What is the best thing that I love about my work?

That I can express myself and do what I love most. That I have the freedom to follow my passion. The medium I work with never tires and I continue to be amazed at what is possible. Light is magic.

What is my idea of perfect happiness?

I can be at bliss when I’m working but being with my family tops it for now. My son has this age where the whole world is one big wonder. I enjoy watching him and being with him. He is my biggest light.

Lightspace 20 years Tamar Frank from Tamar Frank on Vimeo.

What is my greatest fear?

Losing those I love most. The thought is unbearable.

What is the trait that I most deplore in myself?

I find it hard to let go of things. If something bugs me, it keeps me up at night and I chew on it.

Which living persons in my profession do i most admire?

James Turrell is an icon in the field of light art. When I discovered his work, it was a feast of recognition, but it also humbled me. His light installations take over the space and you feel like you can dissolve in them. I have observed Skyspace after sundown and it is an hour of pure visual meditation.

What is my greatest extravagance?

Travelling for work. I love travelling and exchanging experiences with people. However, these days I am made more aware of the impact of travel on the environment.

On what occasion would I lie?

I am telling my son the biggest lie about Sinterklaas. This is what we celebrate in The Netherlands more than Christmas. We all make him believe that he exists.

What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work?

I dislike the obligatory business side of my work. I am a one-person company and need to do everything myself. If I could afford to hire someone to help me out I would but an artist doesn’t have that luxury.

When and where was I the happiest, in my work?

I am happiest when I am in the creating process and all the pieces fall together. It is that moment of discovery when you manage to surprise yourself. That eureka moment.

If I could, what would I change about myself?

I could be more assertive and loosen up a bit.

What is my greatest achievement in work?

What I am most proud of is that I managed to self-publish a book for my 20th work anniversary. The book Lightspace 20 years Tamar Frank a retrospective of all my work from 1997 till 2017 was released this year. In making this book I learnt so much. From printing, to binding, to paper and from the skilled people who contributed and collaborated with me. At the same time, it gave me new insight in my own work. I also was intent on including an artwork in the book which can be found in the center spread in the form of a phosphorescent silkscreen print. It is the most intense project I have worked on.

Where would I most like to live?

I grew up on a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea. I do miss the warmth, the sea and the nature. Practically though it is better to live here. I am happy anywhere close to nature.

What is my most treasured possession?

A clear mountain crystal that used to belong to my mother. She kept it for its healing powers, but it is also beautiful to look at and see the light reflections inside when you rotate it.

What is my most marked characteristic?

My perseverance is what keeps me going. When I have my mind set on something, I pursue it. Even with setbacks I will not give up.

What is my most inspirational location, in my city?

I live in a small town just outside of Amsterdam called Hilversum. It is not really thriving like the city, but you can find nature and a lot of interesting architecture. Landgoed Zonnestraal is a very inspirational place. It is a former tbc clinic built by Jan Duiker located in beautiful green surroundings.

What is my favourite place to eat and drink, in my city?

I recently discovered two great places café Meddens is a grand café in a beautifully renovated art deco building. Parc, located at the old harbor, is a restaurant in a former salt storage bunker built by Willem Dudok whose architecture marks this town.

What books influenced my life and how?

As a child I was most captivated by Alice in Wonderland and the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Stepping into another world through a rabbit hole or a wardrobe appealed to my imagination. As a student I was most influenced by the doors of perception by Aldous Huxley. Continuing the search of opening door to altered realities. A contrast in my search for other world was the search for understanding the reality of life. The diary of Anne Frank moved me because it gave a true sense of the human perspective in the darkest times.

Who are my favourite writers?

I have a great list of favourites but for now I’ll name Aldous Huxley, Haruki Murakami. I am drawn to the surrealism versus reality in writing.

You Only Die Once. What music would I listen on my last day?

My grandfather Herman Nieland wrote a piano piece when I was born: Berceuse de Tamar in the style of Debussy. I would listen to that over and over.

Who is my hero or heroine in fiction?

My childhood hero is Alice from Alice in Wonderland. She embraces adventure and faces the strangeness of altered realities with an open mind and without judgement.

Who are my heroes and heroines in real life?

Many of my real-life heroes and heroines are no longer in this world: my mother, my mentor JCJ Vanderheyden and recently another heroine passed. Mique van Eggermont was an art historian who did so many great things for the art community from founding the art initiative Hedah to building a school and art residency project in Africa. She helped me in many ways firstly by scouting me at artschool and recently she contributed in my book with a beautifully written piece ‘Light and magic.’

Which movie would i recommend to see once in a lifetime

Paris, Texas

What role plays art in my life and work?

Art is my life

Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime?

My husband who has supported me over 20 years and more

Whom would I like to work with in 2019/2020?

I am open to working together with anyone

Which people in my profession would i love to meet in 2019/2020?

I would love to meet the new curator of the Pont Museum in Tilburg: Martijn van Nieuwenhuyzen. My work belongs there.

What project, in 2019/2020, am I looking forward to work on?

I am looking forward to working in my studio with new experiments. Looking back through the retrospective of my work has made me aware of how important and fruitful it is to continue with small scale tryouts. I will retreat but at the same time open my studio for the public because I want to connect and interact with the audience and exchange ideas with colleagues in art but also with other professionals.

Where can you see me or my work in 2019/2020

You can find me in my studio in Hilversum, in Vancouver in the summer of 2020, hopefully you will see my work at Glow 2020 and/or Amsterdam Light Festival 2020

What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me?

I will be following my passion for the rest of my life

Which creative heroines should Peter invite to tell their story?

Hadassah Emmerich, Irina Birger, Lucia Luptáková, Nicky Assmann, Esther J Ending, Su Tomesen

How can you contact me?

www.lightspace.org

www.facebook.com/lightspace74/

tamarfrank@lightspace.org

Here follows a message of Peter de Kuster, founder of The Heroine’s Journey