Mauricio Paz Viola, "Winter Trees Series", 2015, contemporary watercolor. |
Uruguay’da
yaşayan Mauricio Paz Viola, facebook sayfam üzerinden bana ulaşarak, sanatı
hakkında küçük bir habere yer verip veremeyeceğimi rica ettiğinde, ‘niye
olmasın’ dedim. Dünyanın farklı bölgelerinden dönem dönem bu ricaları alıyorum.
Paz Viola’nın sanat hikayesini ve “Kış Ağaçları” serisini çok sevdim ve
kendisini hakkında bu küçük yazıyı yazmaya karar verdim. Güney Amerika’dan,
Uruguay’dan sayfama misafir olan Viola’nın çalışmalarını umarım siz de
seversiniz.
Mauricio Paz Viola. |
1985
yılında, Uruguay, Colonia’da, deniz kıyısındaki Carmelo şehrinde doğan Mauricio
Paz Viola, 7 yaşından bu yana plastik sanatlarla ilgilidir ancak, gençlik
yıllarına kadar resmi sanat eğitimi alamamış. Museum and Archives of Carmen’de Profesör
Juan Jose Gonzalez’in stüdyosunda çalışmaya başladığı ilk yıllarda, çocuk resimlerindeki
gibi portreler ve natürmortlar çizer ama kısa zamanda kendi stilini oluşturmayı
başarır. Kurallara bağlı kalmayı sevmez ve içinden geldiği gibi boyar.
14
yaşından bu yana sergiler açan Maurice Paz Viola, Colonia Arjantin Konsolosluğu,
Uruguay’da kişisel sergiler açmış, birçok karma sergide yer almış. Viola, yurtdışında
ve memleketi Uruguay’da çeşitli sanat yarışmalarına katılmış. Matta, Miro ve
diğer öncül sanatçılardan esinlenen Viola’nın eserlerinde, temsil ile ilgili sürekli
bir arayış vardır. Nesne ve şekillerin kendi yaşamını bulduğu kişisel ve iç
dünyaları yeniden yaratır ve onlara yeni anlamlar vermek ve kendi, iç
gerçeklerini yansıtmak üzere seyirciyi davet eder.
FOR FURTHER INFO
Mauricio Paz Viola, "Winter Trees Series", 2015, contemporary watercolor. |
INTERVIEW WITH MAURICIO PAZ VIOLA
How did you become an artist, and did
you know early on that you would be in the arts, or did you begin as something
else? Were there other artists in your family?
I
was born in 1985 in Colonia, Uruguay – specifically in the city of Carmelo,
which is situated on the shore of La Plata River. I was born prematurely,
hardly breathing… in a way I was like a phoenix rising out of ashes to give the
world the images of my fantasies, to bring beauty to the eyes of women and men
who know how to see with their heart.
Artistic
expression has always interested me since I come from a family of writers: my
father wrote folk songs, my mother poems, and my two sisters have both
published books. In terms of plastic art, however, I am the only painter in the
family. I remember that since an early age I would get a ball of mud and make
replicas of whatever object there was in our yard… I painted and I made castles
out of books – and I enjoyed myself very much. Fortunately, I always had the
support of my family. Motivation and enthusiasm are the most important things
for children, while for adults it is the need for expression and communication
of one’s true self that become the most important objectives in art, and have
been the life force behind my artistic creations every single day.
Art
has always been present in my life. As a child I drew and painted. I remember
when I was 7, I saw from a linguistics textbook an image that left a permanent
mark on my life: it was a painting by Roberto Matta. I still vividly recall how
I felt that day sitting at my desk, drowned in shock by those colors and
shapes…
Mauricio Paz Viola, "Winter Trees Series", 2015, contemporary watercolor. |
However,
it was not until my teenage years that I began my artistic training. I studied
in the studio of Museum and Archives of Carmen with professor Juan Jose
Gonzalez. In the beginning I painted portraits and still life just like all art
pupils, but it didn’t take long before I created a style of my own, breaking
all the rules (I never followed any to start with) and painting my inner worlds
and who I was. Later I joined an art troupe “De La Vuelta” led by Maximiliano
Garcia (Salvador Biko) and Alvaro Acuña. Together we organized all kinds of art
events: theater, juggling, circus shows, rock concerts, painting and sculpture
exhibits and a variety of social events… there were many memorable moments that
played a part in forging my artistic identity in my teen years.
Each artist is so different when it
comes to approaching their work. How do you approach your creation- can you
elaborate on your working process?
