Interview: Francisca Caballero
Luca Curci talks with Francisca Caballero during VENICE INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR 2021 at THE ROOM Contemporary Art Space.

My name is Francesca. I was born in the south of Spain. The most amazing thing is that since I was two years old I painted portraits on wooden furniture at home, or something similar. In early childhood, I was self-taught, because I wasn’t lucky to have good Art teachers. I loved painting figurative style and drawing. In my teens, I followed my inner need and passion for languages, that’s why I studied a university degree in English Philology and Phonetics and other languages as well. Only after that time, my passion and need for painting came back even stronger. So, I studied with excellent teachers and studied Teacher training of drawing and painting in Grassi conservatoire, developing the abstract expressionist technique using the power of color mainly, and establishing my style: the variety of styles, like for example the Classical Abstract Expressionism. I exhibited in some galleries and museums and now I’m working on new projects and future art fairs. “Talking about the artwork I have in the exhibition in the Venice International Art Fair 2021, I can say that according to the theme ‘future abstract landscape’, I decided to show “Unique virtual rose” using acrylic and palette knife. It’s an abstract expressionist interpretation of an arid field. I use simple diagonal lines of grey, black, yellow, orange, blue, and white to suggest a chaotic and rhythmic-expressive motion. Besides this, opposite colors, such as orange (which is the hot polluted air) and blue (the virtual screen) create a contrast unified with green flashes and analogous triad colors in the composition. And of course the red opposite color of the rose. The circle’s drops of the acid rain give rhythm as well. A classic aesthetic used to show a modern issue. I choose this deceit, virtual reality, and arid desert landscape because it’s not only a solution but also a problem. I mean, in a world full of pollution and poisoned air, wars and acid rains with extreme storms and climate changes, only virtual reality – in this case, this rose – would be the best choice of feeling the beauty of flowers: the virtual feeling of our senses. Virtual reality would be the only choice of what doesn’t exist. In fact, our landscape is full of dead plants, arid deserts, but we can be glad because we can see the beauty, being cheated but happy in a perfect and advanced world, only in our minds. We are being deceived by virtual reality to feel an alive-arid dead field and roses. We must be aware of the problem at least, and see it like a real problem not only a solution. It’s not my intention to prophesy future events but to show the true and hard reality, because this is not the future, this is our “now”. I try to share optimism with everyone using orange and warm colors with the pessimism exposed.

Luca Curci – What is art for you?
Francisca Caballero – Art for me is “what you feel inside and needs to be outside giving you inner strength, balance and sense of your life”.

LC – How did you get to your current artistic practice?
FC – The way I got to my current artistic practice was painting naturally, exploring and discovering new ways of expressions of emotions, looking for my own style, that is the “variety of styles”, although the style I’m showing in my artworks here is the Classical Abstract Expressionism.

LC – Where do you find your inspiration?
FC – Everything can inspire me: scenes of everyday life, people, nature. In fact, I can get inspiration easily. I think it is already inside me, and the outside activates it quickly.

LC – What is your creative process like?
FC – When I’m painting I feel I am a channel of creative energy, my mind is empty and of course I love to create the painting on the floor directly. I can feel alone and distant in the process even being around people.

LC – How is being an artist nowadays?
FC – Well, in the past it was very difficult. Artists had to fight for survival. And nowadays it’s impossible! No, I’m joking… It’s extremely hard to be an artist nowadays, but taking into account that is a gift, you can understand that your journey not only has to be a difficult challenge, but also a pleasant and wonderful way of living.

LC – What is the message linked to the artwork you have shown in this exhibition? How is it connected to the theme of the entire festival?
FC – We are being deceived by virtual reality to feel an alive-arid dead field and roses. That is what I’m showing in my artwork ”Unique virtual rose” and that is not only a solution but also the main problem: deceit and virtual reality to feel alive. I think it is connected to the theme of the entire festival because this arid dead field is a future landscape, that is the theme – ‘future abstract landscape’. It is what will have in our near future and what we have now in some desert areas that are increasingly widespread.

LC – Do you agree with our vision of art and what do you think about the theme of the festival?
FC – Yes, I agree. The art fair’s theme inspires me about something that I didn’t think about before and now I think we will have a future dead landscape but an advanced and the latest technology. I have to say that I find very original the theme of this art fair because that leads us to search for original ideas as well.

LC – Do you think ITSLIQUID GROUP can represent an opportunity for artists?
FC – Yes, it is a huge opportunity, absolutely.

LC – Did you enjoy cooperating with us?
FC – Yes, in spite of the hard Covid situation… I did.

LC – What do you think about ITSLIQUID Platform?
FC – You do great work for artists’ promotion, above all for emerging artists like me. I hope I will exhibit my artworks in your future art fairs. To end with, I’d like to say that I’m very grateful for that. Thanks!!