Aranzazu Gayosso Art
Aranzazu Gayosso was born in Mexico City but lives and works in London and Miami. Growing up in Mexico and being exposed to such a vibrant culture and people have inspired her creativity, interest in art and sexual politics.
She uses highly-wrought constructed imagery with the signifier of the virgin exposed into a world of sexuality and adult desire. "When I removed all modern concepts of sex, ergo vulgarity and obviousness, I started working with the old idea of erotica and so was working the taboo and the forbidden and how they applied to different scenarios". The exposure is extremely controlled through editing, through brush stroke, color, and cropping. The result of this communicates a message: that there is a certain strength inherent in these productions of apparently fragile image. A strength of mind, body, and will. It is the subtlety in the works and not only the obviously erotic nature of it that makes them interesting. The subtlety of what’s there and just barely hidden, yet unmistakably and purposefully concealed. It is in the artist’s manipulation of the images that we see them transfixed from their original innocent form to works that are suspended between innocence and perversion. Through this manipulation Gayosso manages to emphasize psychological relationships of her characters to one another and to the viewer.
Your inspirations?
I get inspired when I read. Other artists are always an inspiration, but there is something about reading that just fills me with ideas. Obviously like any creative you get ideas from the world around you as well, but imagine this: you have the input from how you see the world, and then when you read you get to look into someones mind, its like a bonus; and sometimes "they" show you something that you had been looking for but were unable to express yourself.
What would be a dream project for you?
To make a movie, it would be a collaboration with some really talented artists I know.
Favorite artists?
I love John Singer Sargeant because there is just something about how he paints skin...
I love John Updike, he's a writer though, but all you have to do is the read the Rabbit series and you'd see why i love him.
Henry Miller, I actually don't like his art works, but he is an incredible writer, the consummate pervert.
Then you have the obvious artists to love like Bellmer, Schiele and Klimt, like Anton Serov, Lienz, Koons, Sophie Calleetc etc. Really I could go on forever
Challenges of what you do?
The challenge I think is keeping in check, in every way. I believe you have to have a point and you have to work. Making stuff is fun; but making work is well... work, still fun and since art gives you a lot of freedom you have to keep yourself disciplined. Ithink that is the hard bit. Not disciplined in just working, but in the structure of your argument. and to never get stuck, that's hard... Favorite websites?
google.com its magical
Plans for 2009?
oh working. a lot.
traveling for a bit and going and checking out some new work. although I have to say I do still love to revisit works I already know and love.
Moment you are most proud of so far?
I'm proud of all the choices I've made that have brought me to the point i am at now
Anything else you would like to add?
I love lula magazine. its really seriously all kinds of cool
check out her video art piece here: