You’ve lived in Cuba, France, Chile, and Argentina. How have these places shaped the way you see and depict the world?
My experiences living in Cuba, France, Chile, and Argentina have profoundly shaped my artistic perspective, and it’s a fascinating journey for me to articulate how these diverse cultures instinctively weave their way into my practice.
You can see it most immediately in my use of vibrant, tropical colours and in my choice to work with recovered canvases and scarce materials. This isn’t just an aesthetic; it’s a reflection of Latin American resourcefulness and the beautiful simplicity of having precisely what’s needed, a concept deeply rooted in my childhood.
Language, too, plays a significant role. The titles of my paintings fluidly shift between French, Spanish, and English, three languages I use daily and often playfully intertwine. This linguistic blend mirrors the rich tapestry of my life experiences.
My art also expresses a deep engagement with the natural world, particularly my enduring love for the ocean. Having always lived near it, I consider it my oxygen. This connection is palpable in my Carnets de Mer series, which explores imaginary algae.
Furthermore, my personal history of exile imbues my art with a political dimension. However, I choose to express this not through overt statements, but through a poetic alchemy. My aim is to transform my past into a healed legacy, contributing to the peaceful and kind times I believe we all so desperately need.
You often incorporate salvaged fabrics and found objects. What draws you to these materials, and do they carry stories of their own?
There’s a unique joy in discovering found objects – each one represents a singular moment of serendipity. Working with these materials is fundamentally an ecological practice for me, challenging the constant cycle of consumption. Rather than purchasing new supplies, I seek to find or exchange objects, which becomes an exercise in creative adaptation. Each discovered item invites me to work around its inherent qualities, to discover its potential, and ultimately to adopt it into my artistic language.
This approach emerged during a profound period of personal healing. During one of many heartbreaks in my life, I experienced a meditative realisation that I no longer wanted to participate in wasteful practices. This epiphany has guided my artistic process ever since. I’m driven by a desire to salvage not just objects, but relationships, special moments, and the preciousness of life itself.
My practice reflects a commitment to transforming what already exists into something of greater value, both personally and socially. By working with discarded materials, I’m demonstrating what we might take for granted versus what we can truly appreciate. It’s a visual testament to the possibility of living harmoniously with our surroundings, finding beauty and purpose in what others might overlook.
Your illustrative acrylic paintings are among your most recognised works. What is it about this medium and style that continues to engage you?
While my paintings have evolved towards increasing abstraction, my illustrative acrylic works remain the foundation of my artistic practice. Initially, I was drawn to representing tangible elements of our world – humanity and natural forms like plants, flowers, and seaweeds – subjects that reflect my environmental concerns and connection to nature.
With time and artistic maturation, I’ve allowed myself greater freedom in my process. I’ve come to trust that my commitment to humanity and environmental preservation is inherently expressed through my work, regardless of how literal the representation might be. This realisation has shifted the balance in my practice. The illustrative elements now take less prominence, while spontaneous movement and instinctual expression have gained significance.
My current approach often begins with pure abstraction, allowing colours that reflect my emotional state – predominantly warm tones like pink, red, and orange – to emerge organically. I then build complexity through a distinctive layering technique: applying multiple coats of acrylic paint to fabric, varying between watery washes and thick impasto, before pressing the painted fabric onto plastic surfaces containing residual paint from previous works. When I separate the materials, the colours transfer in unpredictable ways, creating rich, surprising textures that become the foundation for further exploration.
Within these abstract foundations, I occasionally introduce subtle, recognisable elements – an eye, a leaf, a flower, an algae form, a human feature, or what I call ‘the hand of a seaweed’ – creating a delicate balance between figuration and abstraction. This dynamic interplay between control and chance, representation and abstraction, continues to engage me as I explore the possibilities of organic forms through my evolving acrylic technique.
How do you see the role of the artist in an increasingly globalised world?
The artist’s role in our complex, globalised landscape is to delve deeply into emotions and experiences, producing original expressions that resonate authentically. By tapping into our unique inner worlds, we create art that has the power to inspire others to engage with their own feelings and express themselves in respectful, loving, and passionate ways.
In this sense, I increasingly view artists as healers and catalysts for connection. We have the ability to open eyes and hearts, fostering profound emotional experiences that help individuals reconnect with one another and with nature. In a time of division, our creativity becomes a force for healing, encouraging compassion and understanding.
Art manifests in myriad forms; through vibrant colours, dynamic brushstrokes, dance, poetry, music, and the simple act of sharing in community. Each of these expressions promotes contemplation and reflection, nurturing our collective humanity.
By engaging with various types of artwork, we refine our perceptions and deepen our connections to the world around us. Ultimately, our role as artists is to embody kindness, open our arms to others, and embrace the full spectrum of human experience through our creative endeavours.