Artist Interview: Stella Brajterman

Stella Brajterman is a versatile Brazilian artist who combines her background in theatre with film, poetry, and physical expression to create unique works of art.

Her earliest form of artistic expression was writing, and poetry has remained a constant companion on her creative journey. She sees herself as a poet, someone who seeks poetry in life. A transformative moment came when she encountered the work of Pina Bausch, which profoundly changed her perspective. She became immersed in dance, not just captivated by the art form itself, but by Pina’s ability to merge different artistic languages and how her dancers were driven by passion, fear, and desire.

Through her performances, Stella aims to create new spaces of imagination and narratives, drawing on the role of women in communities and her own Gypsy family heritage.

She explores the position of women in the urban jungle, how they can reconstruct the world through the observation of nature and a poetic interaction with it.

Living by the sea, Stella finds a meditative peace in her coastal surroundings. The daily contact with the ocean shapes her work, offering her a sense of freedom, movement, and the unpredictable elements found in the waves.

Her inspiration comes not only from traditional artistic circles but also from individuals who express creativity through other mediums. These include artisans, educators, and cooks—people whose work with the earth or in teaching carries an inherent artistry that deeply inspires her.

She believes that contemporary artists should critically engage with the rapidly changing world and offer unique perspectives and solutions to social and cultural issues.

Nature is a direct and fundamental source of inspiration for Stella’s work. It provides her not only with the physical materials necessary for life—trees, water, land—but also with the spiritual elements crucial for creativity. Listening to nature and engaging in dialogue with it lies at the heart of her artistic expression.

She dreams of a future where ecological farming becomes a central activity in society, where humans coexist harmoniously with the environment, no longer viewing nature merely as a resource but as an integral part of their being.

She hopes to see Indigenous lands respected and protected, believing this is the key starting point for the earth’s regeneration.

Stella has worked with renowned directors such as Eugenio Barba, Bia Lessa, and Daniel Herz, and with groups like Nós do Morro and Núcleo de Artes Integradas (NAI).

Her most recent work, Ava, a video art and short film, was showcased at the BORDERS festival in Venice, and at the Glass Meet the Future festivals in New York and Japan.