Art is an expression of what it means to be human, it allows us to communicate from afar, and allows us to come together collectively. From 2020 to present, we are still dealing with a global pandemic. From another perspective, the restrictions on freedom may be a re-evolution of art. While we wait for that to emerge, we asked several artists to open up about their challenge in this new normal of life during these strange days.
Q. Whats and exciting thing going on in life right now?
L. Lately I have a lot of big projects going on. It is something that I was dreaming about since 4 years ago. I always imagine my work invading a space and changing the landscape in a scale that now is possible thanks to my team and my sponsors. I’m very trill and thankful of all the amazing people who joined me in this journey.
Q: Is there anything missing in life right now?
L. Hahaha, chilaquiles and tamales…. I’m joking. I really miss to hug my family and interact with them in person. Specially around new year where I miss playing with my nieces and nephews and eating all this amazing home-made food. I hope in the near future would be more easy and safe to travel to visit them and to bring back my art book collection.
Q. Can you speak a bit about how your cultural background has shaped your aesthetic?
L. I was always divided between study biology or art but in the end I chose art with a focus on biology and environment. Thanks to my parents I learn analog photograph, illustration and painting at a very early age. Since a teenager I was always looking for new artists, my mom had a very nice Art history book collection but I was more interested on the contemporary art scene specially after discovering the work of Banksy and Ernesto Neto. Every time I had money I would go directly to the library to the art design and architecture sections to find a new art publication of Taschen or Phaidon to get inspired. At the same time I was all afternoons looking up to find nature documentaries and articles about animal behaviour, evolution and adaptation of the species etc. I’m a big fan of David Attenborough and Carl Sagan.
Q. You have participated in various residency programs and traveled to many places in the world. How important is it to stay connected with the international art community?
L. Is important to me because of two big reasons:
A- is important to see how other artists from different cultures approach the contemporary art and the subjects they choose to express in the work. The way they work is also very interesting because we can share techniques and personal experiences.
B- Is important to keep up the link to promote my work within those art communities and invite artist to my networks in Taiwan, Mexico or USA. The work must continue flowing arround the world and building international art communities is very important.
Q. So what is your favourite memory of all?
L. I could not choose one, they are all different and special.
Q. Let’s talk about your work. What prompted you to repurpose materials? Was it an environmental or artistic decision?
L. Both, based on several animal behavior studies 5 years ago I started using recycled material because I was coping the behavior or birds and other animals that few year ago started using human trash to build their shelters and nests. In another hand when I arrive to Taiwan I had the possibility to collaborate with recycle centers and factories that were wiling to repurpose their material for art. This is something I looked for since I was in Mexico but with no success. The textile companies in Mexico have not acquire an ecological concern and even less the idea of collaborating with artist to produce artwork with their materials. But I tried and that’s what maters.
Q. How do you select fabrics to up-cycle? Does it come down to practicality or attraction?
L. In the beginning I used what I could find attracted by the texture and color but now days I use only the best fabric and rope quality because the work is use by many people and often has to last for a while. The sport fabric is the best option in the sence that it doesn’t rag, is friction resistent, is fast dry and has a UV filter to maintain the colors. Unless the work is ment to be indoor I would alow myself to use more organic and delicate fabrics.
Q. Rummaging for materials can be a crucial part of the process…what are your gathering rituals? and how do you approach to materials and colours between fabrics?
L. In mexico I have almost every source of material located and rated by price and quality but as soon as I arrive in taiwan I had to star the search and collection from the beginning. I took me a year and half to go arround Taiwan discovering the natural material sources and industrial materials made here. Now im still discovering sources and materials. At the same time when I travel or make a proposal for a work in a different country I have to start this search from the beginning and having local friends in these countries is basic to find the best local materials produce there.
Q. Tell us about the design of the installation ‘Taming the Beast’. How do you approach to the growth patterns of its organic shape?
L. If you are familiar with a rhizome shape you might notice that look like a neurological network, a root network or a visual map, is also the best way to approach multiple solutions for a problem.
I designed these shapes of the sculpture in system that allows me to built and connect in many modules, like a Lego game. This shapes give me the freedom to build in different directions and create different shapes everytime is install in a location. I am convinced that this type of structures applied to the thinking process can help us have a more flexible thinking as well as a more flexible artwork statics.
Q. Would you say your process is a way to reconcile or rebuke hyper- consumerism?
L. Yes, I made this work with all the intention to make people think about and reconsider the power they have over what they consume. As costumers we have a great power of freedom of choice and demand over the markets and we must use it wisely.
Q. In the work ‘Taming the Beast’, you decided that people are allowed to touch every part of the work in this show, and even weave new layers to the work if they so choose. Why is the welcoming aspect of art so important to you?
L. Art for me creates experiences that become part of your life and go beyond an interesting image.
I always let people and animals touch my artworks, they are ment to be perceived not only by the eyes but to embrace all your senses.
In specific “Taming the beast” represents a journey and a process from wich we are all involved. Big social problems like the massive production of textile waste are scary and wild, like a big dangerous animal. Allowing people to approach it this way, (by touching asking and dealing physically with it) makes people more aware and less scare about it at the same time they get involve in their evolution process. This interactive process has many similarities to the taming action and that’s why I gave it this name. At the same time by weaving the work together we also make it part of our life experience.
Q. What is your hope for the work’s lifecycle over the course of, say, the next century? Would you rather they be passed down or remixed?
L. I hope it will touch as many people lives and be touched as possible and also transformed by them becoming thicker and thicker in material and anecdotes every year.
I also hope It can stop growing by the time the consumption and waste problem is finally tamed by humanity.
Q. What are some favourite comments you’ve heard about your work?
L. More than the comments, I love to see the people reaction when they are amazed by it and they approach to touch it and explore it asking all these questions about the materials and the shapes. If they see me weaving they also like to take part and learn.
Q. Finally, what is the secret to fighting jet lag when you travel?
L. Sleep and more sleep, during the flight and in the airport during transfers. A good cup of matcha latte will make the magic when is time to start the fist day of work.