karin kimel
karin kimel creates a new world, letting her mind flow in the process of creation.
human figures, creatures, objects... all of them lost in the most unusual scenes. a perfect example that shows that reality is what you can get away with. we talk with her about this. we dig a little more into her mind to tell you what inspires her to shape this universe. she shares her debut “Sun Down” exclusively for Gata Magazine.
Gata: Can you do a little introduction about yourself?
Karin: I’m from Tel Aviv. Half based there, for the past 2 years I’ve been traveling and working abroad quite often.
Gata: How and when did you start creating?
Karin: Since I can remember I had an attraction to visual aspects of things. As a child, I would play with colors, shapes through painting or sculpting with whatever I’d have around me.
Gata: I saw on your website that before doing 3D Design, you used to draw, paint... How did you jump from that to 3D Design?
Karin: Since a young age I loved messing around with computers and learning softwares, simultaneously painting was my main field of artistic creation. As I shifted through techniques over the years these two worlds simply collided. I now do both and whenever I neglect one I start craving it.
Gata: Can you give us a little review of your stay in Tokyo, why did you choose Tokyo and how did it influence you or your career.
Karin: I arrived in Tokyo through a job arrangement. The city and its atmosphere suited me well, so I managed to stay longer than expected. I feel like this city greatly affected the way I observe visual elements around me, especially some candid things I notice in urban environments. I realized that the city has so many unique delicate elements, which I never used to experienced before. The way everyday objects are shaped, color combinations, even reflections appearing in unexpected places. Very delicate elements that I would previously dismiss or overlook. I feel like the Japanese culture has an incredible appreciation for hidden beauty, untouched nature, things in their pure form. This really opened my eyes and fed me intellectually.
Gata: Do you have an icon/inspiration that makes you want to dive in art?
Karin: I think it comes from many sources, mostly an experience or a feeling. It depends on what kind of phase I’m going through. Recently music and audio, in general, have been a big inspiration that has pushed me to explore new paths, especially through animation. I’m really interested in the collision of the two mediums (visual content and audio).
“I’m really interested in the collision of the two mediums (visual content and audio)”
Gata: Which programs are you using?
Karin: These days I am mainly working with Cinema 4d, but I use an external renderer and a few different plugins.
Gata: This is a question about the process of creation: How does it come to your mind? I see a lot of nice sightseeings, landscapes... they could be taken out of “Dune” (Kubrick´s movie). Is there anything you see that inspires you to get into those lost worlds?
Karin: This is something that even I sometimes struggle to find an answer to. I do get inspired by things I witness, but usually, when I create it’s not directly on my mind. I always feel like my hands or head are doing their own thing, I’m in this zone. Later in the work, I can pick up some connections between my inspiration sources and my creation, or logic between the elements of my creation. But at first, it’s mostly about flowing in my intuitive process. I think it’s like an internal vocabulary, I have some shapes and figures I keep coming back to, even unintentionally.
“I feel like the Japanese culture has incredible appreciation to hidden beauty, untouched nature, things in their pure form”
Gata: Some of your images remind me of Salvador Dali´s paintings, did he influenced you in any kind of way?
Karin: In general, I’m influenced by many surrealist artists. Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about Isamu Noguchi’s sculptures.
Gata: Who/what is your biggest inspiration right now?
Karin: At the moment, I feel like my biggest inspiration is going back and forth between natural, primal subjects and substances, to the futuristic or technological aesthetics and Technics.
Gata: Do you have any ritual? any time of the day you are more inspired…Is there anything that helps you create?
Karin: Keeping a memo of my insights (either about creation or also general thoughts and understandings). I try to always carry a small notebook with me, and at home, I write things down and sketch during my work process.
Words and interview by gata magazine
Edited by Panama Díaz