The animals in Hagen's drawings are laid back and profound with just enough furry/scaly details and the right, random humor.
“South Africa may have influenced my drawings on a sub-conscious level, but I find animals generally allow more comedic scope than humans,” says Katrin Hagen, blue-eyed and 26, born in Cape Town. Currently, she lives in Berlin, drinks coffee, eats sauerkraut, and
draws.
You've lived in South Africa, New Zealand and London, and now reside in Berlin. Which has been your favorite place to live in?
It's hard to pick a favorite because each place has influenced a different stage of my life. I was born in Cape Town and spent my childhood in the sea and on mountains. New Zealand was where I became an adult, went to university and met my other half. London was about trying to be a Proper Adult for the first time, and Berlin has given me a chance to eat sauerkraut and reconnect with my German side.
Where do you get your humor from?
I’m inspired by silly humans, awkward situations, trash TV, overheard conversations, vast landscapes, and, of course, animals.
My mind is constantly churning with half-formed ideas and I get a kick out of articulating these through humorous drawings. For me, making people laugh or smile at life’s shortcomings is more important than making a drawing look nice but I do work to make my drawings aesthetically pleasing.
People are forever fascinated by animals. What do you think of animals in zoos and circuses?
Zoos don’t bother me as much as animals in circuses. I’ve never met a creature (animal or other) that enjoys jumping through hoops of fire and being chained up for hours at a time.
Hagen earned her degree from Elam School of Fine Arts in New Zealand. Check out more of her stuff on her website Mischief Champion.