I
have never gone to art school – I am mostly self-taught, which is why I have a
free-spirited approach in my work. When creating a new painting, I focus on
freedom, fluidity, and movements… I do a dance before I paint – I usually do
some kind of rituals before I create, and I usually paint after 2pm; my other
ritual is listening to music to develop an approach to a new work – it can be
ambient music (such as Kitaro), and lately I’ve also been listening to
electronic music, sci-fi movie and video game soundtracks to get myself in the
mood of creating fantastical pieces – if music be the food of imagination!
Recently I’ve also been creating series of painting, and also mini series
within series to manage my creative anxiety, and results of these have formed
“Mundos acuáticos” (underwater worlds), “Essentia” (essence) within the series
of “La Nada en el Vacio” (Nothing in the Void). My style can be characterized
as “action paint”, but I also experiment with other styles such as deformism
and surrealism, using pastel, charcoal, ink, oil painting techniques – such as
can seen in the series “Retratos Deformistas” (Portraits, deformed), of human
faces in 2004, and “Dark and Black” created last year.
Mauricio Paz Viola, "Winter Trees Series", 2015, contemporary watercolor. |
What are the primary themes of your
work?
My
works focus on the spiritual, the essential, on the cosmic union, the future… I
aim to create paintings that can help the viewer in their spiritual growth, and
I believe that to be the direction of art in this millennium – spiritual growth
more than social or political critique, as art is an manifestation of the
spirit, which is the truth and the future of art.
There
are lots of recurring elements in my works, such as transparencies, overlapping
images or colors, repetitions of lines, elements and objects… Additionally,
there are the weightless objects and elements, floating shapes, circles,
spheres and cubes. Saturated colors and different color schemes can also be
found in one painting, such as in the ones of “La Nada en el Vacio”, which I
started in 2011 and continues to work on until this day.
One
of the recurring themes in my work are images of a erotic, sensual character.
In the majority of my works, elements alluding to feminine and masculine
sexuality can be seen, resembling curves, ovaries, phallic symbols, and other
visual narratives having to do with the concepts of fertility, reproduction and
creation. I believe that sexual energy is one of the most important creative
forces of the universe (a point also shared by Hindu teachings), and I represent
this vital force in a physical way to capture and express the creative part of
being and the divine spark in one’s self. I am most fascinated by sex– not only
the carnal act between the animals that we are, but as a sacred act present in
all creations. The word sex comes from Latin “sexus”, or “sectus”, meaning
separation. Hence, it is an act that repeats itself perpetually to create and
re-create, in the realms of math, physics, chemistry and even in the field of
cosmology. If one looks close enough, there are sexual acts everywhere – not
just in human beings, and it is beautiful, unique and good. Perhaps my point of
view is inspired by Gurdjeff, who holds that all manifestations of self is
sexual as sex is the most important prototype of the human machinery.
Mauricio Paz Viola, "Winter Trees Series", 2015, contemporary watercolor. |
I
am also inspired by ancient civilizations, especially the ones buried
underneath history – Incan, Egyptian, and Sumerian Civilizations. It seems that
the true story of us humans is stranger than science fiction. I devour
information on these forgotten histories insatiably, exploring mysteries,
hidden worlds, aliens, parallel universes – topics of importance in life and
yet no one seems to be interested in discussing or knowing, perhaps to escape
from the constant prodding of the age-old question of where we came from, where
we are going and who created life itself.
In
a nutshell, a constant theme of my work is life itself as it is manifested in
nature, the universe (or universes) and the infinite worlds and dimensions of
which we know nothing, towards which biology, science, art try to grapple… in a
word, LIFE.
Who are your favorite artists and
why?
One
of my favorite artists is Van Gogh. I admire him for his brilliance, his life
story and his powerful work. I also like Picasso who revolutionized the art
world… Goya, Rembrandt, Kandinsky, Miro, Max Ernst with his wondrous landscape
paintings… My favorite perhaps remains the surrealist Roberto Matta, whose art
I saw for the first time at 7 years of age, but I never tried to imitate his work
nor is there a noticeable influence of Matta in my work. There is also Javier
Gil, friend of mine and a painter I admire; he does a lot of futuristic
landscape paintings and taught me a lot about art.
Mauricio Paz Viola, "Winter Trees Series", 2015, contemporary watercolor. |
Why do you think art is important for
the world, and why is it important for you as an individual artist?
