It was done a few months ago but I finally get to post this small interview I did to a young and very talented artist, Virgilio Neto from Brazil.
If you like his work feel free to check his website www.virgilioneto.com or download his catalogue below:
1. What (were) are you doing in the UK?
I stood the last year in London and I had a fantastic and lively time! If you were from South America, you grown up with this thing that one day you need to visit Europe. So I did it. I travelled a lot there, I went to amazing cities like Paris, Madrid, Berlin. I met nice people, I walked at the streets, I danced, I drunk, I saw the sun and the snow, I lived! Of course any artist would like to do a master in the Royal College of Arts in London, but I do not have the money at all! So I studied art alone, with my books in the amazing museums and galleries that you can find in Europe. This time in London also helped me to create. I did not force my self to produce, but was natural, all that experience abroad inspired me and I was drawing and thinking about art all the time!
2. Have you had formal art studies?
No. When I was young, although I was always drawing, I did not have much contact with arts. The first time I went to an exhibition I was eighteen, this was at the university. And at the university I did not studied arts but graphic design. But luckily, the building of arts and design was the same, so I had the opportunity to meet art students and also to take some lessons with the art teachers. Now I am quite interested in history of arts, mainly after living in Europe where you find so many things that instigates you.
3. What’s your favourite place in Brazil?
It is hard to choose a favourite place in a country so huge like Brazil. But I have some “specials” places in mind. One of them is the shore of the lake in my city, Brasília; there is no better place to see the sunset here. Another place that I love is any beach in Brazil. Laying down on the sand in front of the sea makes your problems smaller and and soul bigger.
4. Where would you like to do an exhibition?
For me, an exhibition can happen anywhere. The most important is the feeling of commutation and share. It is always a challenge to set up a new exhibition. Of course there is money involved, the curator, the publicity, but in the end it is all about the art work interacting with the space and the public. These weeks I have been working in a series of drawing to send to a competition which the selected artists will have a change to show their art in a prison! So at the moment, this is the place where I would like to be in an exhibition: a prison!
5. Do you buy art?
I do not buy art for one reason: as an artist I can exchange my pieces with the other artists! I can pay for art with my own art. This year I started my “art collection” with some art works of friends and I hope it get bigger soon. Few thinghs can be more inspirer than live with art around you!
