Studying at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts: The Art and Craft Department
Name: Hanna Roloff
Age: 32
Programme: Master’s in medium- and material-based art, the Art and Craft department, textile.
Why did you choose the Oslo National Academy of the Arts?For many different reasons: mostly because I wanted to go to a school that had more than one programme – I wanted to feel surrounded by various art forms, without necessarily having to take part in all of them. I knew that I wanted to take a Bachelor’s degree in textile art and that I didn’t want to move outside of Scandinavia, so there weren’t many alternatives. That’s why I visited the Academy, and like so many others, I fell in love with the workshops. I liked Oslo and thought that the chances of establishing myself as an artist were better here than in Sweden, where I’m from. And then I enjoyed myself so much here at the Academy that I chose to take a Master’s degree here as well.
What were your expectations when you started?Hmm … In general, I usually demand quite a lot both from the school and from myself. Even though the Academy is subsidised by oil money, it costs the students both time and money to go here. I therefore expected a professional educational programme where I was taken seriously, something that by and large has been fulfilled. I reacted to things and argued more in my earlier years as a student – somebody had to take up the fight.
What is the best thing about the Academy?The access to the workshops and the works managers there!
Who at the Academy has played the most crucial role for you in your studies?Everyone and no one. [Laughing] What if I answer myself? And my fellow students. But actually, in all seriousness – I do owe this mostly to myself [laughs], plus some excellent sessions with my instructors.
How would you describe life at the Academy to someone who’s thinking of applying?Just like with life outside of the Academy, you choose yourself how life in here should be. You can either muddle through your education, or you can make the most of your allotted time and the knowledge being offered to you, so that you feel that your super-sized student loan is worth it. You should also prepare yourself for the chaotic lunches in the cafeteria, and if you’re as sensitive as I am, it’s perhaps best to avoid the lunch rush when the ever-popular dance and theatre students create a spectacle there. But that’s also what makes it so great going to the Academy.
What are your dreams for the future?I don’t know about “dreams” – but of course, I am looking forward to moving on from the reassuring fortress of the Academy and building my own castle [laughs]. Except for my own studio work and perhaps also starting a shared studio, I hope to become more updated and engaged in collaborative projects and artists’ rights. In a long-term perspective, my dream boils down to wanting the art scene to think that what I’m doing is interesting and relevant, so that I can give something back to society and get paid for the work that I’m doing.
What is your preferred material?Oh, that’s really hard to say. As the primary basis for my work I use textile collages that I colour with natural pigments, but I’m also terribly fond of other media and materials. If I was forced to choose, however, I would definitely land on textile collage. That’s where the colours, shapes and textures of the various textiles encounter one another in painterly and aesthetical compromises. It’s really fun working with that.
Any comments on your graduation project?It’s an installation that mixes photography, textile collage and sculpture. It’s all about the opportunities and contradictions between art, people and nature.