Art
is of utmost importance for the world: it is an instrument and an important
form of human dialogue. Art is the
cornerstone upon which culture is built, and throughout the history of art we
see the most significant manifestations of being. Art has transformed, from
political and social critique and voice of advocacy to a more universal,
spiritual and cosmic expression. If we
pay attention, we can see that art has gone back to focusing on its prehistoric
roots, on abstract forms, on collective intuition more than reasoning. The artist who is best at revealing this
development is Gerhard Richter, who has gone from a rational and academic
approach to a more abstract, intuitive one that is at the same time more
primitive and emotional. Picasso has also said that he painted like Goya when a
child and then had spent most of his life learning to paint like a child again
– to me, this is what new art is about – art of the new millennium, and it is my
quest and what I hope to give. As a fully committed artist, I hope to help
people learn about themselves and to grow spiritually through my art.
Mauricio Paz Viola, "Winter Trees Series", 2015, contemporary watercolor. |
What you hope to communicate to the
viewer and how does this specifically affect the final result?
I
hope the viewer can enter my dreamy world of ethereal, weightless landscapes
and leave behind their everyday existence even for just a while; I want to
convey positive vibes through the colors and shapes I use and the love and
kindness embedded in every stroke but above all, to show a world a endless
possibilities and give a glimpse of the divine spark, inspiring the viewer to
create, to make something out of the most beautiful and sacred part of human
existence.
I
would define my work as a manifestation of self, an extension of my spirit or
sub consciousness, which is still beyond my grasp and lies at the deepest
sphere of pure self. In particular, I try to minimize intellectual inclinations
when I create to prevent the ego, the fictitious self from intervening, and
hence my works are the most loyal reflections of who I am (dreamer,
fantasy-prone, sensitive, sexual and a bit dark and gloomy sometimes), and my
work is who I am.
Mauricio Paz Viola, "Nature dancing", oil on canvas, 120x100 cm. |
My
works feature images of imaginary landscapes, empty or inhabited by unknown
beings – landscapes that externalize a constant inner struggle of being human,
that visualizes conflict between good and evil, between light and darkness…
hence, the best way to describe my work is – landscapes inhabited by my own
self, where a step forward is eternal light and a step backwards is total
darkness.
In
reality, my work refrains from saying too much: it was never my idea to talk
about politics or social matters in my work. More than anything, my paintings
are an invitation to enter the world of dreams, where the viewer can escape
from the mundane for a few moments – like some kind of hallucinogen – being in
there and being as oneself, and see things in a different way. This is why I
have chosen an abstract approach which provides such resources. I am convinced
that these images exist somewhere in the universe, and that I have seen them in
the many previous lives I have lived as a particle of cosmic dust and am now
only re-creating these worlds, never before seen by others, with luxurious details
and narratives.
Which of your artwork pieces is your
favorite, or have been most significant to you as an artist?
For
me there are many significant pieces. “Mujeres destrozadas por el tiempo”
(Women, shattered in time) is an art piece I started in 2003 in Uruguay in
charcoal. In 2005, I added collage to the original artwork and in 2012 in
Chile, I decided on the title. It was a very significant piece being the first
creation after a hiatus of two years (fortunately I still have it with me).
Another
significant one is “Gato” (Cat) in 2004 from the “Retratos deformistas” series
depicting deformed animal and human figures. It was at that time my favorite
piece and the one most loved by the public.
Mauricio Paz Viola, "Le papillon (butterfly)", 2015, oil on canvas, 100 x 90 cm. |
I
have another piece, “El Beso” (The Kiss), a pastel work created in 2004; “Mujer
con escalera” (Women with stairs) of pastel on paper created in 2005, “Tercera
Guerra neurologica” (Third Neurological War) of mixed media on paper created in
the same year and dedicated to a friend who had committed suicide, and my first
large-scale creation; “Dragon de agua” (Water dragon) of 2005, oil on canvas,
and “Cascada boreal” (Aurora falls) of 2012, “11 seres” (11 beings) of 2012,
“Flor de caverna” (Cave blossoms) of 2013, “Garganta roja” (Red gorge) of 2013,
“Graine du ciel” (Seed of Heaven) of 2013, “Fecundidad de las Hadas” (Fairies:
be fruitful and multiply) of 2015, “Le papillon” (Butterfly) of 2015, as well
as a series of illustrations called Dark and Black which I did in 2013.
I
can’t pick out one most significant work because every piece reflects a
specific and unique moment in my life, some simple, some complex, all distinct.
What is the biggest frustration for
you being an artist?
The
biggest frustration for me being an artist is that I feel lost vis-à-vis
today’s contemporary art scene. Most galleries in Latin America focus on
installations, brushing aside plastic artists – painters, sculptors who hardly
get a chance to showcase their work. Installations are not always easily
understandable and can sometimes be elitist. On another hand, being an artist
today requires one to have formal training, sometimes even a Masters degree –
in curating, cultural management, et cetera, and the focus on a genuine art is
lost, which is hard for a self-taught artist like me.
