WOMEN OF THE WORLD: Anki King

Announcing a new, recurring Her Blueprint feature: Women of the World, where we'll introduce readers to I.M.O.W. community members from around the globe! For our inaugural Women of the World column, we asked Anki King, an artist and illustrator from Norway (whose work has been featured in I.M.O.W.'s "Imagining Ourselves" and "Exhibiting You" exhibition) five questions about being an artist, a woman, and a part of I.M.O.W. Here's what she had to say:

You're a pretty prolific artist. What's been inspiring you lately?
I primarily work from images that appear in my inner mind. Like dreams, they are results of what I see around me, memories, feelings, emotions and thoughts. So I guess everything is part of what inspires me! I also do some space specific work as I often get inspired by a place or a room. When that happens I just see the work right there in the space and then try to find ways of creating it.


What’s the last news story you read that really affected you?
I must admit I do not have TV and I don’t read the papers, but I get news about what happens in the world through friends and the internet. Being an artist, I have to pay keen attention to my inner self and this has made me very sensitive. Also not exposing myself to the visual fragmented chatter on TV I think has made my focus on important issues sharper. I think a lot about the differences in men and women and how we as humans choose to treat each other and why. My work Cradle of War [pictured below] is a reaction on the issues of war and it questions whether this is something inherent in humans or if we are made to believe in war.

Where in the world would you like to travel that you haven’t yet visited?
Oh, there are so many places I would like to go! South America, Eastern Europe, Asia. I would like to go everywhere where people and nature is different from what I am used to so I can gain knowledge of what is out there. By experiencing what I don’t know, I get to know myself better and thereby grow as a person.

Why are you involved in the International Museum of Women?
Since I can’t travel as much as I would like to, I.M.O.W. is a great way of reaching out in the world and learning from other women and men about their lives and issues. Women and men who see them as equals are such a strong force together. Being part of I.M.O.W. makes me know that I am part of something that inspires positive change.

What is one thing you love about being a woman?
Being an emotional being! So often being emotional is looked upon as being weak, but it is quite the opposite. To dare to know and love yourself with all your weaknesses and to feel the pain and joy of others around you takes a huge amount of courage and strength. I also love the sisterhood of my girlfriends and how we support each other.

Thank you, Anki! And stay tuned to meet more Women of the World!