Interview with Fabián Perez
Fabián Perez | Argentine
Fabián Perez is an Argentine artist living in the city of Los Angeles since 1997. He left his hometown Campana, Buenos Aires at the age of 20 and began to travel the world in the searching of develop his artistic talent inherited from his mother. Over the years he has explored many different paths in his search for greater self expression and artistic truth. His tenacity and dedication have led him to be recognized at international level as one of the best portrait painters of the century and considered by the media as the best contemporary figurative artist of his generation. He has achieved important artistic recognitions internationally and his work is exhibited in exclusive galleries around the world. Fabian's art and style are unique, his art reflects passion, emotion and pure energy.
Fabian is the creator of a new style of painting that he called Neo Emotionalism. The artist expresses that this style will be recognized by the artists who at the end of a work can feel liberated and by the viewer when observing the work can feel the creation in their heart. Characterized by a dramatic narrative style and heady atmosphere, each of his works has a fascinating and unusual setting based on his own personal history.
Sally on the Couch
Contemporary Art Station: Tell us about how you got started. When did you know you wanted to be an artist?
I started drawing from a very young age. People would come to my parent's house and ask me to create portraits of them.
I never thought I could make a living as a painter. I thought that artists were only dead people. So when someone asked me the price for one of my paintings, I thought, "If I can sell one I can sell all of them." That's when I really started to pursue art.
CAS: What is your process like, from initial idea to the creation of the piece? Do you usually develop the idea for a project before you find the "canvas", or vice versa?
To develop the idea first in my head helps me paint with more determination. The more I paint and release ideas, the more I get inspired. When you paint and release you leave room for a new inspiration.
CAS: What do you love most about your creative process?
Neo-Emotionalism starts in the moment I decide to go to my studio, that’s the prelude to that sublime, almost magical moment. I go with determination, always alone. I choose the canvas I will paint on. I study a bit where to start, since I am not methodical. I choose the colors I will use, and once I put them on my palette I start “not thinking” or concentrating on what I’m doing, and I start painting from that state of mind that deepens as I go on. The result can be compared to that of an “alchemist”, since you start with relatively cheap materials that once combined they become something precious.
The Embrace II
CAS: What role does art and the artist play in the broader social conversation today?
I have never judged or analyzed either my technique or my subjects. When I work, I interpret what I see by exploring the essence of my creativity. I consider a painting “good” when it is genuine, and when it portrays the emotions of the artist through his work. Art should not be defined by its meaning, but by what it expresses. Many times, we don’t know what an artist wants to say in his work, yet we have a personal response to it which may be very strong. I would like my work to be appreciated by people with or without art knowledge.
CAS: Name a few of your favourite artists and influences.
One of my favorite artists is Pablo Picasso because of his versatility. He was capable of painting traditionally as the academies of art requested, and at the same time, he became an inspiration to the contemporary and conceptual artists. He was constantly working and improving his skills.
CAS: What is the best advice you received as an artist?
The best advice I got was to keep practicing to develop my art. My mentor was amazed at the quality of my work, especially since I was not copying from anything, it was all from my imagination. He encouraged me to paint.
El Reso
CAS: When did you discover your voice as an artist?
I have always painted from my imagination and my own path. I have always been influenced by the memory of my parents and childhood. My childhood together with the influence of my life experiences, has shaped me into the artist that I am today. I continue to grow and develop technique though practice and determination.
CAS: What advice would you give to emerging artists trying to find their own?
Art is an expression of emotion through some technique. When a painter transmits his emotions and feelings to the canvas, and one of those emotions is love, he paints even better. Clear goals, discipline and self-confidence. The more of these qualities an artist can gather, the further they will be able to go.
Thank you Fabián!
