sabato 29 settembre 2012

Interview Enrique del Val








q)Introduce yourself, name,age, location.


a)My name is Enrique del Val, I was born in 1979 in Oviedo, Spain and grew up in the Basque Country. My live in Australia although at the moment I'm located in Berlin.

q) Can you describe your path to being an artist? When did you really get into it?

a)I've always been into drawing. Since very little I'd draw over and over the things I liked. I wanted to become a doctor though. It was only at university studying Fine Arts that I started -and fell in love with- painting. That was more than ten years ago. I've always painted and been involved in the art scene since, but I'd say I'm more fully committed to my painting practice since about 2009.

q) Describe your ideals and how they manifest in your work.


a)My ideal is that life is magic, that's what my work's always been about. Breaking through the convencionalities of the world and of painting and unlocking the magic possibilities of life. I see positive emotions and untamed discernment as the keys to make that leap.


q) Is music a part of your studio time? What do you listen to?

a)I sometimes listen to music when I paint. If I do, I like the song-writers like L Cohen, the Cuban Silvio Rodriguez, Van Morrison, also classic music and depending on the mood punk-rock. I've lately been into Edith Piaff. Music helps me to open up and keep my emotions warm. The problem is that I can lose touch with what's really going on on the painting.


q) How would you describe your work to someone?

a)I find so difficult to tell people about my work that I made a website with my pictures and I encourage paople who ask me to have a look. Although my practice is very important for me I like talking lightly about it with the people I feel most comfortable with.

q) Influences?

a)Rembrandt has been in my mind for a long time. And so it has Francis Bacon. Today I look at painters like Peter Doig and Daniel Richter. I see a lot of art and I consider myself an sponge and I like it. Other influences may include the Rolling Stones, García Márquez, Silvio Rodriguez, movies such as Clockwork Orange and Trainspotting, Buddhism and partying hard with my friends.

q) Describe your process for creating new work.

a)The sources of my own work are my own experiences and stories. So until recently I've been using photographs that I usually take, to create my paintings. Lately I've been feeling a bit constricted by the photos, so I'm intending to work more and more from sketches and memory. Like many artists do, I work on a painting and tend to get obsessed with it. Then I need to put some distance between my mind and the painting and after some time has passed I decide whether it needs more work or it is fully functional and autonomous, in which case it is ready for the world.


q) What advice do you have for artists looking to show their work?

a)Facebook with its many dangers is a good platform to display your work. I don't know, I am aware of the tension between wanting your work to reach as many people as possible and on the other hand not wanting to be pushy or indiscreet, I think that struggle it's a very common phenomenon nowadays.

q) What are you really excited about right now?

a)I'm excited about being in Berlin and spending more time in Europe after a decade in Australia. I'm trying not to get nuts about my next series of paintings and have some rest. Unsuccessfully so far.

q) What do you love most about where you live?

a)Australia is a great place, the landscape is so beautiful and things are quite easy, quite light. Berlin provides me with a vibrant yet tranquil lifestyle. And all that stuff in the museums, quite amazing.

q) Best way to spend a day off?

a)Best way to spend a day off? Doing something without believing I shall be doing something else.

q) Upcoming shows/ projects?

I'm in this trip open for new projects, exhibitions, collaborations to come in Europe. I'll be back in Australia in November and try to arrange an exhibition for next year with my gallery. And my other most important project is my six-years-old daughter Maika.

q) Where can people see more of your work on the internet?

a)Please visit my website www.enriquedelval.com or Facebook Enrique del Val. Thank you Claudio.