What if success wasn’t the goal, but the question?

Some careers follow a straight line, others take detours, and a few embrace the beauty of versatility. Anna belongs to that last group. From arriving late to her own exhibition to teaching classes she later decided to leave behind, her path is full of stories that show both the humor and the honesty of real life at work. Singing, writing, experimenting, and always chasing the “blank page” moment, she embodies curiosity as a professional compass. In this interview, she shares what it means to take risks, unlearn old beliefs, and keep redefining what “success” actually is.

Warm up questions 🔥

If your career was a movie, what would its title be?

Back to childhood.

Current work anthem (song you’re vibing with)?

Meanwhile in Berlin, from Molly Nillson.

Go-to drink to survive a busy day?

A double espresso with a minimal amount of oat milk.

One word that describes your career so far?

Language.

Early bird or night owl?

An early bird in practice, a night owl at heart.

First job ever?

Receptionist at a Costa Brava camping.

Best thing about what you do?

Putting into practice that ‘art is what makes life more interesting than art’.

Dream project you haven’t worked on yet?

No brief, absolute freedom, a solid budget, and only a deadline.

Favorite way to recharge outside of work?

Walking with Airplane mode.

Secret skill or hobby most people don’t know about?

I love singing, and I’ve stopped being shy about it (this November I’ll be actually joining a chorus as a mezzo-soprano). I’m also getting better at doing nothing.

Most used emoji when texting about work?

🥨🥨🥨

Favorite “fail” story you love to laugh about now?

Last year, I was so overworked and stressed that I ended up arriving late to my own exhibition.

Most inspiring place you’ve ever worked from?

I’m doubting between Louvre or my grandmother’s tiny house.

Let’s dive in! 🏄

When did you realize you were good at what you do? (Or are you still realizing it?)

My starting point (in almost every project) is not taking anything for granted. There’s a white page, a big question mark. The process itself is what brings the thought: yes, I can do it. I try to approach it with an innocent gaze, so as to find the most original solution, without relying on formulas or ready-made answers.

Tell us about a professional risk you took — and what happened after.

In 2008, I left my full-time job at a design studio to start freelancing. It was a risk - I had only one client and very little savings. But it felt like the only way to focus on my own interests. After that decision, I really sensed the *free in freelance. Soon after, its counterpoints too. Still, I think it’s been very much worth it.

What’s something about your job (or your path) that people completely misunderstand?

My eclectiveness. It’s always easier to communicate specialization rather than versatility. People often assume that being versatile means being unfocused. For me, exploring multiple disciplines is a way of connecting ideas in unexpected ways. Nothing better, nothing worse - just a different way of working, thinking, being.

What’s a ‘small win’ that meant a lot more to you than it looked from the outside?

When everyone around me recommended that I take a certain path (the safest one) I finally chose what I truly wanted to do. And it actually went quite well.

If your younger self could see you now, what would surprise her most?

That instead of “evolving,” I somehow dissolved back into the things that made me happiest when I was five. I’m even wearing the same haircut as back then :_)

What’s a question you wish people asked you about your work - but they never do? Answer it here.

Could I pay you more? Hehe

What’s a myth about success that you wish we could finally stop spreading?

Visibility doesn’t mean money, money doesn’t mean success, success is an enigma.

What’s something you’re still figuring out, even now?

How to make more time for applying to fellowships and diving deeper and deeper into research.

If you had to give a TED Talk tomorrow, what would it be about (besides your job)?

How to fall into deep sleep anywhere in less than five seconds - it’s my underrated talent.

Is there a skill you learned outside of work (a hobby, a life experience) that changed how you approach your career?

Writing in my diary. Creating a narrative of your life helps you notice the ideas that arise during ordinary moments.

What’s something you unlearned to get where you are today?

I unlearned the idea behind quotes from the 2000s like “You don’t need anyone.” Without community (friends, family) you get nowhere.

When in your career did you feel totally lost - and what helped you find your way?I feel lost at least once a day. What helps me is to just keep going.

What’s a moment at work that made you laugh when you really needed it?

Every time I’m stressed, and my coworking partner puts on that song, “She Works Hard for the Money” by Donna Summer.

If your career had a soundtrack, what’s one song that would definitely be on it?

“She works hard for the money”, from Donna Summer :D

What’s something you once thought was a failure, but now you're grateful it happened?

With the dummy of the book Lost Babies, I left some pages blank just to see how it would look printed. When I showed it to people, they began to interpret the blank pages, finding new meanings and theoretical layers. What I had thought was just a mistake I needed to solve ultimately became part of the final work.

What part of your job lights you up, even when everything else feels heavy?

In general, I love the beginnings - the blank page. It’s also the moment when I feel the most anxious, though.

Describe a time when someone underestimated you - and how you handled it.

With Can Totes, an artistic installation I created in a public space - with a strong gender perspective - a neighbor sent me daily messages, calling me a “feminazi.” I muted her chat until she got bored.

What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received about your work (even if it felt small)?

That my work was straightforward, yet carried a very particular sense of humor.

What did you used to chase in your career that you don’t anymore?

“”””“Visibility“””””

How has your definition of “success” changed over the years?

Before, it meant something concrete. Now, it feels like an empty word that I try to fill every day with different meanings.

What’s a “nontraditional” career move you made that you’re proud of?

Stepping away from some classes I had been teaching for six years. While I love sharing knowledge - and the stability of a regular income, of course - I started feeling a bit bored with the content I was covering. I realized that, out of respect for the profession, I didn’t want to continue teaching material that no longer reflected my approach. Now, I’m focusing on workshops and intensive classes, which allow me to refresh myself, bring more creativity to my teaching, and engage deeply with learners in a way that feels meaningful to me.

Name a woman or the woman who have helped you or inspired you in your career:

The list is long, but I would mention the photographer and filmmaker Mireia Farran and the journalist and writer Gemma Cuadrado. I worked with them ten years ago, and from colleagues we immediately became friends. The intense years we spent sharing daily routines and frenetic deadlines were, in many ways, my school. Today, they’re family.