Your characters resemble creatures the Mayans could have drawn after one of their Peyote-fueled journeys, who are they and how did they emerge? Mayas, aboriginal Australians, indigenous tribes from all America, the Dogon people, Hindi Shadus, Tibetan lamas, is there any difference between them? None. It’s the huge space that exists since the dawn of time, a place that many eagerly wish to explore to bring back from it pure knowledge. It’s been over thirty years since I’ve been exploring it, in my own way, trying to capture it and share it. You highlight different cardinal points in the human body, such as the head, the heart and genitalia, is there a reason for this? Yes, those are the energetic centers within our body and soul, they are the ones that connect us with the world I’m talking about. Since some years back you’ve been in direct interaction with artists such as Shepard Fairley, due to your association with Obey, has that closeness inf luenced your conception of art? Shepard and I have many similar values, as well, throughout my life, I’ve been implied with the musical, artistic, politic and environmental icons he depicts in his works, as a mater of fact, working alongside Obey has helped me widen and share the message I belief myself; it helps me achieve fulfillment as an individual in this planet. Astronomy and celestial bodies; which formula situates the human being within the Universe? The study of astronomy and the celestial bodies give us a notion of what’s physical and what’s cosmic, a certain relativity that place us as beings in a tiny part within the cosmic immensity. Though we see ourselves physically small if we are compared at that macro-level, the formula that situates us is based upon a space in which dimensions are not measured in the same way, here we can travel with our thoughts-souls as far as we are capable of imagining. As a specie, what are we doing correctly and what are we doing wrong? Our perception of the world is mistaken, the capitalist paradigm that makes us all dependent on what’s material is going to lead us to crash and burn. Only a collective awakening of our planetary consciousness could stop it. Le Chien Vert: being different, feeling odd amidst others, makes you stronger? There’s no sense of strength in that, is just a fun way to present myself. Why are were you called The Green Dog? It comes from the classic Andalusian joke… Dude you’re stranger than a green dog. And it stuck: I translate it to the different languages I find myself fluctuating in. Peace, love, money, balance, the Universe, which is the most important symbology within your work? Money stands for everything that’s material and the slavery it imposes upon us. Though my perception tells me it’s not wrong per se as long as you have a positive and respectful mentality, it could be seen as some kind of fluid that allows us to fulfill our projects; of course selfishness would not be a part of the equation here. I think, and want to believe, that an equilibrium and
balance is possible, all that’s needed is daily personal and collective work and as a result a collective equilibrium can be reestablished. In one of your most recent exhibitions you did an outspoken criticism against real state speculation, what was it about? I participated in an event here in France called Art In House, which can be found with the hashtag #artinhouse. It was in the French Basque Country and important street and graffiti artists intervened. It was a real state developer who put the event together; he got the idea from previous examples. It’s well known that in many places around the globe, in order to re-evaluate lands, apartments or neighborhoods, the intervention of artists is pursued to attract attention and social approval. So, since I’m from the Basque Country (all other artists were from abroad), I noticed the house was named Irrintzina, which is the cry of battle of the Basque gudaris (warriors). I thought it was a good idea to work around that concept. Throughout the building stage I realized that there were many strong economic interests and that a luxury apartment complex was going to be built, the new name for the project would be California (quite a transition from Irrintzina to California!). I love my homeland; it has an ancient culture very important to me, so I believed I had to intervene. That’s why the characters I did were emitting cries, cries against the soaring speculation this region is suffering and that doesn’t allow locals to live worthily. Prices over the last twenty years have multiplied five or six times. Before a house was 100.000 euros, now, 600.000. But wages remain the same. Obviously my intervention resulted in a virulent controversy. Does your art serve as a means for criticism? It’s always relative to consciousness. On a personal level, I believe artists can, and must, by virtue of beautiful ideas, work to make the world a better place. When did you start painting and what was the motivation behind it? I started twenty-two years ago, it’s been inconsistently since my job limits the amount of time I have. With your daily routine filled with travels, how do you manage to find time to paint? Sometimes I decide not to postpone the creative process anymore, and I find time where there’s none. It’s crucial for me. Looking at the vast and creative artistic scene there is worldwide, I’ve realized I can contribute in some kind of way, no matter how small it is. What projects are you working on next? I’m working on a solo show opening in autumn 2016. This issue’s theme is SILENCE: which was the last event you remember that rendered you speechless? Macro-tragedies leave me speechless: earthquakes, genocides, wars. Though the small tragedies that happen every day have the same effect on me. Every day I carry out a conscious activity in silence, that offers me personal well being. It also limits the amount of times I find myself astonished and speechless due to the cruel reality imposed on us by wars, injustices and violent images of every kind, every day. Peace.
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