Creativity, Consciousness, and Staying True to Your Voice: A Conversation with Louise Deninger

The interdisciplinary artist discusses spirituality, research-based practice, global experiences, and why authenticity is the key to a lasting creative career.
Some artists create objects.

Others create experiences, conversations, and new ways of seeing the world.

During my visit to Mana Contemporary for the ASCAF Residency, I had the opportunity to sit down with artist Louise Deninger, whose multidisciplinary practice spans painting, sculpture, collage, performance, film, and conceptual art. Originally from Uganda, raised in Kenya and the United Kingdom, and now living between Vienna and Northern Uganda, Louise brings a truly global perspective to her work.

What emerged from our conversation was not only an artist deeply committed to her practice, but someone whose work is rooted in curiosity, discipline, spirituality, and a desire to better understand the human experience.

An Interdisciplinary Practice

Louise describes herself as a multidisciplinary artist, moving fluidly between mediums depending on the needs of a particular project.

Her work explores a wide range of themes including consciousness, identity, gender, feminism, spirituality, metaphysics, self-development, leadership, and human relationships. Rather than limiting herself to a single medium, she embraces whatever form best serves the concept she is investigating.

As a conceptual artist, ideas are always at the center of the work.

Research, lived experience, and personal reflection become the foundation upon which each project is built.

Discipline Creates Freedom

One of the most striking aspects of Louise’s practice is her commitment to discipline.

While completing her MFA at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, she developed a studio routine that she still follows today. When she arrives at her studio, she immediately changes into her studio clothes and begins working.

There is no waiting for inspiration.

There is no prolonged warm-up.

The work begins the moment she enters the space.

Most days follow a structured schedule, with studio hours extending from morning into the early evening. This consistency has allowed her to maintain a productive creative practice while balancing exhibitions, collaborations, travel, and research.

Living in a State of Inspiration

For many artists, inspiration comes and goes.

For Louise, inspiration is a constant presence.

Because her work is both research-based and experiential, she views everyday life as an endless source of material. A train ride, a conversation, an article, a book, a spiritual practice, or an unexpected encounter can all become the beginning of a new project.

As she explained, her internal archive is always expanding.

Ideas are constantly being collected, processed, and transformed into future work.

This approach means that creative blocks rarely become an obstacle. There is always another question to investigate, another concept to explore, or another project already in progress.

The Role of Meditation

A major source of Louise’s creative clarity comes from a practice she has maintained for more than twenty-five years.

Every morning begins with prayer, meditation, concentration, and reflection.

These practices help her clear mental distractions, reconnect with herself, and enter the day with focus and intention.

Listening to her describe this routine made it easy to understand the calm and grounded energy she brings into every conversation.

For Louise, spirituality is not separate from creativity.

It is an essential part of it.

The Power of Community

Although Louise spends significant time in the studio, she thrives in collaborative environments.

After completing her MFA, she became involved with a museum and studio project in Vienna that allowed artists to work alongside one another, exchange ideas, and support each other’s practices.

That collaborative spirit continued during the ASCAF Residency at Mana Contemporary.

Throughout the residency, artists shared feedback, discussed projects, and learned from one another’s experiences. Louise spoke warmly about the value of being surrounded by creative peers and how those relationships often become an important part of the artistic process.

Rather than seeing other artists as competitors, she sees them as collaborators, teachers, and fellow travelers.

A Life Shaped by Many Cultures

Born in Uganda, raised in Kenya and the United Kingdom, living in Austria, and regularly spending time in Northern Uganda, Louise has experienced the world through multiple cultural lenses.

These experiences naturally find their way into her work.

Travel, migration, identity, language, and cultural exchange all contribute to the way she understands both herself and her audience.

Because her work draws from such a broad range of experiences, viewers from many different backgrounds often find points of connection within it.

Her global perspective allows her work to speak across borders while remaining deeply personal.

Honoring Ancestors and Community

One of the projects Louise discussed during our conversation explored the theme of ancestry and collective memory.

The series, titled Journey Home Through the Spirit of the Ancestors, invited contributions from women of color, Indigenous women, and members of her broader creative community.

The work became a platform for honoring those who have shaped and supported her journey.

Through collaboration and storytelling, the project expanded beyond individual authorship and became a celebration of collective experience.

It also reflects one of the defining characteristics of Louise’s practice: the desire to create spaces where multiple voices can be seen, heard, and valued.

Advice for Emerging Artists

Toward the end of our conversation, I asked Louise a question frequently submitted by young artists who listen to the podcast.

What advice would she give someone who knows they want to be an artist but is struggling to pursue that path?

Her answer was both practical and inspiring.

Remain authentic.

Do not chase trends.

Stay true to your voice and continue creating the work that feels meaningful to you.

Louise emphasized that success rarely happens overnight. Artistic careers require patience, discipline, consistency, and belief in one’s own value. There may be periods when artists need to support themselves through other work, but that does not mean abandoning their creative vision.

If you continue showing up, continue improving, and continue creating, opportunities eventually arrive.

The key is not giving up before they do.

Looking Ahead

Following the residency, Louise plans to return to Vienna before traveling to Africa and preparing for several upcoming exhibitions.

New collaborations are already underway, including projects with fellow artists she met during her time at Mana Contemporary.

Given the pace of her practice and the breadth of her interests, it seems certain that the next chapter will be just as ambitious as the last.

Final Thoughts

What stood out most during my conversation with Louise Deninger was her combination of discipline and openness.

She approaches art with structure, consistency, and commitment, yet remains deeply receptive to new ideas, new experiences, and new ways of understanding the world.

Her work reminds us that creativity is not simply about making things.

It is about remaining curious.

It is about asking questions.

It is about building connections between people, cultures, histories, and possibilities.

Most importantly, it is about staying true to your voice while continuing to grow.

Follow Louise Deninger:

Instagram: @louisedeninger

Website: www.louisedeninger.com

About Tarik Talk

Tarik Talk is an international arts and culture podcast hosted by artist Tarik Mendes. With more than 200 episodes across 50 seasons and conversations recorded across more than 10 countries, the podcast explores the lives, careers, and creative journeys of artists, curators, museum professionals, cultural leaders, and entrepreneurs from around the world.

Recorded inside museums, galleries, artist studios, art fairs, and creative spaces, Tarik Talk provides audiences with behind-the-scenes access to the people shaping contemporary culture today.