Evelina Kroon
Tell us more about the collaboration!
– A while ago, Josefine posted on her Instagram that ”a lot of fun things with squares” would happen at Tônn. I silently hoped she would think of me, and moments after she called me. Josefine is an incredible person, inspiring, and I am very impressed by her business. Our collaboration has been enjoyable throughout and I think it’s important to emphasize that we’ve done this together. The squares may come from me, but we’ve worked with the color palette together. And the idea behind the products is 100 percent Josefine.
How did you start making your squares and working with tape?
– The tape comes from collecting. Since I was a kid, I’ve had quite a large collection of Japanese washi and other kinds of tape, so the material was at hand. I have trouble focusing and want what I do to become something quickly. I used to do more representative classical painting and collages, and this method came to me in some kind of creative cramp. It’s very efficient, which suits my personality. It combines two things I’m good at: pattern making and colors. With the tape, I can work with different levels and transparency. Also, it’s about highlighting low-status materials, to refine something.
What are the driving forces behind your artistry?
– If I’m being crass, it’s my job, my work. What drives me the most is being able to provide for myself and my family. I work very hard and there are many, many years of studying behind what I do. I’m not very lust driven, but this method has sparked some lust. I can think of 2 million versions, there are endless combinations. But of course, I’m also driven by moving ahead, getting further. And to claim my space. Both to own it and to demand it; to not to excuse myself.
– We live in a special time; everything is so cross-border and fast paced. It makes it more permissive and inclusive. I try not to be so anxious about the things I do.
You also have your own Portal shelf at home. Where are we in space?
– We are in Hagsätra south of Stockholm, where I live with my small family. My boyfriend Gustaf and our kids Judi, 1, and Meg, 3.
Tell us about the shelf!
– I have a low, long shelf; it stretches through the dining room and further into the TV room. It feels like it’s floating, a visual statement. We had the intention to build something on site, but it actually looks custom made for the space. It’s perfect.
What do you have in your shelf?
– I mostly use it as a bookshelf. I want it to feel accessible, we haven’t removed anything since the children arrived. In one room it’s also a TV unit. The television is by far the most important function in my home.
You have an incredible sense of color and color combinations, tips?
– I don’t have a good answer to that because I just do. I like it when colors collide, and the result is on the verge of being ugly. Red is a difficult color for me, maybe that’s why I have a lot of red at home right now? So go for your ugliest colors, haha. Then, of course, I have a couple of favorite combinations. Clear blue against burgundy. Something a little gloomy and something a little happy.
It feels like you see the three-dimensional room through the same graphic glasses you use when working as an artist. Your thoughts when decorating?
– I’ve worked as a creator and visual, so it’s quite natural for me to work with spatiality. I’m very interested in the home as a place. From the beginning it had to do with conditions, I’ve had to test everything I’ve wanted to do at home first. My paintings work very well in interiors, they become part of the decor. And I like the cross-border thing. What is the difference between a painting I’ve made and a box? Instead of repainting a room, you can buy a painting. If you can’t afford that, you can buy four boxes.
