Mauricio Ortiz interview
Mauricio Ortiz currently lives and works in London. We took a moment to catch up with him about life and his art. We initially met Mauricio as we digitised his paintings over the years, and soon enough, he became one of our favourite customers.
Was becoming an artist always the plan?
Yes, although I later realised that my creativity would not find complete resolution in painting, despite the fact it is via painting that imagination can find a miraculous expression unthinkable in other mediums. One example of this is the work of Hieronymus Bosch, where a whole world can be conveyed at a minimal expense: that falls into another creative medium, film, where paintings and literature enter a three-dimensional state. I find that film is the met successful creative medium and a perfect medium for storytelling.
How did you realise your passion for painting?
Painting is fundamental for creative people and can either be a tool for other mediums or an end in itself. Fashion designers, architects, and all creatives, for example, are painters and illustrators themselves but choose to specialise in more specific fields. My passion for painting is defined by its practicality and economy of resources, but it is an isolating experience and falls short of my creative ambitions.
I understand that you moved to London from Costa Rica; when did this happen?
I moved to London in 1989 with a Delfina Trust award.
How has this influenced or changed your work?
It’s been an education.
Do you feel that you still reference Costa Rica in your work?
Yes, some artists refer to their comfort zone in their work.
How do you think London shapes the UK contemporary art scene?
London is the Renaissance Florence of our era.
Tell me about your process. Has your practice changed over time?
My practice has been defined by London’s evolution and current trends in the past 25 years and I believe the same applies to others as one cannot function independently of the changing criteria of art merchants, studio space and other factors which define your path and circumstances
How long do you take to complete each piece?
My work is the equivalent of slow cooking.
How do you choose your subject matter? What/who are your main influences?
I’m influenced by Science, Natural History and Archaeology amongst other things.
Where does your interest in Cabinets of Curiosities stem from?
I’m interested in History, and a visual shortcut to it is the objects I see in Museums. These objects tell a story and convey a mood through the materials they are made from too, and so I have sought to share that with others somehow. The objects in museums were also made by artists, and I feel empathy with them.
How do you go about choosing the objects that feature in your paintings? How do you use these objects as symbols?
I intend these objects in my paintings as visual mantras.
You have been involved with several collaborative projects; maybe you could tell me why you choose to work on these types of projects. (E.g. with musicians, chefs etc.)
Painting is a lonely process I find engaging and collaborating with others expands my range and opens up new possibilities in the context of a bigger landscape.
I understand that although you are an artist, you also work/have worked in other creative areas such as art conservation, graphic design, set dressing, art directing and curating: Do you have a favourite?
Creative work as part of a team interests me to the extent it enables one to be part of London’s effervescent temperament, and it’s fun as a result.
Do you think it’s essential for artists to be involved in these areas while doing their work?
Definitely.
Would you class yourself as an established or emerging artist? Why?
Neither. My journey is not a straight line.
Do you think art has a role/responsibility in today’s society? If so, what is it, and how do you fit into this idea? Where do you think painting fits into the contemporary Fine Art world?
My philosophy runs parallel to the transmutation of values in the Fine Art World, where rules are defined by trends and money rules.
What project are you working on at the moment?
Surviving in London is my ongoing masterpiece and one which has required my complete attention. Life is Art.
Interview by Nazy Raouf.