“Your skin is the way you present to the world.”
Lisa Roet | Artist
Internationally acclaimed “outsider artist”, Lisa Roet is phenomenal. With shows around the globe — from Berlin to the US, to Asia and throughout Australia, and having seen her work, and deep passion behind it, it’s no surprise she’s won numerous art awards, worked with Jane Goodall and been featured in the Artscape ABC documentary, Ape Lady.
But her incredible skill set isn’t even her biggest drawcard! The person she is, her views, perspectives, and stories, are really the backbone and essence of who she is and what she does.
There is something powerful and primal about her artwork, a humanity, link to skin, race, identity, and connectivity — all topics we discuss today!
Some of what to expect…
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How art can be a means to self-reflect
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Some lesser-known stories behind Lisa’s art pieces
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The connection between our identity, skin colour, skin conditions, and ageing
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Lisa’s personal story of Rosacea, occasional flare-ups and feelings about it
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Questioning “what is beauty?” and our conditioning towards it.
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Her beautiful “skin-on-skin” jewellery pieces
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The conflicting nature of what it means to respect our age and embrace it
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How her Rosacea resolved
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And more!
*FYI: These interviews are conducted in the area of our photoshoot, for the photos taken in this post. Today, we were at District Docklands, where Lisa’s — art prints — vinyl wrappers are on the newest O Initiative Art Sculptures. As a result, there is background noise, but hopefully, it feels like you’re sitting right alongside us, enjoy!
[ON MOBILE: CHOOSE TO LISTEN IN BROWSER]
LISA ROET JEWELLERY
[Jewellery photos by Twyla Sturzaker]
“I see monkeys and apes as a way to be objective about ourselves. And maybe look through them, and self-reflect.”
“This jewellery is an interesting way to discuss it [age]…but I don’t want to be a hypocrite. I don’t want to pretend that I think it’s great to age…that I don’t feel conflicted by it and want perfect skin. But it’s good to bring awareness to it and discuss it.”
“While I work with traditional methods, I really embrace modern technology where I can… I love to combine the two to create a contemporary vision that’s still reflective of classical values.”
Rorschach: Bat, or a Butterfly?
“if you’re wearing a bit of that skin print on you, you’re connecting with our closest animal relative.”
SET Qs Summary
What are 1-3 books that have greatly influenced your life?
The Shadow of Man — by Jane Goodall
Frans De Waal, a Primatologist who’s scientific, yet “popularist” enough that it [his writing] is easy to get into — Empathy and The Ape and Power and Politics are incredible– he uses all his research into apes to compare to human behaviour. Really powerful!
Werner Herzog documentaries about Man’s relationship with nature — Even Dwarfs Started Small and more recently, White Diamond. Though not for the faint-hearted!
High Rise and The Drowned World by JG Ballard — both “instinctual and amazing”
How has a big mistake, or an apparent mistake set you up for later success?
I don’t see things as mistakes. I operate very instinctually, and everytime a mistake happens it tends to lead to something that wasn’t a mistake. Something always leads to something else. It’s journies really.
What’s a crazy-but-true fact about you?
Which one? 😉
I’m a storyteller… I have a lot of crazy stories, some people find them hard to believe.
“The less you’ve done in life, the less you can conceive. [To believe what’s possible]… you need to throw yourself into the thick of it. It’s amazing what happens when you do, the experiences you can have are unreal.”
What is a bad recommendation you often hear in the health arena, especially pertaining to your skin condition?
I kept wanting to go down a holistic level, and doctors weren’t supportive. I took all the antibiotics, which is SO BAD for you! My skin only resolved itself when I took out wheat. I did a full detox — took out dairy, did a heavy metal detox — started to reintroduce foods and that completely cleared up my skin.
And I’m really disappointed that doctors don’t encourage people to try these things before giving antibiotics. Because long-term antibiotic use has really messed up my guts and caused other issues.
If there was one piece of advice you could give women who may be struggling to love the skin they’re in, what would it be?
Do the best you can. Try to find out what works from a holistic level, so you feel in control and you’re doing the best you can do, and accept that. And just remember that skin is just one of billions of issues people are dealing with every day.
How can people find you?
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Artworks:
- Vinyl Rapper Fountain Art Sculptures
- Jewellery
- Art Shown at Pieces of Eight gallery in Melbourne
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Please thank Lisa for coming on the blog for a Ra Chat by letting us know in the comments below — what did you find interesting? And what was your favorite part of the Chat?
xx Jess