| Leah Oates: You have an upcoming solo show at Charles Cowles Gallery in June. Can you give us a preview of what you will be showing, and, since this is a big show for any artist, tell us how you are preparing mentally? Pepe Villegas: I met Charles Cowles almost a decade ago through mutual artist friends, though for many years the idea of an exhibition in his prestigious gallery was just a far-fetched illusion. Ever since I was a child, I dreamed of becoming an artist in New York City. It was a romantic idea that has manifested itself in an unconventional way. Last year, I decided to step up to the plate, and I asked Charles Cowles to review my latest work. He kindly agreed and we set up a date. He and his gallery director showed up, contemplated my work, and asked me if I wanted to show it in the gallery. Of course I didn’t hesitate to say yes. |
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Leah Oates speaks to Pepe Villegas about her upcoming solo show at Charles Cowles Gallery in New York.
Leah Oates: You have an upcoming solo show at Charles Cowles Gallery in June. Can you give us a preview of what you will be showing, and, since this is a big show for any artist, tell us how you are preparing mentally?
Pepe Villegas: I met Charles Cowles almost a decade ago through mutual artist friends, though for many years the idea of an exhibition in his prestigious gallery was just a far-fetched illusion. Ever since I was a child, I dreamed of becoming an artist in New York City. It was a romantic idea that has manifested itself in an unconventional way. Last year, I decided to step up to the plate, and I asked Charles Cowles to review my latest work. He kindly agreed and we set up a date. He and his gallery director showed up, contemplated my work, and asked me if I wanted to show it in the gallery. Of course I didn’t hesitate to say yes.
The proposed exhibition, The Will of an Epoch, consists of the first series of an assemblage of architectural iconic structures that exemplify the consciousness of a moment in modern society. The title of this series was inspired by a quote by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, who envisioned a need for an architecture expressive of his time.
The eight structures I selected were singled out as emblems of Contemporary Architecture. My intention was to personalize and immortalize a visual presentation of these landmarks, vibrantly highlighting them in their urban context by using vivacious colors applied from curious angles, resulting in a provocative ensemble. In order to celebrate and acknowledge the iconic relevance of these structures, we need to anchor ourselves psychologically in the liveliness of a city, in its social and economic transformations.
Right now, I am living each day with gratitude and excitement in the eve of the show. The gallery is mostly in charge of the event preparations, which is a big change for me since I’ve been my own producer, creative director, marketing person, and publicist all this years with the help of my partner Romulo. I believe that this exhibition is an affirmation of the authenticity of what I do, what I love, and what inspires me.
LO: I really like your photographs of people because they are beautiful but present unconventional ideas about beauty. Please tell me what you find beautiful about this work.
PV: All my life I’ve been memorized by the photography of National Geographic. One of my biggest passions in life is to see the world and to be exposed to human diversity, to understand where our differences come from. In one of my travels, as I was trekking the rice paddies of Ubud in Bali, I came across a group of elderly women. I saw the beauty of their simple and gentle way of living. I was taken back to those images in National Geographic and decided to capture a moment that I thought at the time was only something to keep for my memory. The result was a haunting yet joyous portrait of a woman smiling, filled with love despite her bad teeth. This moment inspired my mantra, I Choose to See Only with Eyes of Love, which I apply to all my projects as well as to my personal life. I believe that no matter how different we appear to be, we are all beautiful.
LO: How long have you been an artist? Some artists begin as engineers and end up as sculptors and no two artists have the same path. What was yours?
PV: I’ve been an artist since I can remember. I loved to draw pencil eyes on my desk at school, which got me into occasional trouble. As a teen in Puerto Rico, I did some acting for TV commercials and variety shows. I’ve always had an inclination for performing, for anything that has to do with self expression, though growing up I was steeped in an environment filled with too many expectations and too little encouragement. In my last year of high school, filled with vocational uncertainty, I decided to go to Architecture School since it seemed to be aligned with my artistic inclinations, though my young heart wanted to be an actor. I graduated from Pratt Institute School of Architecture and had the good fortune to work for I.M. Pei right after college. It was a unique experience, but my urge to be creative and “out there”, to interact with people away from the corporate world, lead me to move to Miami and work for a smaller and more intimate company. While dining in a restaurant one day, I was approached by an agent from a renowned agency in South Beach, who introduced me to Bruce Weber, and he was interested in using me for an editorial. That was the path that began my passion for traveling and connecting with fascinating people from all over the world. I did my first official painting in 1994 after moving back to New York, and ever since then my creativity has manifested itself in multiple mediums.
My inspiration comes from absorbing the now that surrounds me: that’s what triggers me. I utilize whichever medium brings forth the vision in an authentic and clear way. Sometimes I incorporate my writings with my videos and photographs. I also enjoy collaborating with other artists.
LO: What makes photography a unique medium compared to older ways of working, such as painting and sculpture?
PV: Photography, historically, has been the medium to capture and document a moment in time. It captures a timeless, memorable still image, light and shadows, and the perceived reality of the form in a more accurate and accessible manner than any other medium. There is nothing like a great photograph, though they take away nothing from a masterful painting.
Photography also has the potential of being manipulated to create gorgeous or haunting effects. Technology has brought unconventional experimentation to my individual process. You can take a camera anywhere! Photography, as well as video art, are the most contemporary and popular mediums of today.
LO: Who are your favorite artists and why?
PV: This is a challenging question; it’s like asking me who’s my favorite parent. I love them both for who they are! Many artists have inspired me. While in architecture school, I loved Leonardo Da Vinci, Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio, Le Corbusier, and Santiago Calatrava, for their sensibility of space and their artistic versatility. I admire the work of American artists like Andy Warhol and the provocative imagery of Francis Bacon. I’m also inspired by photographers like Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, Robert Capa, and Irving Penn for their masterful techniques and their artistic integrity. And of course, I have to note the genius works of Nan Goldin and the humanitarian portraits of Sebastiao Salgado.
LO: What do you think of the current art scene in New York?
PV: To be honest with you, I am not very much into the art scene. My life is my art scene with all its drama, its success, its liveliness, its criticism and its diverging opinions, though I feel fortunate to be welcomed into the Charles Cowles artistic tribe. I support like-minded creative people, and I celebrate their success. Living in Chelsea for a long time, I have witnessed the transformation of the art scene since the SoHo period, where openings were notorious for their glamour the magnetism they exuded for fashionable personalities. Nowadays, I choose to see an exhibition on a weekday instead of an opening night. There is, in my opinion, a movement for more originality, and influential powerhouses are coming from abroad. Chinese and Latin American artists are being noticed and recognized for their socio-political commentary. There is a lot to be said since our world is experiencing great transitions and great transformations in consciousness.
LO: What advice would you give to emerging artists in NYC?
PV: Do what you love no matter what others say or think. Imagine yourself doing it successfully. New York City is a center of energy and creativity, and it’s at your disposal. Be honest and truthful to your personal journey; be who you are. Donate art to benefits and charity auctions that support causes you believe in. Listen to opinions and criticism without taking anything too seriously and personally. Surround yourself with fellow artists, people that support you unconditionally.
LO: What projects or shows will you be working on in 2008-09?
PV: Besides my exhibition at Charles Cowles in June, I am planning to enlarge the series The Will of an Epoch and to keep documenting architectural landmarks wherever life takes me. At the moment, I am working on an audio-visual photo documentary, a la Goldin, that portrays extraordinary individuals from New York City. My goal is to turn it into a book with images, text, and of course, a fabulous happening.
