HANDLE WITH CARE...

interview from CB Art Magazine; winter edition.


AT THIS POINT IN YOUR LIFE CAN YOU DEFINE YOUR ART AS SURREAL, MR. BLACK?

"Surreal is just an excuse some people add to things that look very far-fetched but very handsome at the same time. It´s supposed to have a strong effect on the viewer, and if doesn´t then it´s meaningless. I tossed many of my own works because of that. And no, something surreal doesn´t always has to be pleasant."

LIKE WHEN YOU DRAW THINGS OUT OF YOUR NIGHTMARES?

"I´ve had some very potent dreams and haven´t woken up from them, does that mean they´re pleasant? I´ve seen myself drenched in blood and I think that every sane mind knows that should be something to be concerned about. I haven´t painted those things yet, if so they would hang me."

THUS YOU BECOME MORE SELECTIVE WITH THE THEMES...

"Why should one censor ideas that quickly? It´s like an abortion, but you do it unconsciously because you´ve been already trained to do it for generations. It´s not the same thing when one kills an insect just because you feel it´s threatening. Those things are taught even at school. We grow afraid of inner demons and angels. If we fear it, we don´t touch it, but at the same time we award more power to it. I guess that proves your point."

DO YOU BELIEVE YOUR ART HAS BEEN CENSORED SOMETIMES?

"No, but I have contained it..."

But I couldn´t contain myself anymore. A sustained sigh cut the silence. I made it back home somehow, can hardly remember how I got there. My house had a very large studio full of knick knacks, some very old, some that had never been used, and others I collected for mere sentimental value, like a full body mirror which had a very particular kind of frame. It was highly stylized like in an art nouveau kind of way, carefully carved, it was dated since 1904. I rescued it from an antique store one rainy afternoon, I must have been so blue and compulsive but not that insane to realize I had damn good taste; it was indeed a beautiful thing to look at, except for my reflection, I was still recovering for at least another week.

Nevertheless I had some works almost finished and after careful analysis they all had a rabbit included in them. It was the first time I decided to bring it to the real world; it had bothered me so much it was sickening me. Let´s hope that counted as actual therapy. I agreed to show them at a local gallery, Feivel, my agent insisted. "A MAJOR COMEBACK," I suppose, from what, from the dead? Then again, when I think about it I was already agonizing and I wasn´t aware of it until now. Lots of times I avoided the sunlight because it announced the beginning of another long day, and I had literally nothing valuable to do since some essential things were done for me. So an emptiness came to rape my mind and I was drained from inspiration.

I despise those so-called artists that wait until inspiration strikes them in order to come up with something original.Unevitably I became surrounded by them in a period of my life and they polluted me. Every person who gets involved in this industry has this fixation that they´ll someday come up with their masterpiece, thus they work hard on that dream until it comes true. Yet, in reality it doesn´t happen quite like that. For me it´s been more about the technique, like a journey to the bottom of the sea, the deeper you go the more you feel. Like a very intense orgasm. Now there´s a fucking masterpiece. Can´t reveal if I did this last thing on my own or with someone else...

SO GLAD TO SEE YOU´RE BACK HOME AGAIN, DEAR.

Mother. She called again and she lectured me about caring for my health, but these days I´m more concerned about my mental health.

ARE YOU TAKING YOUR MEDS?

"I´m supposed to, but the side effects are giving me a hard time if you know what I mean," and the I gently caressed my stomach.

IS THAT WHY YOU´RE IN A BAD MOOD TODAY?

"Hell no! Although I feel like I drained many things off my system these last few days."

I SEE, JUST HAVE SOME PATIENCE. THESE THINGS SHOULD BE HANDLED WITH CARE...

What things?

YOU KNOW...

I like that warning, "HANDLE WITH CARE" I should put a sign with it over myself, just joking. I sat down on the neatly polished maplewood floor as I was opening my sketchbook...some spirals showed up, they looked more like a rabbit hole, or it could stand for other things, I´m not sure. That´s the beauty of art; there are no right or wrong answers, that´s why they can never accuse you of implanting evil ideas in people´s heads. The meaning is obtained after careful observation and from there on it becomes a symbol. So, I see no harm in putting rabbits in whatever situations I can possibly imagine. It means nothing until you want.