Brushes of sincerity with Carlos Blanco Artero
In a short interview at Palazzo Mora, Spanish artist Carlos Blanco Artero shares the unique experience of exhibiting at the European Cultural Centre, being this a place where many renowned artists, galleries and museums have shown their works and where the curatorial team has shown great dedication before and during the exhibition, as perceived through the artist’s eyes.
Art has been an important part of his life. Ever since he was a kid, Carlos Blanco loved to paint and already at six years old he began to build what would become his artistic career: starting with a children's art school, doing his first exhibition at nine years old, inscribing into an academy focusing where he began to experiment with pastel and painting, until completing an arts education in his hometown in Zaragoza, Spain, and assisting a known sculptor in his studio.
Today, Carlos is a curious artist, one that doesn’t view art as having a particular objective nor does he personally have only one focus. “Art has many possibilities, it does not end at some point because if it does have a specific goal, what happens after?”, asks the artist. Therefore, he allows himself to explore and find inspiration in all aspects of his surrounding. His passion includes a particular interest in the human shape and its multiple deformations, as well as the play between the visual impressions of art combined with music and sound. In fact, at Personal Structures his work Overdose does just that. By combining multiple colours and tones, Carlos’ artwork manages to capture all senses: viewers immerse themselves into the painting, triggering a journey through the eyes. Moreover, the exhibited work is a piece of himself, of his life experiences, influences and memories. “My life and work are one of the same. It is all in my work because it is me”, says Carlos.
Carlos Blanco Artero
When thinking back, Carlos remembers some of his biggest references, among which stands out Pablo Picasso, both because of his nonconformity as an individual and his hardworking legacy as an artist. Yet, in Carlos’ paintings, you can find traces of many other creative minds, from the brushes of Twombly and the shapes of Picabia to the brushstrokes of Kooning and the waterfalls of Pat Steir. These references inspire the artist, as do his own life experiences.
With sincerity and dedication, Carlos places and imprints memories and lived moments onto his canvases. Each work requires dedicated attention and has a complexity of its own. This particular work, Overdose, in fact, reflects on something the artist experienced while in Berlin: “Overdose is the pictorial materialisation and a metaphor of a real live event, of an overdose, which can be read in the painting from the bottom up. The bottom is filled with clear, delimited shapes whereas the shapes on the top are blurrier, resonating the effects that cause alcohol and drugs. Moreover, all the shapes guide you to the top and, if you follow them, you reach the white surface, symbolising death”.
'Overdose' by Carlos Blanco | Photo credits: Federico Vespignani
For the artist, allowing to travel through the painting is essential. In this particular case, it tells a story, but for Carlos Blanco, the story goes beyond that frame. “As a painter, my dream would be that in the future my paintings may be able to trigger certain emotions and actions in the viewer, the same way it happened to me when I saw Picabia at the MoMA in New York City. These are key moments that can change your life moving forward”.
You can visit Carlos Blanco’s installation at Palazzo Mora until the 27th of November or discover his work by exploring the virtual tours online. Discover more about the artist on his profile online or website.