We met La Fille Bertha, from the Earth of Giants worldwide.
La Fille Bertha, you see her work once and it’s hard you forget about it. Whether it be a print, a wall, a t-shirt. Her characters stand strong, and we fell in love with these a few years ago, after an evening together in Milan. She and her illustrated dolls come from Sardinia, more precisely from Cagliari, but they have left traces in every city they came to. We would like to welcome La Fille Bertha to the Design Stories, the virtual space where we display the work of our favorite artists. A little advice: do not leave these pages until you see the ? that awaits you at the end. Bye-bye!
La Fille Bertha: your work is well known in Italy. But for those who don’t know you, who you are and what you do?
I am Alessandra, but I’m feeling pretty comfortable as “La Fille Bertha”. This has been my moniker since the first time I ever produced a work on a wall, in 2008, and still is. The name is deeply linked to my inner thoughts, it evokes the essence of my research. Ever since I was a child I felt the need of writing and drawing, no matter where I was. This need never left me, so I fed it, I made it grow. Starting with walls, in 2008, was just an epiphany to me. It was like making my ideas of ink and paper “real”.
And how would you describe your art?
My works are always emotional and driven by instincts. Human and emotional-based figures meet spatial and natural elements, and together they travel through the vastity of the universe. Color shades are also key aspects of my work, they serve both as balance and rupture.
Speaking of habits. What are yours? How your average day looks like?
My day always starts with a cup of American coffee. And it always deals with the kind of work I have to do, or with the people I have to meet. They may be friends, customers or colleagues. Sometimes you can find me in my studio, sometimes in the outdoors painting walls, or indoors, always doing walls or other big surfaces.
I am always drawing, even when I travel. It may be on a plane or a train, I have a pen in my hand. I love non-conventional places, where the most unexpected things can happen. When I have time I walk, visit exhibitions, live gig, I just simply break my habits.
We are curious, what does your workspace look like? and what are your favorite techniques?
My “standard” studio place is set up on two different floors, which I share with Alessio Errante, tattoo artist, illustrator, and boyfriend. I use mainly the first floor, where you can find a big crystal and marble table. This is the center of my world, my very personal spot. I may be drawing, working on a computer, this table is always crucial for my work. You can also find a small terrace, where both me and Alessio can work with acrylics and spray paints. I love to use different techniques and tools. From digital to acrylics, tints, sprays. The choice always depend on the kind of work and media I have to deal with. But everything is somehow connected, all the tools I use are different nuances of the same lingo. They are just meant to express my imagery and represent my worlds to the fullest.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Inspiration is like a full river to me. I am fascinated and attracted by many different things. From literature to cinema, photography to fashion, design to music, nature, silence. My background has certainly influenced my own research and production. The impact of my personal experiences is undeniable, even beyond the “passions” mentioned above. For sure, I have been influenced a lot by my grandmother’s work. She produced and meticulously crafted tapestries and dolls. Everything was designed and made by her. My grandfather instead was a poet. Somehow, all this has had an impact on me, even though I did not realize immediately, it had for sure.
And here is our favorite time, the last big question: what did you prepare for Wood’d?
One of the creatures from my vast archive “From Another Planet” meets the Wood’d world, interacting with this in the most authentic way. I confess, having long and passionately followed your project from the dawn, I can not wait to see the result final!
La Fille Bertha is a girl of many talents, and look at the bomb she has designed for us!
