Taking Initiative: Artist Hemaseh Manawi Rad on Her Artistic Journey and Finding Opportunities

Eindhoven-based artist Hemaseh Manawi Rad has quickly made her mark since graduating from AKV St. Joost in 2018. With her bold style and determination she landed a number of projects and residencies, including a recent solo exhibition in Amsterdam. We asked the artist to share her experience and insights on navigating the early stages of a creative career.

When you first started your journey as an artist, what surprised you the most? 

When I was a student at the academy, we were frightened with stories about the black hole awaiting us after graduation. It seemed like we as artists weren’t going to get any work. However, I soon noticed that if I did my thing and shared it with the world, there were always people who resonated with it. This of course got me incredibly motivated to keep looking for different platforms where I could exhibit my work. Because I was actively looking for opportunities myself, I didn’t fall into the black hole. 

How has your multicultural heritage shaped your artistic journey? 

It definitely has been a very big driving factor in my work. At the beginning, it has helped me a lot to accept that the middle ground between the two cultures I am in is a culture in its own right.

By sharing my experiences, I hope to help fellow artists and find like-minded people. It’s also wonderful to hear their unique personal stories and share ideas with each other. 

Were there any mistakes you made early on that you want to warn young artists against? 

I often underestimated myself, thinking I wasn’t good enough to apply for certain open calls, projects, or grants. But as a young artist, you should always try. Even if it doesn’t work out, you can get useful feedback that will help you in the future.

You’ve been represented by Galerie Bart for the past three years. How long did it take you to find a gallery and what was the process? 

Interestingly, I wasn't looking for a gallery to represent me because I didn’t expect my work to be conventional enough to sell through a gallery. My main focus was on doing interesting exhibitions and networking with art spaces, – and is still very much on that. The gallery approached me after they saw my work at a fair I was participating in. We scheduled a studio visit and it went great – we immediately hit it off on both personal and professional levels. And after that my first exhibition with them went so well that I knew I wanted to be represented by the gallery. It's still a great collaboration to this day for which I’m grateful. 

What advice would you give to emerging artists who haven’t yet found an establishment to represent them?

If there are no exhibitions on the horizon, take the initiative and make something happen! Organize your own exhibitions or an open studio that you can invite people to. 

Would you say there are a lot of opportunities for artists in the Netherlands? 

I think there are many opportunities if you are open to it. Not all exhibitions or project opportunities are immediately perfect, but at the beginning of your journey, especially as a recent graduate, you should take these opportunities and see what happens. Another thing you should focus on is growing your network. That way you’ll get to know people and initiatives that may have opportunities for you that are a better fit.