ALESSIA INNOCENTI Interview about her project “Umbral” – 29-04-2021

Street Art piece that has modified the urban space: Umbral

Location: Metro Estación Hospital, Viña del Mar, Chile 

Year : 2020

1- If you had to choose a Street Art piece that you created, as a transformation of the urban space, which one would you choose? How does this Street Art piece denote urban space metamorphosis?

I would choose the work called Threshold since it has been the largest and most impressive urban piece that I have done so far due to its size and place of execution.
It is a radical metamorphosis in space, since from being a very gray place it becomes a piece rich in nuances, colors, shapes that convey all kinds of emotions as you go down these stairs. It connects you with perception and imagination, it is a metamorphosis in every way, since before the work was done it was something boring that did not generate anything special.

Elegiría la obra llamada Umbral ya que ha sido la pieza urbana mas grande e impactante que he realizado hasta ahora por su tamaño y lugar de ejecución.

Es una metamorfosis radical en el espacio, ya que de ser un lugar muy gris pasa a ser una pieza rica en matices, colores, formas que transmiten todo tipo de emociones al ir bajando por estas escaleras. Te conecta con la percepción e imaginación, es una metamorfosis en todos los sentidos, ya que antes de realizarse la obra era algo aburrido que no generaba nada especial.

2- Why did you make this Street Art piece in this urban space? Was it the town hall or the property owner who authorized or asked you to create it? Can we consider this work as illegal/vandalism or legal, what is your criteria?

This project arose from contact with Horacio Silva who is the director of the NGO Valparaíso en Colores, asking him if he could participate in any of his projects. He reviewed my work and it was highly appreciated. The following year he invited me to participate by painting the Hospital metro in Viña del Mar, Chile. It is a 100% legal project financed by cultural funds.

Este proyecto surgió a raíz de el contacto con Horacio Silva quién es el director del la ONG Valparaíso en Colores, preguntándole si podría participar en alguno de sus proyectos. El revisó mi trabajo y fue bien valorado. Al año siguiente me invito a participar pintando el metro Hospital en Viña del Mar, Chile. Es un proyecto 100% legal financiado por fondos de cultura.

3- What is the message you want to communicate through this Street Art piece? Is it related to the urban space where you did it?

This work called Threshold is the beginning or origin of an entrance or exit access. It is the beginning of a process. Metaphorically Umbral is a path of illusion that leads you to connect your senses with art.
The intention of this work is to connect the magic of colors with something as common as moving around in the subway. It is made for the neighbors and people who pass through this place. This work was carried out at the entrance of the Hospital metro together with the NGO Valparaíso en Colores.

Esta obra llamada Umbral es el inicio u origen a un acceso de entrada o salida. Es el principio de un proceso. Metafóricamente Umbral es un camino de ilusión que te lleva a conectar tus sentidos con el arte.

La intención de esta obra es conectar la magia de los colores con algo tan común como es movilizarse en el metro. Está hecho para los vecinos y personas que transitan por este lugar. Esta obra se realizó en la entrada del metro Hospital junto a la ONG Valparaíso en Colores.

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4- How was this work integrated into the urban space? What was the interaction that the inhabitants of this city had with your project? Did they participate in its creation?

This work was integrated into the space, radically transforming it with a before and after, providing an aesthetic contribution to the place. The interaction that I could observe of the inhabitants was during the execution process, they stopped to ask, appreciate the work that was progressing day by day. Most of the appraisals were positive. On this occasion, the people did not participate by executing the work.

Esta obra se integró al espacio transformándolo radicalmente con un antes y un después, entregando un aporte estético al lugar. La interacción que yo pude observar de los habitantes fue durante el proceso de ejecución, ellos se detenían a preguntar, apreciar la obra que iba avanzando día a día. La mayoría de las apreciaciones fueron positivas. En esta ocasión las personas no participaron ejecutando la obra.

5- Do you think it is important that the local people participate during the production of your work and that they become artists modifying the urban space or do you prefer to carry out your projects alone without anyone seeing you?

From my experience I like to carry out works with the community, but I also like to create urban works individually. They are very different dynamics, since collectively what is important is the experience that the participants live, that they enjoy and create a work that they like and appreciate every day, together with an artist who guides them throughout the co-creation process and execution. I consider that the community participate in the process of co-creation and execution is a more humane way of integrating an artistic work, which ignores the acclaimed applause that the individual artist unconsciously or consciously expects from the viewer. In this way the artist’s ego is diluted to surrender to the human collective. On the other hand, when I create an urban work individually, the citizen participates from the observation and connection that he may have with the work, not from the execution.

