This month we are please to have Lucio Vega as our "Artist of the Month". He answered us 22 questions about his experience as artists, sculptor and his way of seeing art, among other things.
What did lead you to chose the path of art and what was the first encounter with it?
I think you don’t choose the path of art; it is just a way of life. Since I was a child, my brother and I had contact with this world. My parents used to take us to the museums, and they would sing us on ceramic lessons and we used to draw on the walls or books of the House.
As an adult, I studied industrial engineering and aviation, I did not conclude none of these careers (first of all, cause I never saw my self working on it and second of all, it was expensive). In the meanwhile I was taking drawing and painting lessons. I got captivated, when I took my first basic sculpture course. Two years later I decided to study in the art school.
Why did you choose Venezuela to get started with your artistic career?
Some years ago, I was passing by Caracas. Before that I had been to Italy and I wanted to come back there to study arts. While I was trying to get the student visa for Italy, I took lessons on human figure drawing. The professor Abilio Padrón asked me in several occasions to get in to “Armando Revedón Institut” (I.U.E.S.A.P.A.R.).
One day I decided to present my portfolio and I was selected. I decided to study full time, knowing that I had to leave behind many things. The career of Plastic Arts demands much dedication, because besides the theory, there are the working rooms where you have to develop your personal language. Since then I dedicated myself fulltime to arts. To afford my things, I worked as a gardener and tourist guide on the weekends.
What is your relationship with Venezuela?
Venezuela is an amazing country. My parents emigrated from Argentina in 1976 and established in Caracas where they began with a new life. Most of my life I lived in Caracas there I studied and worked, then when Chavez won the presidency, most of y friends emigrated to other counties, some of them are still there, so my family as well and loved ones are still there. I own Caracas the most I am, my speaking accent, some especial aspects that characterize the Venezuelan people, such as on going work, improvise and take advantage of the resources that I have in hand. The fact that I am now in Argentina doesn’t mean I am not coming back there one day.
What kind of artistic atmosphere does Venezuela have and which ones would be the differences and similarities compared to Argentina?
I just got here, so I am going through an assimilation process and getting to know Buenos Aires. I know these months go a bit slow regarding to the artistic activities in this city that is why I don’t have a parameter of comparison.
Many things in Venezuela are being generated in terms of music and art; although is not always given to them the necessary importance and economic resources, what makes really difficult to work as an artist.
Buenos Aires is a bigger place than Caracas; there are more museums, galleries and different cultural activities, so I think the cultural lifestyle is much more intense and diverse.
How do you think is the contemporary art seen in Argentina?
I believe contemporary art is more persuasive and sometimes difficult to understand than other kind of art: this one keeps up with the speed of the times that is the reason why it can be sometimes a bit weird for the spectator. Also the artist nowadays goes out and confronts the audience, something that never happened before. The contemporary art has more intention. But slowly the people are getting more interested in what up to date is, it calls your attention and reflects a new thinking.
Has Argentina been in someway affected by external factors?
Until now I haven’t had the chance to look around in Argentina, I just got to know a little the city of Buenos Aires, that in fact is enormous: on each corner there are thousand things to see and hear. I go with my bike or on the bus looking up the buildings, the inside of the houses, people’s behavior, etc. This is a place where the ideas flow and you have to find time to work on them.
Of course, maybe could be also that feeling when everything is new for you, the reason why I see all so different; in a few months I will have a better perspective.
What I’ve seen and it seems stunning to me, it is the industrial past of this country: its machines, old industries, the railway system, cranes, harbors, etc. On the environment I feel like something big that vanished. There is a melancholic tone with the industrial past and the traces of that time are on every corner of the city. There is nothing better to distinguish Buenos Aires than tango; I had never understood the drama or the theater of this dance until I got here. Tango represents very well, that thing that disappeared.
How would you describe your work in a general way?
For me, what I do is very personal. The pieces I make, my drawings and images are a way or excuse to go on catharsis, to balance myself and meditate. These methods help me learn and remember new things and past events.
My work is a constant search for equilibrium between thought and nature; among the human being who looks forward to his future and only takes care of his money accounts and the other one who walks barefoot and tries to listen to his heart. They are two different worlds and they need from each other to survive.
Regarding to your artwork, what kind of artistic technique or subject do you feel more comfortable and identify to work with?
