Pako Campo is a Spanish-born artist who has exhibited his artwork all over the globe. Pako plays with a mix of mediums including pencils, paints and photography and he has had the pleasure of designing graphic art for a number of websites, short films, and theater plays. In April 2017, a piece of his artwork that was displayed at NYC’s ArtExpo was purchased to become part of the permanent collection at the Queensborough Community College Art Gallery, thus furthering his reputation in the American art market.
Artwork
Pako’s art usually depicts urban landscapes such as cities but he loves nature and is inspired by mountains and forests.
Pako loves various kinds of music--especially electronic and chill-out--and he currently owns a boxer named Nancy who frequently stays by his side as he paints in his studio.
As of May 2017, Pako was formally invited to be part of the next Biennale of Contemporary Art in Argentina. The invitation was directly delivered by director, Maria Elena Beneito, and the exhibition will take place in Buenos Aires in 2018. Moreover, he has also confirmed a London exhibition for November of 2018 which will be curated by Pilar Cocero.
Pako recently spoke about his artistic work, his recent successes, and his current and future projects.
Interview
Blasting News (BN): What inspired you to embrace art and what inspired you to your mediums and styles?
Pako Campo (PK): My artistic inspiration came from my childhood. Like all children, I loved to draw, but at age eight I started painting in oil on canvas and at age nine I participated in my first collective exhibition with adults.
At first I was interested in oil painting, and I received the first notions of painting from the hand of the Artist Rafael Jiménez.
During my adolescence, I tried all sorts of techniques and mediums. It was in the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Salamanca where I was able to acquire a wealth of knowledge about all the mediums, which gave me great creative freedom. I loved working directly with the pigment and the medium and mixing it on the canvas.
I ended up opting for the acrylic medium for its comfort and quick drying, although I apply techniques more typical of oil painting. I like to use many layers of paint with little pigment loading to play with its transparency.
As for my style, it can be classified within abstract expressionism, and has evolved closer and closer to my personality. I think I have a very personal stamp and is different from the rest.
BN: How many pieces of art have you created overall and where have you shown your work?
PK: I am a multidisciplinary artist and I love mixing art forms, so we are talking about hundreds of artworks. I work in many different fields such as painting, illustration, photography, collage...
During my career, I have participated in more than thirty exhibitions.
BN: Do you have any favorite pieces what is the most rewarding thing about being an artist?
PK: I guess the same thing happens to me when we talk about music. For me, my favorite album is always the most recent. The same thing happens to my artworks. My favorite is the series I'm working on now "Hong Drone". I think the most rewarding thing as an artist is to have the ability to transmit emotions directly to the soul of the viewer. I always feel a special emotion when anyone describes the emotions my art generates.
BN: How did the Queensborough Community College Art Gallery find your work and decide to put some of it in their collection?
What was your reaction when you heard this exciting news?
PK: The Queensborough Community College Art Gallery found my art at Artexpo New York. Pilar Cocero, director of CEART Communication and a museum collaborator, showed my work to the museum staff. They praised the creativity, expressiveness, plasticity and composition of my art and were interested in joining this work to the permanent collection of the museum. When the news was confirmed, of course I was very excited and proud. It is a great achievement in my career and in the exposure of my work.
BN: What are your career highlights so far and biggest goals for the future?
PK: Participation in the Artexpo New York has been a great highlight in my career, as well as the good reception of my artworks.
Although undoubtedly, the best news has been that my painting "Hong Drone I" has joined the Queensborough Community College Art Gallery. For me, having an artwork in permanent exhibition in a New York museum is one of the greatest achievements I have reached.
As for the future, I am working on several new works to participate in future exhibitions and art fairs in Spain, United Kingdom, Argentina and other countries around the world.
BN: What's next for you and do you have any advice for aspiring artists?
PK: My next challenges are the consolidation and exposure of my work around the world. I have received many invitations for the upcoming months and I am trying to fit the pieces to participate in all that I can.
I am always open to collaborations with other artists. For example, I am now working on a project involving a series of surreal photography with photographer Pablo Peña.
I find it very daunting to give advice to aspiring artists, although I would humbly tell them to never stop looking for their personal style, regardless of trends or fashions, and not lose confidence in themselves. I like to add this quote to the postcards of my exhibitions: "Art does not follow the water stream, but fights against it”. Many times, it is not enough that your art is good, but you have to be in the right place and at the right time. Sometimes that place can be on the other side of the world, and to stop trying is a synonym of failure.
