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“I think I was always an artist,” says Tilde Grynnerup. “I’ve always needed a way to express myself.” The Copenhagen-based artist works across multiple mediums including textile, wood, installation, conceptual, photography, and film, taking the Meret Oppenheim quote “Nobody will give you freedom, you have to take it,” as a personal mantra. Having worked as a songwriter and in the fashion industry, Tilde eventually returned to her family trade—her father was a carpenter—crafting remarkable conceptual pieces from wood and brass in her studio in Denmark. Read her interview with Trobat AND SHOP HER EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION OF PIECES ON TROBAT.CO BELOW.
I work with textile, wood, photography or whatever media expresses my vision the best. I started writing songs when I was very young, so early on I encountered the wonders of artistic expression. Later I was educated in textile, and ultimately switched songwriting with woodworking around 8 years ago.
I think I was always an artist, I’ve always needed a way to express myself. So the journey was more about accepting who I am and becoming that person. It was a lot of experimenting with different expressions and media, as well as a lot of trying to fit in, because I just didn’t know that being an artist was an option. Until it was ultimately the only option.
I was very inspired by Meret Oppenheim, Louise Bourgeois, Yoko Ono and Miranda July in the beginning. They were a fantastic mirror to start off with, as I needed to relate to other female artists to find my own way. It gave me a lot of courage and made me feel artistically free. But now I find inspiration in so many other artists, of all genders.
I have two studios. My workshop in the woods, where my retired carpenter father lives. That is where all my wood working machines are, where I enjoy nature and my fathers company. And then I have my studio in my apartment in the city of copenhagen where I also live with my family, overlooking a park and a castle from 1607. This is where I paint the sculptures and sew and work on other art projects. The countryside/city balance is perfect for me as well as the familiar space, something completely safe and free. I’ve had it for many years.
There are so many interesting people I would love to meet, but I think a dinner with Neil Young would be dreamy. I would serve something veggie and organic and some good wine, and he would play a couple of songs of course.
I used to write songs and kind of miss writing. When recently I came across a book of poetry by Edith Södergran, it touched me deeply, and had such a direct impact on me, that I literally enrolled in a poetry class, just to start writing again.
I’m a Virgo with a Sagittarius rising. I see an astrologer every two years who helps me navigate in life. She was the one who gave me the last push towards daring to commit fully to becoming an artist. Or another way to put it, to be who I’m supposed to be. I think I embody my star sign and ascendant in the complex way that it is, and try to roll with the stars so there is flow in what I do and how I live.
