I am delighted to introduce you to the amazing Miranda Makaroff.
Miranda Makaroff is a multidisciplinary artist based in Ibiza, who navigates between art and fashion. She paints, designs, acts, and sculpts. Overall, she celebrates women and brings their pleasures and desires to life in vivid colors. Makaroff runs away from traditional conventions and establishments to explore a visual universe without restrictions, repressions, or censorship. Her well-traveled, diverse universe has been showcased during the Miami Art Basel and in galleries in Madrid and Ibiza.
Text courtesy of Mambo Creatives.
Miranda, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me. Please introduce yourself to our readers.
Miranda: Hello, my name is Miranda Makaroff, and I am a multidisciplinary artist who navigates between art and fashion. I live in Ibiza with my boyfriend in a little house in the forest surrounded by nature. I love colors and use them as therapy for my happiness.
What is a regular day like for you, and do you have a favorite time to create?
Miranda: For me, every day has to be different; I am a completely anti-routine person. Sometimes, I felt bad for not following the routine that almost everyone on the planet follows, until I heard an audio from Joe Dispenza saying that routine makes humans sick, and I thought, wow, I’m doing fine then, haha. He said that you have to bring surprises, novelties, and new adventures to your day so that freshness flows. I find it very creative to do different things every day. One day, ceramics; the next, painting; another day, taking photos for something related to fashion; another day, playing with cats and looking at the horizon.
Can you describe your artistic journey and when you decided to become an artist
Miranda: When I was little, I was surrounded by an immense amount of art; my father was a rock singer, and my mother was a fashion designer. They used to have gatherings with all their friends, and while they talked and discussed various topics, I listened and observed. I remember some girls with super modern and original looks, with piercings when piercings weren’t in fashion and wild haircuts. My mother had the house filled with books of all kinds, from architecture, fashion, antique jewelry, classic designers to Japanese street style. I remember looking at them over and over again and being amazed. She also started asking me to draw designs for her, like sandals, and then I saw that she would bring them to life. The fact that something my imagination had created could then transform into something physical gave me a sense of pleasure and happiness. I believe that was the beginning of my journey as an artist.
Your work is renowned for celebrating women, their desires, and pleasures. Let’s dig deeper into the themes and inspirations behind your practice and what your creative process looks like. Where do you begin with a new piece?
Miranda: I enjoy celebrating women, firstly because I am a woman myself and secondly because I believe that the female body embodies the culmination of beauty. Its rounded and organic forms connect me with the shapes found in nature, such as mountains or sea waves. Similar to how Gaudí created all his works based on forms found in nature, I feel that women recreate that entire imagery. Humans find the meaning of their existence in pleasure. Pleasure can be found in simple things like a moment of silence, observing a detail overlooked by others, or more extravagant things like sexual acts, a meal, or a dance. I consider myself somewhat hedonistic, and that’s why I like to combine these two concepts—women and pleasure—in the same piece. Sometimes, I start with a mental idea, a sketch on paper or on the iPad, and then transfer it to the canvas. The painting itself surprises me, revealing new shapes and forms as I create it.
You have described art as therapeutic. Could you expand on this?
Miranda: When I paint, I enter into a kind of meditative moment where, in silence with myself, many things begin to happen within me. One of them is that, by using colors and combining them, I experience a sort of pleasure that runs through my entire body and culminates in an excitement of sexual pleasure. As Louise Bourgeois once said, “Art is a guarantee of sanity.”
You are creatively engaged in art and fashion design. How do you see these two worlds complementing each other?
Miranda: I have grown up surrounded by art, music, fashion, cinema, and theater, and it seems to me that all aspects of art complement each other and help each other shine. When you have a creative mind, you want to use it for everything, from cooking to decorating, etc. For me, just like in a painting, a body is like a canvas where you choose colors, shapes, textures, hairstyles, make-up, and create harmony, beauty, madness, and whatever you feel like. It’s fun, it’s a game, and playing is always good.
I love your tapestries- the vibrant colors, designs, and patterns- they’re magnificent! What drew you to tapestries, and are there other aspects of interior design that intrigue you and that you are interested in exploring?
