How would you define yourself?
A painter, a shaman, a cat and a crazy person.
What can the audience expect from your collaboration with Spain NOW!?
Painting is as important and as relevant now as it was 35,000 years ago. It is a human thing. It was, it is and it will be a part of us, of our DNA, of our culture, of our vision and of our world. Like a mirror, my paintings talk about me. Paintings are about the human soul, so we can all see ourselves inside them. Forty years ago, there was a group of like-minded luminaries who tried to kill painting. They were not killing painting. Instead, they were killing 35,000 years of human culture – to me, this is like cutting one’s hand off. Just like a parrot, some people repeat the few things they have read or what they have been given in a photocopy. The wonderful outcome is that painting will survive these attacks and these comments, just like cave paintings did. I hope that my paintings speak to people in the future as the paintings of Jose de Rivera, Francis Bacon or Basquiat speak to me now.
What do you think your collaboration with Spain NOW! will bring for you?
It will enable my artwork to reach more audiences and art lovers – which is my intention for my art. The more people that see my paintings the better, because I paint for everyone in the world who wants to stop and have a look inside – and that means everyone. Also, it’s an honour to be shown with other great Spanish artists.
Describe or give us some insights about your creative process.
Read art, think art, see art, smoke cigars, drink wine and paint, paint and more paint.
Where have you shown internationally before? And in Spain?
My most important shows have been in London (UK), Los Angeles (USA), Barcelona and Valencia (Spain).
What can you say about the current state of Spanish culture within your field? What other emergent Spanish artists can you recommend for those who enjoy your work?
It is amazing. Spanish culture is an amazing melting pot of writers, painters, musicians, chefs, etc… I think that Spain is one of the most potentially powerful cultural countries in the world. The Spaniard is a great dreamer and culture is about the human dreamer.
Do you have affinities or share interests with any artists working in the UK?
I really do love the work of Lucian Freud. His death is a big loss for art but at least we have his amazing paintings – one of the most special bodies of work in our history. Definitely.
Define your work (either in general or your collaboration with Spain Now) in a sentence…
Painting for the soul.
Define yourself as:
a geographical accident: Mount Teide
an animal/mineral/plant: a cat, gold and the “Drago”.
a dish/food: red wine with “papas arrugadas con mojo picón”
a London Underground station: Green Park – first station I ever went into