ESCP Europe Alumni Magazine - n°151 - Novembre/Décembre 2013 - 25

FoCus

By Nadège DRUZKOWSKI (03)

A fascinating
appeal
The creative process is something we cannot satisfactorily explain
and often its beauty lies in this sense of mystery. Insight into
Nadège DRUZKOWSKI's business, a passionate artist.
Art, whether it is music, literature, or the visual arts,
has the ability to transport us out of time and lets
us forget for a period the daily grind. That's what
Marcel Proust means when he says that art has
the ability to transcend life: for a few moments we
can grasp the essence of things. Art is not a given though. Talent has to be nurtured and will only
truly blossom after a proper apprenticeship. Pablo
Picasso said: Art is like Chinese, you have to learn
it. Learning how to draw or paint requires a special effort of seeing, going deeper into perception,
which can only truly result from many years of immersion. It is my belief that it is imperative to teach
art to kids ; some of whom will become tomorrow's
artists while others will be the visitors to the museums and galleries and ultimately even the buyers
of art. It is important to develop their sensibility to
art and to help shape a critical eye. In times of crisis, the art sector often suffers most as budgets
are reallocated to cover basic needs. However, art
is an essential part of what makes us human. We
documented the first indications of human society
through the remnants of their culture, and thus it is
inherently rooted in us. Art can also bring hope and
pull people together in times of hardship.
Art is born out of a personal quest for the artist. But
sometimes the artist's conception may echo humanity's concerns or aspirations. We have all been
transcended at some point in our lives by a book,
a song, or a painting. It is a truly wondrous thing
when an artist manages to capture a mood or sensation and convey its intensity to the wider world.
Art compels periods of time when you withdraw
from the world in order to create and yet conversely it also feeds off the daily life experiences, the
people you meet and the stories you hear.
That's why I believe that working with communities and bringing art to an audience that would
not necessarily visit art galleries or museums is
invaluable. I am currently putting together a new

collection of work for a show at « La Maison des
Jeunes et de la Culture » in Lyon. André Malraux
created these spaces after the Second World
War to help bring art and culture to a much wider audience. I have also been working closely
for the last couple of years with l'Atelier K which
is a residency in the Chartreuse Mountains that
welcomes international artists who work with kids
whose access to art is limited.
The art world is very competitive and it is very
hard to succeed without your peers' support. It is
crucial to work closely with fellow artists, to share
feedback and where possible to jointly curate
shows. Last year, when I completed my Masters
in Fine Art at the Glasgow School of Art, we managed to tour our graduate show to both London
and Helsinki thanks to the funds raised through
the sale of a portfolio of prints created specifically
for this purpose. This was achieved through some
very tight teamwork and the creative energy born
out of this process was extraordinary. Our core
group remains very close and we continue to
make regular visits to each other's studios. We
are working together on a show for the Glasgow
International next year, a two-week long festival
dedicated to the visual arts.
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ESCP Europe Magazine N° 151 - Novembre/Décembre 2013 -

ESCP Europe Alumni Magazine - n°151 - Novembre/Décembre 2013

Table des matières de la publication ESCP Europe Alumni Magazine - n°151 - Novembre/Décembre 2013