AS IS | César Orrico

Artist

From Logroño, Spain

Based in Madrid, Spain

" If I am creating a new work I don't like to work with

natural light. I usually have the studio completely dark except for a spotlight right

above where I work which helps me concentrate, as does the music..."

A: What brought you into art?

C: Art has always been part of my life since I was a little boy. For me it began as a game, a place of experimentation, discovery and inspiration. One of the moments that I remember most clearly as a child was my first visit to the Prado Museum, where I saw for the fist time the paintings of Ribera, Velazquez, Goya and other great masters.

The enthusiasm for the mastery of their technique and the perplexity for some of the themes they represented awakened in me an interest in art that I cultivated little by little. These types of experiences in addition to my passion for drawing and modeling were what pushed me to continue researching and training.

During my Fine Arts studies I had the opportunity to work intensely in very diverse disciplines and from that moment I began to fall more deeply in love with sculpture finding my own language in it.

A: What inspires you the most?

C: I am inspired by absolutely everything. Any detail, moment or experience awakens my imagination, although I think ideas flow more quickly when I travel.

This is probably one of the things that inspires me the most, the simple fact of observing the environment and immersing myself in a different culture fills my head with new projects. Dance, music and literature are some of the arts that most inspire my work, I am also passionate about history and anthropology, I suppose all of this influences me when creating a new work.

A: Do you have any specific rituals while working(creating)?

C: It depends on the moment, if I am creating a new work I don't like to work with natural light. I usually have the studio completely dark except for a spotlight right above where I work which helps me concentrate, as does the music. For me, modeling is a ritual in itself, a moment that sometimes becomes meditative where I need to abstract from everything around me to essentially focus on the present moment.

A: What would you recommend to someone new to art (an artist or just an admirer), what to begin with?

C: I think we should all start by looking, seeing a lot of art is essential, even seeing art that initially doesn't interest you or you don't like, you have to immerse yourself in art fully and without prejudices. All this experience will generate in you a global and intangible knowledge that will later help you find your own voice and mature in your work. It is also important to know in depth the materials with which you work; practice in artistic language is important to ensure that ideas reach their maximum expression.

A: Your top 3 adjectives related to art?

C: Subtle. For me, an artist is found in the details, both in the concept and in the formal representation of their work. When an artist dedicates time to their work, this is seen in the smallest decisions made during the process. This allows an author to create a well-rounded work, a subtle work that has the potential to interest both close up and from a distance.

Enigmatic. In an artist's work there has to be something that forces you to ask yourself questions, something that moves you or resonates with you, a work of art cannot leave you indifferent. In the words of the Spanish sculptor Juan Muñoz, if you see a work of art and you can understand it instantly, it loses interest.

Timeless. In my opinion a true work of art is timeless. It is a personal vision of the artist that due to its composition, concept or language, is capable of coexisting in several times at the same time.

A: The best angle to look at art is from..?

C: The best angle to look at art is to see it live. Immerse yourself in each of the elements of the work and the environment in which it is located. It is not possible to fully appreciate a work of art if you are not in front of it.

A: The Perfect phrase to start any conversation about art is:.?

C: It all depends on the interlocutor, not on the phrase. In any case, I think the best way to talk about art is to share a glass of wine.

A: Must-read books to talk about art (or do we even need them)?

C: I don't think it is essential to read certain books to talk about art, but it is important to read. Knowing art through the thoughts and words of others is one of the most enriching experiences that exist; after all, literature is an art in itself.

A: What would it be if you could change one thing in the art world?

C: It would be interesting to increase support for art, both public and private in all spheres starting with education. I think that art should be something more everyday, its absence impoverishes us as a society and desensitizes us. In my opinion, art teaches us to have our own thoughts and creates independent and intelligent people.

A: Please, share your favorite quote (not necessarily related to art)

C: "Go to where the silence is and say something"

Amy Goodman

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