ABSTRAIT, PRÉHISPANIQUE ET COLORÉ
28/04/2021
“I see myself with a greater presence in Europe, I think that my artistic development will increase as I get more challenges and more important commitments, it will evolve in a very natural way and obviously, this includes trying different materials.” Mexican self-taught artist, pioneer in fusing modern art with pre-Hispanic art and a member of diverse art associations: International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers headquartered in Paris, France Brazilian Association of Authors DireitosVisuais Society of Visual Arts Argentina Has given more than 20 interviews since 2006 in Mexico, Spain, Amsterdam and USA and has held more than 20 exhibitions in Mexico, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, USA and in 2015 will be in Paris, Rome and Austria.
Interview
Pebeo: How did you start painting?
Xavier: Since I was a kid I loved to draw, when I was a teenager I worked in an art gallery framing and then I realised that I was able to paint, my first work was a bison on a wooden base. I took the bison of a history book because I thought it was easy to paint and I used oil paint I found at home. I don’t have it anymore, I must gave it to someone.
Tell us about your style. How did it come about? How has it evolved?
I have 2 styles, one is purely abstract and the second one is a fusion of pre-hispanic and abstract art. The second one came aboutbecause I am passionate about Mexican archaeology and I thought it would be a great idea to combine the two. I started with this technique in 2006, just before my exhibition in New York, my first exhibition in this style was at the Colima’s University Art Gallery and called “Pre-Hispanic, Colour and Spaces”.
How would you define your art?
Original, colorful and unusual, it is contemporary art with Pre-Hispanic themes.
What feeling do you have about the colours that you use?
I love to think that my work is really characterised by colour, my intention is to bring joy with every work that I produce.
What inspires your creations?
Tranquility, I like not to be under any stress. Sometimes ideas and inspiration come to me while sleeping and I just wake up and go to paint so I don’t lose it.
What is the public response to your work and to your many exhibitions? Do you find a difference in Mexico compared to other parts of the world?
I am very fortunate to receive a good response everywhere, but I think that it is stronger overseas, probably because Mexican people are not so familiar with abstract art, actually, someone in Mexico once said to me “Here in Mexico, everybody paints Pre-Hispanic”.
What has been your best experience at an exhibition?
All my exhibitions have been fantastic experiences for me, but without a doubt the one which stands out was my exhibition in Amsterdam, as it was my first solo exhibition in Europe.
Where will your work be in a years’ time? Where are you going as an artist?
I see myself with a greater presence in Europe, I think that my artistic development willincrease as I get more challenges and more important commitments, it will evolve in a very natural way and obviously, this includes trying different materials.
How do you see the art world nowadays? Do you find any differences between the art in Latin America and the rest of the world?
I am particularly passionate about abstract art, and I can’t think of many differences between Latin America and the rest of the world, the only thing that comes to mind is that you have to struggle even more in Latin America if you want to stand out.
Who has inspired you?
There are a number of artists who have inspired me, Matisse, Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko.
What is your artistic ambition at the moment?
To work hard and to show my work wherever I can.
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