When it comes to sculpture I identify more with assembling. With this technique you can find the perfect equilibrium between the material’s addition and subtraction, while I use material to put the pieces in place, at the same time I keep on adding elements which finally will create the all figure.
In my drawings I use the spot as an organizer of lines and forms. There is nothing in a spot and all at the same time. While I am drawing I like to think that every human been is a little spot, we are nothing, but when we see a society of little points, we are able to see the whole form.
How would you describe your working experience with the sculpture in Québec?.
That experience will be in my memory forever. It was something dauntless and experimental as well. We had never worked under such a temperature, also never with that material (ice) and format. We got there thinking we could work on it, with the sketch we had made and then we would get used to the material and tools and in the process things could change. It is really difficult to do exactly what you’ve planed before, also you have to understand and listen to other external factors, because in the end I think the creation is organic, I mean, it is the process that matters, not the end of it. Being already there we realized the contest was not designed that way, it was a bit stricter. It was very funny, because we did not even had the model or the plans of the project.
So we decided to do it, with the greatest similarity to the model we could remember; of course we were open to some changes, we only wanted to finish our duty. The first day we claimed up the amazing block and simply started to sculpture according to what we remembered. That same day at noon we had sculptured the half of it, while the other groups would keep measuring, doing the diagrams and drawing on the blocks. Finally after 5 days of work, we finished the artwork. We were satisfied when we concluded the work, but for our surprise we won two of the 6 awards of the contest. The experience with the sculptors and other participants was really gorgeous.
How has it been for you to build an artistic career in Buenos Aires?
I just getting started with my artistic career, even though I have participated in some art shows and expositions in an individual and collective way; it is that I go out and face the world.
I have a PhD in art, I graduated in the year 2007 on December 15th and a week later I was in Buenos Aires. I wish I could afford my life here with my art. I feel positive and willing to do and share many things. I am glad of being of the city where my parents grew up and of where I was as child. I believe is time in which one I am meeting again my family, a meeting with the past, with a strong culture.
Now I have to get in touch with the galleries, introduce myself, commercialize my art work, etc. Put a price to my work is not easy, but I am aware that this is an important stage which I have to learn in order to close the circle between the art work, the artist and the public.
Is/art there any admirable artist(s) you, and has this in some way influenced your work?
Yes, definitely, I believe any artist admirable. Some of them that I remember are, Archimboldo, El Bosco, Vincent Van Gogh. About sculptors I could mention Rodin Brancusi, Joan Miro, Nogushi, Theo Jansen, Andy Goldwoth, Chillida, etc. The list is long, and each day new wonderful and interesting proposals are added.
Among the artists that have had left a trail on me, some of them are, Jean Tinguely, because of his work’s movement, Alexander Calder because of his balance and Marcel Duchamp for including the viewer into the artwork.
What is your personal goal as an artist?
To be able to afford myself with my art. Focus my energy as per the art work leading requirements. I think the artwork is like a little child; if you don’t pay attention to him, then you will get your own back.
With my proposals I expect to produce concerns, intrigue, to make the people think in order to generate new ideas. I believe art should be for the benefit of mankind, I mean, so it will generate and activate positive and creative attitudes in human been.
I agree with that kind of art, so I intend to go on that direction. I like to contribute for human beings something to raise himself, to make him feel useful, unique and connected to his own environment and people.
How difficult do you think it is to have a personal success in the field of art in Latin America and/or abroad?
I really don’t know art’s field abroad and about Latin America I just know Caracas and Buenos Aires. Talking in general way, I know it is a competitive environment where you can find opportunistic people, when sometimes to have contacts is more important than the artwork itself.
In the end each person is responsible of himself. In my case I don’t look for fame or fortune, for me a personal success is related to how I feel about my work. I feel wonderful when I finish a piece, I touch it, I make it move and stay still staring at it until it stops. Then I like to show it to the people, see their faces and ask what they feel about it and what they think or imagine it is, etc.
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Does contemporary art have the opportunity of being accepted and supported by the people in Latin America?
The 20th century had a cultural importance. The artists of the early and mid century made art available for everybody. The artworks don’t have to be cast in bronze or carved in marble, now any other material is valid in order to create. It happens the same regarding to the themes and the resources that are used through the process.
If with all this plus the fact that the first world is nowadays looking forward to Latin America and Asia (trying to find fresh air) and also the internet and communication networks, I believe art is taken place in all sectors and not only in one how it used to be.
