PEDRO PARICIO: INTERVIEW 7/19/2010 9:05:03 PM
How did you get into painting?
Since I was a child I have drawing. I was a very nervous kid and my mother discovered that she could only rest by giving me some drawing tools. I never thought about an artist career until just a few months before I went to college. To be honest the thing that called my attention was the freedom that society gives to the artist. When you are an artist, society lets you do things that if it weren’t for arts sake, you would be considered crazy. I don’t come from an artist family so my idea of the artist life was taken from cinema and novels. The truth was that I choose art because I wanted to choose a different life. When I went into art I didn’t know too much about painting because I studied science in high school. After, I fortunately discovered how big and wonderful art could be thanks a nice teachers. I think that maybe my reasons for art was not good in the beginning… but art and painting now is the most important thing in my life. This is the important thing. It is not important how you arrive at a place… the important thing is what will you do there and how much time will you be there. I can not imagine myself doing something else. When I am happy I go to see art. When I am sad, I go to see art. When I see a nice painting, I am in a hurry to create a nice painting too.
How is the art scene in Spain?
Small. Also there is a divide between traditions and “snob” thinkers. People pass from 70´ or 80´ to the last cool fashion illustrator. Also the private market is small. The worst is that the public institutions don´t support painting because those directors live in 70´ theories about death of painting and art is only like an utilitarian tool. How can people still today think that painting is dead or irrelevant?
Are you a painter alone? What other areas do you investigate?
Theory, I love to read theory and write essays. During a time, when I was at Fine Art College, I thought to be art critic-curator before being an actual artist. Sometimes I have thought about exploring some other roads but the truth is that painting is infinite so there are infinite ways for exploring inside. Also, works in other media is like say “Painting is not enough to tell what I want” and that is like a surrender under technology and trendy times. I am a painter, only a painter.
What has been the most challenging aspect up to this point in your career?
Let go of everything to be a full time painter in 2008. Its hard for a young painter but when your pursuing a dream you should bet all for a unique card. And if you should renounce from some caprice and facilities you should do it.
Where could someone view you work?
At my web site: www.pedroparicio.com. In a great book that Laurence King Publishing will publish in January 2011. It has been curated by Francesca Gavin, one of the most interesting and important international young art critics. She has selected 100 young artists around the world for this book.
What has your experience been with galleries?
In general, nice. Actually I have two wonderful Spanish gallerists who are great people and take care of me: Basilio Muro in Valencia and Fidel Balaguer in Barcelona.
What contemporaries you feel you connect to most these days?
To connect, I don´t know… but a lot which I consider interesting: Miquel Barceló, Daniel Richter, Gerard Richter, Tuc Luyman, Albert Ohelen, Marlene Dumas, Kippenberger, Thomas Schütte, Schnabel…