Majo Portilla
In your work, you seamlessly blend elements from your Latin heritage with a broader contemporary aesthetic. Can you describe a specific moment or experience that crystallized your unique style? How do you balance cultural specificity with universal appeal in your art?
The crystallization of my artistic style occurred organically over time. It's a process of exploration, experimentation, and introspection.
It’s difficult to pinpoint a particular moment of inspiration, but definitely in trips back to Guatemala, I have always realized the power of my colorful Latin heritage and its potential to resonate in a contemporary context.
As for balancing cultural specificity with universal appeal, this is indeed a delicate dance. The key is to stay authentic to my own voice and experiences while making sure my work connects on a human level. This can be achieved by focusing on shared emotions, experiences, and themes that are universally understood, regardless of cultural background. For instance, themes of love, betrayal, struggle, joy, and the pursuit of identity are universal, yet can be explored through the lens of my unique Latin heritage.
I think as an artist, I am both a mirror and a window - reflecting my own experiences while offering a view into a world others may not know. So, I continue to portray my unique perspective, as it will resonate with those who see, feel, and understand my vision, irrespective of their cultural background.
You often use acrylics in your paintings, known for their vibrant colors and quick drying times. Can you discuss a particularly challenging piece you created with this medium? What technical difficulties did you face, and how did you overcome them?
Acrylics, pose a challenge, especially for artists who are accustomed to the slow drying nature of oils. This quick-drying property means that you must work swiftly if you wish to blend colors on the canvas.
In my experience, the "wet into wet" technique assists with blending on the canvas. I actually use acrylics because I prefer definitely the quick drying properties, and instead of seeing it as a challenge, I see it as the perfect opportunity to work quick and come out with unique mixes and textures thanks to this technique.
Remember, in art as with anything in life, overcoming challenges often involves a mix of technical understanding, experimentation, and adaptation. Every challenge is an opportunity to learn and grow in your craft.
Looking back over your career, how has your artistic approach and style evolved from your early days to now? Are there any phases or experiments you undertook that were pivotal in shaping your current direction?Your works are charged with emotion and a palpable sense of energy. Could you share your process for capturing and conveying these intense emotions through your art? How do you ensure these feelings resonate with your audience?
To capture emotion, I often tap into my own experiences and feelings. I immerse myself in these emotions, thus allowing them to authentically express these on canvas. It could involve reliving certain memories, playing specific music, or even creating in certain moods or settings to elicit the desired emotions.
As for conveying these emotions to the audience, several elements can play a role. The choice of colors, for instance, are often associated with certain feelings. Bright, warm colors might convey joy and energy, while cooler or darker tones might evoke a sense of melancholy or calm. The use of lines and forms can also communicate emotion. Bold, jagged lines might express anger or tension, while soft, flowing forms might suggest calm or tranquility.
Lastly, my goal is not to make the audience feel exactly what I felt, but rather to provoke an emotional response, to make them feel something. As the old wisdom goes, art is not always about representing the world as it is, but as it feels.
As an artist, I am the conduit for these emotions, channeling my experiences and feelings into my work in a way that allows others to connect with it and feel those emotions for themselves. This is the power of art.
Having received several prestigious awards, how do these accolades affect your artistic journey? Do they influence your creative decisions or the way you approach new projects?
Receiving an award can indeed have a profound impact on an artist's career. It's a validation of talent and hard work, and it can open up new opportunities for exposure and collaborations that might not have been previously available.
However, with this recognition can also come a certain degree of expectation. I do sometimes feel pressure to maintain the level of quality recognized by the awards, or adhere to a particular style or theme that earned the accolade.
I use these recognitions to push my boundaries and explore new creative territories. I see it as a confirmation that my work resonates with others, and gives me confidence to take risks and innovate.
Ultimately, It's a delicate balance between using the recognition as a source of motivation and not letting dictate my artistic vision.
As a Latin artist in the global art scene, how do you see your role in terms of representing and advocating for Latin culture through your art? Do you feel a responsibility to tackle certain themes or issues within your work?You are known for your innovative approach to art. Can you talk about a recent experiment in your art-making process? What new techniques or materials are you currently exploring?
The use of eco-friendly and sustainable materials is on the rise, reflecting the growing environmental consciousness in society. I like creating works with biodegradable materials, recycled items, and natural pigments, contributing to the discourse on sustainability in a unique way. In my Studio nothing goes to waste.
The drive to experiment and innovate is at the core of my artistic expression. As an artist, I am part of this grand tradition of pushing boundaries and challenging conventions. Hopefully I will continue to contribute to the ever-evolving tapestry of Art.
What impact do you hope your art has on viewers and on the art world in general? Looking forward, what kind of legacy do you wish to leave through your artworks?
I often hope that my work will provoke thought, evoke emotion, and foster a deeper understanding or appreciation of the world around us. I aspire to inspire, to challenge, to comfort, to disrupt, to question, and to celebrate. Through my work, my aim is to engage viewers in a dialogue - not just with the work itself, but with themselves and the world they inhabit.
I seek to push boundaries, challenge conventions, and open new pathways for artistic exploration. I hope to leave a mark not just with my individual works, but through influencing future generations of artists.
Looking forward, the legacy I hope to leave can be as unique as my artistic voice. I wish to be remembered for the emotion I brought into the world through my art.
I hope I touched lives, shifted perspectives, and contributed somehow to an emotional creative expression.
Could you discuss any past or upcoming collaborations that have significantly influenced your work? How do collaborations with other artists or different art forms shape your creative outlook?
My collaborations, have significantly shaped my artistic path. Collaborations often bring fresh perspectives, inspire new ideas, and open up new avenues for exploration.
In my case, ZeeArts Gallery provided a platform to showcase my work to a wider audience, creating opportunities for exposure and recognition. Collaborating with them provided valuable feedback and insight into my work from experienced art professionals, which influenced my creative outlook.
Moreover, ZeeArts fostered in my life a sense of community among artists, encouraging dialogue and exchanges of ideas. These interactions sparked new inspirations, challenged my existing perspectives, and stimulated priceless creative growth.
In terms of legacy, it contributed to public recognition, and helped me through initiatives like ‘SDG’s Through Arts’ to be able to influence and create awareness in the world through United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This last one in the UN Hub and in Basel, have been one of the highlights of my artist's career, leaving a lasting mark on my journey.
With your art being featured in prominent publications and exhibited internationally, what are your aspirations for the next phase of your career? Are there specific projects, locations, or themes you are eager to explore?
After achieving recognition and international exposure, my aspirations have to do with breaking free of boundaries even further. I want to explore new themes in my work. Especially installation work, or even sculpture with recycled materials. The drive to keep evolving and innovating is with me every morning along with my first coffee.
Art can be a powerful medium for commentary and critique, and I want to use my work to highlight important issues, provoke thought, and inspire action.
Moreover, I want to influence the art world by mentoring younger artists, curating exhibitions, or even helping others to position themselves in the international art scene.
As for specific projects, locations, or themes, this would largely depend on where the wind takes me. Some will be in The Netherlands, which is where I’m currently based and very much involved through the Rotary Club Hilversum International and my own gallery. Stay put cause the next one will be big and related to Elephant conservation through EP.
In the end, the next phase of my artist's career is a reflection of my personal journey, my evolving interests, and aspirations for my art and the impact I want to make on the world.