Introducing Olivia Milani

135 artists are taking part in "Inside Job" which takes place on the 7th and 8th of April on Level 6 of Tate Modern. Over the next few weeks The Rebel Magazine will be chatting to some of the Tate staff who are showing their artwork. Today we say Ciao to Olivia Milani...

Q) Where did you grow up and what kind of education did you receive? "I grew up in Switzerland, in the Italian speaking region south of the Alps. I studied at Central Saint Martins in London, graduating with a Postgraduate Degree in Photography. Prior to that I studied Graphic Design in Switzerland."

Q) How long have you been working at the Tate and what's the best show you've seen there? "I have been working at the Tate for almost 4 years now. There were so many great shows, it’s hard to pick one… but I would probably say Agnes Martin (see photo above). Her subtle and evocative paintings are extraordinary. She has this incredible ability of conveying emotional states in such a pure, essential and elegant way. Her paintings are like a meditation and have great depth. What inspires me most about her is the fact that she always stayed true to her vision and inspiration - she was a free spirit and followed her very own path."

Q) What can you tell me about the work you're exhibiting in the Tate Modern show? "I’m exhibiting a photograph I took in Peru showing the Andes mountains. The clouds were very low that day and moving gently across the mountain range and valleys. The landscape and clouds merged into one, it’s hard to tell where the earth finishes and the sky begins, it’s almost like a seascape. The title is ‘Falling Awake’ and is part of a larger series called 'Fluid Borders'. My travels deeply influence my work, I’m particularly attracted to vast, open landscapes and wild places. I see photography as a tool for outer and inner exploration and discovery."

Q) How can people find out more about your work - do you have a website or do Instagram? " Yes my website is: www.oliviamilani.net and I'm on Instagram @olivia_milani

Q) Is there anything you have to declare / do you have a favourite quote, thought or joke you'd care to share? “The purpose of art is not a rarefied, intellectual distillate - it is life, intensified, brilliant life.” – Alain Arias-Misson “From music people accept pure emotion but from visual art they demand explanation.” – Agnes Martin

"Inside Job": An exhibition of art by Tate Staff will take place on Level 6 of the Blavatnik Building of Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG http://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern