The eclectic Danish artist and designer “Meannorth” transports her signature style on T-shirts made by advanced minority and had an impressive exhibition in art space Vienna.
Naja Conrad, aka “Meannorth”, has a gift: dry humor, depth beneath the cool exterior, and yes, talent. Her unconventional alias, undoubtedly an eye catcher, stimulates one’s imagination: Is “Meannorth” a badass chick from Northern Europe? Does she mean North? Is it a statement or a question? She won’t tell. Conrad likes to challenge herself as well as her audience. In her work, she strives to fabricate a fictive universe around her subjects, always eager to bare their very soul. “I usually make up a short story or sentence of what my characters could say or think”, she says. She creates a distinct personality for each one of them. Whether it is editorial work or art pieces for exhibitions, she tries to get to the core of it.
In one of her illustrations, Conrad depicts an attractive, fashionable girl with an elongated body, nice features and funky styling. A strange, little monkey rests on her back and its speech bubble allows further introspection: ‘I see something that you don’t see’. It becomes clear that there is more to a girl than perfect looks and a sexy appearance. Sadly, this is too often forgotten in our glossy world. “Women have so many facets: beauty, intelligence, determination, as well as strengths”, says Conrad, which is probably why she has chosen them to be her favorite subjects.
She draws her inspiration from hard-core music, fashion and by keeping in touch with the world around her. “I lived in Berlin for a while. “In those days, I was part of the hard-core music scene and experimented with drugs,” she recalls. These ‘wild’ times might be over, but her passion for music has stayed. “It’s excellent energy for work”, she says and, “helps me indulge in my obsession with spaces between lines and curves”.
Her collections of spunky illustrations and vibrant black & white penciling are displayed on various materials such as canvas, textile and paper – utensils, which have surrounded her since early childhood.
My mother is an artist and I grew up with the smell of turpentine and paint. I have always been creative, but when my daughter Jazz was born, I finally decided to get some formal education.
Despite Conrad’s aversion to schooling, she successfully obtained various degrees from “Copenhagen Art School” and “Denmark Design School”. “It’s just easier to get jobs with a piece of paper in your hands”, she admits. Since the start of Conrad’s professional career, she has splashed her signature style all over the place. “It’s great to do a mix of different things. At least, it never gets boring”, she says with a sparkle in her eyes.
The list of job references is rather long: Conrad has worked on numerous projects, ranging from the clothing line “Max Mara” to the solid perfume “Filth”, as well as an award winning children’s book. Her graphics, illustrations and paintings have been shown at exhibitions in China as well as the U.S., and she has successfully up-graded many fashion and lifestyle magazines with her unique technique. However, there is still more to come. She has a lot to give. “We really appreciate her stuff. It’s remarkably good”, Gabor Merö, co-founder of “advanced minority” says.