Miranda: Giving a different dimension to a painting with a textile texture seems super interesting to me, and since I made the first tapestry and saw that people liked it so much, I decided to keep exploring. I’m passionate about interior design, and I have a goal of bringing color and joy back to this overly neutral trend in decoration that saddens me so much. All-white or beige houses and everything so somber, I want to paint the walls, decorate the floors with dreamy carpets, and place furniture that is almost like pieces of art.
Do you follow and feel inspired by any particular art trends or movements?
Miranda: The truth is, many times I have tried to follow trends in painting, but things turn out better for me when I stay true to myself. I have more love for the past and the era of Picasso, Miró, Jean Arp, Matisse, and all these geniuses.
How do you hope your audience interacts with your work, and do you have any memorable reactions to it?
Miranda: What makes me resonate the most is when people who stop me on the street or write to me say that my art alters their state of consciousness, fills them with happiness, and inspires them to pursue a creative path in life. It’s those words that give meaning to my existence.
Your work is appreciated worldwide, and you have participated in several high-profile exhibitions and installations. How does this global recognition affect your perspective on creating new artwork?
Miranda: Seeing that there is an increasing demand for my artistic skills for art installations, exhibitions, and related projects gives me an energetic boost to continue doing what I love. It is very rewarding to be able to make a living from your passion; I am grateful, and each time it will grow even more. I tell myself powerful mantras to make it so.
What does being authentic in art mean to you?
Miranda: For me, it’s about connecting with your true self, which is not always easy given the distractions of this material world. Living in a world of matter and entertainment can disconnect you from your pure essence. So, the key is to reconnect, listen to yourself, feel yourself, and know what things make you feel like your true self. It’s a whole process, but when you’re on the right path, you feel it; you are aligned with your higher self.
You come from a rich artistic family background, with both your parents being creative: your mother, Lydia Delgado, is a designer, and your father, Sergio Makaroff, is a musician. What is the best advice you received from them regarding your art career?
Miranda: My mother always told me: when you have doubts or when you want to know the answer to something, follow your intuition, even if you don’t pay attention to what I say. Look inside yourself, and you will find all the answers. My father was the first person who taught me to use my imagination. We would go for walks in the forest, and he would tell me tales of gnomes and fairies, and I would see them with my own eyes. That was so powerful that it gave me the strength to later understand that imagination can transition from ethereal to physical if you believe in it with great force. Just like in the Peter Pan movie. If you believe it, it happens.
What are you reading at the moment?
Miranda: I only read books related to self-awareness and everything surrounding the human being and how to become a better person. It’s been years since I read novels or anything similar. I am solely interested in self-knowledge. However, when I paint, I listen to audiobooks because, since I’m using my hands, I couldn’t hold a book at the same time, and that’s why it works great for me to have it playing to be heard. I love love love Louise Hay, Joe Dispenza, Neville Goddard, Eckhart Tolle, Brian Weiss, etc.
What’s next for Miranda Makaroff, and what direction do you see your art taking in the coming years?
Miranda: Continuing to do what I love, which is art, fashion, decoration, creative direction (we haven’t talked about this, but I also love taking photos and directing the acting, as well as working on composition and colors). I would like to do it all and make each day a different adventure. And since you ask, my dream is to design an entire hotel, decide every detail, and make it an incredible place full of color and joy but with elegance and good taste. I also have another dream, which is to be allowed to redesign a small village and fill it with beauty. I have a thousand dreams, and I’m going to fulfill them all. I am happy!
Finally, what are you welcoming in 2024, and what are you releasing yourself from?
Miranda: In 2024, my goal is to take control of my mind and become the boss instead of letting it dominate and dictate to me. The ego or whoever is there whispering negative messages will not win. I win, and my pure state prevails. Leaving behind some of 2023 would be my fears, insecurities, and obstacles to achieving my goals. My goals are not just professional; the professional ones are secondary. My goals are to become a better version of myself, to be capable of change, of transforming into who I want to be, and to be proud of every decision I make.