artist interviews
katt osborne
executive director of the blue room theatre, thirty five, she/her
what is your art form?
theatre/performance.
what do you do and why do you do it?
i direct and co-create live performance works spanning from text-based theatre, contemporary performance, musicals, opera, site-specific and interactive works. i'm not sure why i do it a lot of the time. i personally get a lot out of collaborating with a team of people to create something together. i like to connect with those i'm working with and then try and make something that will connect with people who watch or engage with it. i think that live performance in particular is exciting, hard and has the potential to inspire, move, reflect and challenge. there is something about the presence of people and sharing space and moments together that is magical.
who/what has inspired you in your artistic practice and why?
these days, its my collaborators that inspire me the most. i love the process of making something new, so i have been inspired by a lot of devising collectives over time.
what do you think your role is as an artist? has anything stopped you from fulfilling this role?
to put a strong idea, question or opinion out there through performance for an audience to respond to. there are times in my life where a lack of confidence and over-thinking has gotten in the way of this. i am someone who is intuitive in my practice and learning to embrace the way i individually need to work and make art has been a journey.
what have been the biggest challenges in your artistic journey?
see above!
do you believe that good art comes from turmoil and suffering, or is that a romantic notion?
no. in fact, when you're not suffering is when you CAN actually make art. if you're worried about survival you won't have time to focus on art-making. i think that intellectual and creative discomfort and working just beyond your current skill-set is a good thing and keeps pushing your work forward. but suffering, no.
how do you feel your age impacts your experience as an artist?
like most things, it gives you perspective and more context in which to understand your practice, work and artistic journey within. i have learnt that it's ok to go with the flow, that the dreams you have or the work you want to make a certain age are allowed to change and its best to embrace that change and do what feels right.
what about your gender/race/sexuality/disability etc.?
white australian - anglo/european descent.
when it comes to art, what would you tell your younger self?
it's not all about you. you work and the way you go about it exists in a bigger artistic community and ecosystem. try to be a part of it more.