How do you feel when people interpret
your artwork differently, or is there one primary thing you hope to have the
viewer experience?
I
enjoy it when viewers interpret my art according to their own prototypes,
dreams, fantasies, fears and limitations – the power of modern art lies not
only in the freedom to choose themes and but also in the liberty of
interpretation. We are all multi-faceted beings that it is ironic to ask of a
painting to be viewed only a certain way.
Mauricio Paz Viola, "The truth everlasting", 2015, oil on canvas, 80 x 90 cm. |
For
example, some people see phallic symbols in my paintings and others see horses,
water plants, mushrooms, just to name a few, which is why I have stopped
labeling a lot of my art pieces to give the public free reign and be more
inclusive – women and men, young and old, heterosexual and queer, public of
different socioeconomic standing have all seen my work and generated lots of
dialogue – and it is precisely this dialogue of freedom, of expression, and of
interpretation that I hold dear to my heart.
What advice do you have for aspiring
artists?
First
of all I would advise parents of artistically inclined children to motivate and
encourage them, take them to art studios, buy them art supplies… and secondly,
I’d tell teenagers that if they like art and believe that there is a path in
art for them to participate in seminars, lectures, visit other artists and go
to museums and galleries. But more than anything, I’d tell them to get formal
training, and to refrain from the temptation of drugs and alcohol – there will
be plenty of time to dabble in that later in life, just saying. (laughs)
To
aspiring artists, especially ones whose families are against their career choice
and the self-taught ones, I’d say to trust in their own capacities, their
intuition, their higher self. Absorb everything museums and galleries have to
offer, see other artists’ work, share their own work without feeling ashamed,
because only time and talent will tell. Van Gogh could finish 3 paintings in a
day and yet sold none in his life – so just go ahead and paint. One must be
loyal to their heart and recognition will follow.
Mauricio Paz Viola, "Essentia series", 2015, contemporary watercolor, 30 x 42 cm. |
MAURICIO PAZ VIOLA EXHIBITIONS
2015 exhibition alongside Guillermo Grebe Larraín
and Soledad Omeñaca in Atelier4 Gallery
2015
Group show in Mundo Sur Gallery, “Alec
iacta est”
2015 Solo show in Cultural Center of Ñuñoa
2015 Group show in Bussi Gallery in celebration
of its 40th anniversary
2014 Group show "GLI DEI ANTICHI” in
Chilean-US Cultural institute of Valapraiso, Chile
2014 Group show in Equinox Festival in Matta
House,
2014 Solo show in Cultural Center of Recoleta
during “Uruguay week”
2014 Group show – “Essence of bread” in Arte
Trece Gallery
2014 Group show –“Encounters” in Siglo XX Yolanda
Hurtado Gallery
2013 Group show in Espacio 10 Gallery (Buenos
Aires, Argentina)
2013 Group show “Imagen Joven”, Museum of Fine
Arts in Paraná, Argentina
2013 Solo show in Oops! Gallery
2013 Group show in “Arte Joven MAJO 2013” at
Romulo Raggio Foundation, Buenos Aires, Argentina
2013 feature and tour with Latin American Annual
Art Review No. 17 (Argentina & Uruguay)
2012 Group show in Fifth Visual Art Fair, Fobeju
Foundation
2011-
2012 tour “country” with national
prize winner Guillermo Núñez, Mexican painter Uriel Parker and Chilean painter
Martín Astorga Camus throughout Chile, receiving over 7,000 visitors
2010-2011 creation of project “Artivism for Peace”
(affiliated with UNA Art Miles project in the US), including community
art/intervention workshops for children and mural painting in southern Chile
1999-2008 Annual solo show of paintings, drawings and sculptures as part of “De la Vuelta
Group” in Uruguay, along with concert tours and community events
2005
Group show in A.P.E.U en A.F.E. Colonia (art festival held in Colonia
Department), with works making into the permanent exhibition throughout the
year
2005
Solo show in Torres Garcia Hall of Consulate of Argentina in Colonia
2005
Solo show in Four Seasons Resort, Colonia
1999-2005
Annual group show with studio art students of professor Anselmo Cabrebra,
Cultural Center of Carmelo
2004 Book cover design for “Miseria” by Uruguayan poet Maximiliano Garcia.
2004 Group show “Homage to Torres Garcia” in Plaza Artigas with professor Anselmo
Cabrera
2004 personal show in Cultural Center of Carmelo
Mauricio Paz Viola, "Essentia series", 2015, contemporary watercolor, 30 x 42 cm. |