ART
INTERVIEW
Didi De Diego
Create, create, create & create.
dididediego.com
Didi De Diego is a self taught versatile artist from Spain whose interest in plastic and art began at an early age.
Hi Didi thanks for talking to The New Current, is the lockdown providing you with some creative inspirations?
Hi! Of course! I’m actually living one of the most productive days, during quarantine. All the changes ahead are inspiring, I’m feeling very free.
You are a self-taught artist, where did your passion for art come from?
I actually don’t remember. I think my mom gave me birth with an art passion inside. Some kind of karmic energy.
Do you feel that being self-taught has been an advantage or a disadvantage?
In my case, an advantage. I first thought about studying fine arts, but, I wasn’t that sure at that moment. I think it’s important to really find when you need to study. doing a degree just to have the degree is a waste of time. Also, speaking in creative and artistic terms the supra-education can also be restrictive. In my work the experiment is the origen of the work, and I’m in a constant learning.
What is it about plastics that interested you so much at such young age?
I’ve always been interested in everything that has a relation with beauty, in all it’s forms. I’m an aesthete.
How did you develop your technique?
As I mentioned, the experiment is always the starting point.
Do you recall what your first piece you ever made?
Oh I’ve done so many, my mom has plenty of sketches and little sculptures from when I was a kid.
As an artist is it hard to hand over work to the public once it is completed?
For me it is, as my work speaks about me. Me experience in life, my emotions and my fears. So it’s harder, because your kind of showing your vulnerability.
"Art is never well or bad done, it’s just simply art."
Can you take me through your Pecadores Series, what was the inspiration behind series?
I always start a project without having a global idea of how is gonna end. In the case of pecadores I really wanted to make the structure of an anatomic heart. After that I realised that heart and emotions are really close, I physically feel the emotions there. But how difficult is to physically represent an emotion isn’t? I’m obsessed with symbolism and catholic imaginary, so after doing a bit of study I decided to relate both emotions and the deadly sins. It ended with 7 different hearts representing the 7 deadly sins. Because if you have a heart, you sin.
What did you want to say with this Series?
It has been some kind of therapeutic process. To understand myself. Feeling instead of thinking it’s seen nearly as a sin. I wanted to understand and embrace that irrational side of me.
Do you have any rituals before you start a new piece?
I actually do! I’m very, extremely spiritual and mystic, I always clean my studio of energies with pontifical incense before starting.
What motivates your work?
My work it’s my life. My passion. So the answer will be my work motivates my life.
How has your style and approach to your art evolved since you started?
I think I’ve always been very honest to my imaginary/style. Always working with primary colours, and speaking about emotions relating them to the human anatomy.
In 2015 Richard Prince came to prominence for selling other people's Instagram post, do you ever worry that something like this could happen to you and your work?
Not at all. You can’t live with fears.
And finally, what advice would you give to other self-taught artists?
Create, create, create and create. Don’t focus on what other people think. Art is never well or bad done, it’s just simply art. And the person who makes art is an artist whether he/she has the fine arts degree or not.