Interview: Anita Steinwidder

My name is Anita Steinwidder, I am a visual artist, and I live and work in Vienna.

My professional path led me to Vienna after studying architecture in Graz, where I took on the role of marketing manager for an architecture software company for three years. In 2003, I became self-employed as a "self-taught fashion designer" with my label STEINWIDDER, dedicating 15 years to the use of existing textile resources, textile waste, zero waste, and sustainable fashion. The "specialty" of my work, then and perhaps still today, lies in my unconventional approach. As a fashion designer, I created all my collections from discarded textiles—more specifically, entire collections made from a single type of clothing, such as socks.

My main focus was on creating relief-like, graphic surfaces and abstracting the original material. I also incorporated wear marks and signs of use as graphic elements. To ensure the commercial viability of the designs, all collections were divided into pattern types, but without using pattern drafts. Instead, they were directly shaped three-dimensionally on the mannequin or freely formed, and then the entire garment was sewn together by a small team in my own mini-manufacture. My engagement with fashion led to participations in exhibitions, trade shows, fashion shows, and projects in Beijing, Shanghai, Havana, Colombo, London, Paris, Berlin, and, of course, in Austria. The conceptual approach to found objects, whether textile or of another kind, and the mindfulness in processing them, is, as I believe, also reflected in my art.

Overall, I believe that my approach and aesthetic run like a red thread through all of my work and are recognizable in each of my artistic pieces. In the visual arts, I can express what I am—societal, social, and politically relevant themes that concern me—more conceptually than I was able to through the medium of "clothing." However, the love for textiles, textile processing techniques, and "working with my hands" has remained.

I can't think of a fitting song title right now, but if the street were my catwalk, the soundtrack would probably be a reggae track. I don't have a personal style icon, but when I was still working in fashion, designers like Rick Owens, Vivienne Westwood, and Martin Margiela had a strong influence on me.

If I were an animal, I’d probably be a lion. It’s my zodiac sign, and I think it suits me. I’m generally calm, but when something annoys me, I "roar" loudly! I’m actually an early riser, and I’ve had the same ritual every morning for the past seven years: I get up and take my dog for a walk for an hour. During that time, I slowly wake up and prepare myself for the day ahead.

I don't perceive my work as work, but rather as an engagement with myself and with topics that interest me. Even though the things I do are often physically demanding and craft-based, I see it as a luxury to be able to make money with what I am and what I give of myself. Actually, there is nothing about it that I don't love.

My favorite pastime is walking through the neighborhood with my dog, discovering something new every day, and finding things I’m not even explicitly looking for. When asked about the future, I could have given an answer three years ago. Today, I would say: The future is unclear.