Vol.122_Ricardo Cavolo
Ricardo Cavolo
from Barcelona, Spain.
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Interviewed by Oh Jiyoung
Can you please tell us what kind of artist are you and as a person?
I think being an artist is something so intimate that the way you are as a person is the same way you are as an artist. So I can say I am very interested and passionate and critic about social politics. I’m also very sentimental and melancholic, but at the same time I am full of an amazing energy to create bold projects and statements.
I know you recently visited Korea.
Was it your first visit to Korea?
And what was the purpose.
Yeah, it’s been my first time, but not the last. I’m just in love with Korea and Seoul.
I had to go because of my wife, she is also an artist, had to go for a workshop, so I was there to take care of our son while she was working. So I had all the time to know better Seoul.
Your work is very impactful and stimulates fantasy. When you are working, is your work done through precise sketches and calculations in advance?
I don’t work usually on sketches.
I prefer to keep all my energy to spend it at the final piece. Of course I try to have ready most of that sketch in my mind, but I always keep some space just for improvisation while I’m working on the art piece.
The 'eyes' appears a lot in your work.
Is there any special reason?
Yes, the connection between the portrait and the people is much stronger. As a symbolic sense, I put those extra eyes as an exclamation mark to the people saying: “Hey, don’t go away, this portrayed person is someone really interesting, so pay attention to the rest of the symbols to discover more about him or her”.
What kind of 'theme' do you often talk about in your work?
I like to talk about the outsiders and minorities in our society. I like to show their magic and uniqueness and something linked with this. I also like to talk about social conflicts. Always using portraits for doing that.
It seems that you are really into music.
What musicians and songs have you been up to lately?
Yes, I need music as the air I breathe. Most of the music I listen while I’m working is rap. Lately I have been listening the new albums of Kanye West, Pusha T and ASAP Rocky and
I have discovered a music artist that it could be one of my favorites, 070 Shake.
It's hard to define, but what do you think of art?
I just like to describe it as “Expression” and it is really open. When the expression is deep and true you create a relationship with people in a very special way. To me, art is just expression about something I have inside.
What is most the important thing to you now?
My family. In the past my work was the most important thing of my life, and that’s wrong. You need to live a complete life as a human person (not as a worker), and then you will be able to say some interesting things with your art.
What do you feel and experience in the cities where you have been?
I love Koreans. They were extremely nice with me all the time. I also enjoyed so much the fashion in the streets, so elegant, and clean… It’s perfect. It was like peace and
joy to my eyes.
What are you planning for July this year?
This summer is going to be interesting, I’m travelling for work to Ibiza, Argentina, Uruguay, Singapore, Bali and Helsinki. The best part of it will be travelling with my family.