vision?
I work on intuition and would like to translate my imagery into different medias like film, fabric, book, sculpture, installation. To turn my illustrations into physical objects.
Biggest mistake?
When I stored too many files on my external harddrive…
Dream project?
To continue working with my illustration, to dress a whole room in fabric, to create furniture and strange objects with no obvious functions. I would like to expand into the room. I dream of finding people that I can collaborate with in making things.
Next project?
The Mediterranean museum in Stockholm are creating workshops from my and Erik Magntorp’s children’s book. I’m working on a new book and more illustration. Hopefully more fabric, films and experiments to come.
The Designer of the Month is a series of portraits intended to showcase local talents with links to the Öresund region and also to present an expanded view of design as a concept. The selection is made together with the association DISK (Designers in Skåne) and can be an individual designer, a group, or a manufacturer. The list of design areas is long and includes everything from furniture design, industrial design and architecture to fashion, illustration, the moving image etc.