Desde mi experiencia me gusta realizar obras con la comunidad, pero también me gusta crear obras urbanas de manera individual. Son dinámicas muy diferentes, ya que de manera colectiva lo importante es la experiencia que viven los participantes, que disfruten y creen una obra que les guste y la aprecien cada día, junto a n artista que los guía durante todo el proceso de co-creación y ejecución. Considero que la comunidad participe en el proceso de co-creación y ejecución es una forma más humana de integrar una obra artística, que deja de lado el aclamado aplauso que el artista individual inconsciente o conscientemente espera del espectador. De este modo se diluye el ego del artista para entregarse al colectivo humano. En cambio cuando creo una obra urbana de manera individual, el ciudadano participa desde la observación y la conexión que pueda tener con la obra, no desde la ejecución.

6- According to you, what is the criteria that determines your Street Art work modifies the urban space and why is your work considered aesthetically well done?

My work modifies the urban space, since I consider that it generates a visual impact due to the richness of its colors, shapes, lighting effects and large-scale formats. This inevitably does not cause a change in the space, it goes from being gray, visually boring, to seeing it full of life. For me it is an abrupt change in urban space.
My work is considered aesthetically well done, since there is a research process of the technique that I work. A very neat, detailed technique with a well-thought-out chromatic coherence. A style that I have been developing for several years.

Mi obra modifica el espacio urbano, ya que considero que genera un impacto visual por la riqueza de sus colores, formas, efectos lumínicos y formatos a gran escala. Esto es inevitable que no provoque un cambio en el espacio, pasa de ser muchas veces gris, aburrido visualmente, a verlo lleno de vida. Para mi es un cambio abrupto del espacio urbano.

Mi obra se considera estéticamente bien hecha, ya que existe un proceso de investigación de la técnica que trabajo. Una técnica muy pulcra, detallista y con una coherencia cromática bien pensada. Un estilo que llevo desarrollando hace varios años.

7-What is the “historical future” of your work? Should we take care of it, preserve it and repaint it as if it were a museum’s piece of art? Or should it be allowed to age with the city itself?

I believe that just because it is in an urban space it becomes part of it and I believe that the historical future of the work must be consistent with the place. I think I should grow old with the city.

Considero que sólo por el hecho de que esté en un espacio urbano pasa a ser parte de él y creo que el fututo histórico de la obra debe ir en coherencia con el lugar. Pienso que debería envejecer con la ciudad.

8- How does your work add value to the urban space in which it is produced?

The value that my work brings to the urban space is that it beautifies the city, giving it a new appearance, creating a connection with the inhabitants through perception and imagination.

El valor que aporta mi obra al espacio urbano es que embellece la ciudad, dándole una nueva apariencia, creando una conexión con los habitantes a través de la percepción e imaginación.

9- What were the difficulties that you encountered during the completion of your work modifying the urban space?

Working on ladders was uncomfortable at the time of execution. A wooden structure had to be created to support the staircase to the wall. This made the painting process more complex, and the format of the wall was irregular.
The metal railings attached to the 2 walls, slowed down the process.

Trabajar sobre escaleras fue incómodo al momento de la ejecución. Se tuvo que crear una estructura de madera para poder apoyar la escalera al muro. Esto complejizaba el proceso de pintado, además el formato del muro era irregular.

Las barandas de metal adheridas a los 2 muros, enlentecían el proceso.

10- Why is urban art important to modify the urban space? What sort of projects are you planning to do in the future ?

Urban art is important to modify the urban space since it is a type of gallery in the open sky, which is accessible to everyone. An art that can communicate all kinds of ideas, political and religious positions, expressions, styles that allow the entire community to be integrated without exclusions. In addition to giving an aesthetic richness to the space.
For now I continue to apply for calls related to urban art, I continue to do workshop works, teaching painting and developing new projects related to art and the community.

El arte urbano es importante para modificar el espacio urbano ya que es un tipo de galería al cielo abierto, que es accesible a todo el mundo.  Un arte que puede comunicar todo tipo de ideas, posturas políticas, religiosas, expresiones, estilos que permite integrar a toda la comunidad sin exclusiones. Además de darle una riqueza estética al espacio.

Por ahora sigo postulando a convocatorias relacionadas con arte urbano, sigo realizando obras de taller, enseñando pintura y desarrollando nuevos proyectos relacionados con el arte y la comunidad.

Interview conducted by Art Bill – journalist and owner of Street Art In Action.

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