Slowly art is being more supported by people. I think the important thing is to invest in education and positive values. Somehow, someday mankind will realize that money is not the most important value for society and will look at others such as family, honesty, etc, it takes long time although. Things that grow slowly have solid bases, while the ones that do it fast, break fast down.
An artist is born or made by the process?
Duchamp used to say that everybody can become an artist. In my case, I don’t agree with that. As I said already before, I think to be an artist is not a profession like the others, it is a way of life: in the way you can observe, make and express what you just saw. But it is a fact, doesn’t matter how good you are, it can go to waste if you don’t work on it. Among work and constancy is where the being exits.
Is art a process of thought and/or an inspiration?
I think art is both. Picasso said: “I work in my workshop, so when the inspiration arrives it will find me working”; this sentence says everything. If you are working on something and aware of what you are doing, that is enough to have a source of thought and new ideas. When the new ideas don’t come it is because the job is getting done in a mentally and physically way.
Personally, when I don’t feel comfortable about a sculpture or just tired, I start to do something else, like to read a book, clean the workshop up, or simply I put the screws in order. It is like turn the switch and change the energy frequency. Then I go back to what I was doing so everything flows better.
Is for an artist the professional education important?
Of course. Information connects people. I believe an artist must know very well his environment in order to understand it and feel it on better level. Another form of education is the one that you get with the practice, not only at the class room or university, and the first one requires much more discipline and organization than the second one.
I think a title does not make the artist, what makes the artist with the time is a mix of both things.
What kind of personal qualities and/or educational ones, does an artist need?
Naivety, to be able to ask himself, curiosity, to research and experiment, and also working constancy.
On what is success based for an artist?
In my opinion, a successful artist is the one who achieve to get feed-back from the public. The contact with people is the culmination of the creation’s circle, such as it would be the applause of the audience for a musician. I think is no worth it just to produce over and over again, and never go out an share your idea’s world with the rest of the people. An artist must be a reflex of his time and society.
I remember I was really satisfied when I made the opening of my last individual sample.
That night, a person who I did not know came to me and said: “I don’t know why, but I want one of those pieces for my living”. The next day as a came back to the art exhibition, there was a woman sitting on the floor with her children and drawing with them the sculptures, these tiny little details, are the ones that motivate myself and inspire me to keep on creating art. I believe, this is what success means, is not a bank account balance.
Does an artist have to be prepared to defend his work with technical and professional concepts and/or language?
I think the artist must be aware of his situation, I mean he must know what his historical background is, must know about his influences, a bit about history, etc, but not to defend his work, but himself. An artist’s work and trajectory must support each other by them selves. I consider artwork itself has an open language, it means, it generates to each person different meanings. Sometimes the spectator is able to see elements in it that the author isn’t. When the creator talks about his work, is talking about his particular point of view, closing the possibility of dialog to itself, therefore people will interpret it only from the author’s point of view.
Do the theme and composition of the artwork must be planed ahead or can they assume shape during the process?
Everyone works in the way she/he feels more comfortable. There are certain artworks that must be planed with time because of its format, complexity or because there are several people involved working on it. In my case I don’t have a plan. Some time ago I used to make sketches of the pieces; I work now in free style: Now I accept the changes, coincidences that come during the process, I work with organic matter, which one has a different reaction and behavior. Several times I tried to work with a wooden trunk I found on the street, making the sketch of it, but as soon as I sculpted it, the final piece turned to be something completely different as I thought. The reason of it is, we couldn’t know everything, we must learn to listen to the matter, accept the coincidences and simply not be so proud about the way we think.
I do think when a bridge has to be done, it has to be planned from the beginning, but when it comes to art, the creation of process is much more organic.
Are the school of life, experiences, important factors for an artist?
Yes, there is no doubt about it. The artist leaves a trace on each painting, sculpture or picture. In my opinion is impossible to create something if is not made honestly and spontaneously. It must come from the bottom of your heart. Every experience leaves a trace on everyone in different ways.
I think I got to this point, thanks to the things I’ve been through, like gardening, engineering, aviation and even the pottery classes I took as a child; all this left a trace on me. This is what is known as the personal language of an artist; the elements are used, the matter, the way of working; all of this is determined by a specific reason, which ones are embodied in the artwork itself.
