Today we’d like to introduce you to Milena Mortati.
Milena, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Growing up in Switzerland were at the time completing business school was my only option, I fled after graduation due to the desperate need to creatively express myself. This led me onto a quest of self-discovery that ultimately brought me to Los Angeles via three continents. In 2003, I completed a performing Art school in East LA and have been on a journey of finding and refining my voice as a creative. I have since broaden my scope to visual art. Photography, painting, multimedia art and sculpting all of which I find myself dabbling in are bringing me a lot of joy and a great sense of fulfillment. I got certified in Reiki healing which I use in all my art making. My core belief is that which Buddhism teaches… “The purpose of life is absolute happiness”. And I find happiness in freedom of expression, true elation in diversity and the color red. My heart’s desire is to use art to heal, to liberate frozen dreams, to evoke courage and to reinvigorate the spirit with hope.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I think beyond the obvious reasons you tell yourself such as of lack of support, resources, financial freedom, etc… I found my challenge to be boiling down to this quote by Nelson Mandela:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are weak. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world… As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
I am realizing the battle with myself to overcome the limitations I have ingrained in my DNA is the real obstacle.
Please tell us about Rays Of Art.
Although I give myself the freedom of expressing creativity in different forms, my favorite art experiment is that of:
1. Making a sculpture.
2. Giving that sculpture to a diverse group of people and taking pictures of them holding or wearing it.
3. Printing the photograph on a canvas.
4. And painting over the sculpture to accentuate it.
My first art series of this kind was titled “Viva Voce” where I made an oversize Sugar Skull and had different people wearing it naked. That series made it into ten different intentional art shows including Art Basel Miami which was super fun.
I called the second art series “Heartitude” and centered it around the sculpture of a Sacred Heart which eventually turned into an art installation titled “Treasures Of The Heart”. I was able to presented this very art series in my hometown Zurich which felt like such a turning point. I left Switzerland to find and develop my passion and I returned to my city to joyously present my “heart” filled with so much gratitude!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I am upgrading daily… I couldn’t be more eager to grow and learn more and more until the end… ask me then what I’ve learned!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.milenamortati.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @minasabina
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/milenamortati
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/milenamortati
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
