Eyes everywhere, portraits everywhere. There are pictures hanging everywhere in Franziska Popp’s, 20-year-old child’s room and temporary studio. “People fascinate me. Through my art I can show what I find inspiring about them,” she says. It is usually her friends that she portrays digitally, sometimes with pen and paper, to show her appreciation.
“I think I look at people without judging too much. There’s hardly anything I find ugly about others,” says Franziska. Being able to show others the world through their eyes, to be able to share what she finds exciting about something, gives Franziska strength. “I want to show people what’s exciting about alternative lifestyles.”
Franziska doesn’t want to commit to one discipline, even if her main focus is on people and fashion. This is also reflected in her work: she transforms photographs into digital paintings, which she then prints on a shirt. But there are also pencil drawings of faces with impressive eyes on the table in front of her.
“I don’t have the feeling that I have a certain style – it’s more important to me at the moment to always try something new,” says Franziska. When she came across digital art via social media, she was hooked. “You don’t have to commit to a line, or even a color. You can create all sorts of different versions of the picture without having to completely repaint it.”
For Franziska, fashion is a kind of mobile work of art – and also a form of expression of protest. One of the first things we notice about each other is that it’s a way to break out of the norm and reclaim individuality. That’s another reason why Franziska designs clothes. “It’s a way of prioritizing individuality again,” she says.
“It’s nice for me when I manage to portray a person I know and they end up with a photo or picture in which they like themselves,” says Franziska. Often you don’t know how others see you. With her portraits, she wants to show: “Look, you look impressive in this work of art – and that’s how I perceive you.”