XOLAKA Interview about his project “Remember the past” – 24-05-2021

Street Art piece that has modified the urban space: Remember the past

Location: Benicarló, Spain

Year : 2019

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?

My mural is “Remember the past”, I always try not to have much metamorphosis of the urban space with the murals, for this I choose a color palette that was integrated with the color palette of the urban environment. I’m more interested in the message being more powerful than the colors.

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 mural was commissioned by the city council, they proposed the theme to me and I had creative freedom regarding the design.

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 is the text that explains my mural: “Work done in Benicarló a couple of weeks ago.

In this mural I continue with the theme of traditions. Many times the speed that our society takes does not make us stop and think about what we had. There was history in many buildings that are demolished. Here you can see the Benicarló fish market with the boats that were used in the past. The child on his back and in color as a metaphor for the present stops to observe what happened before and to record in his memory.

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 very well received by the inhabitants of the town, when I was painting, I could see from the crane how people did not stop taking photos and when I got down, they congratulated me on the work.

I had very good experiences in this town and with its people.

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?

One of the best things about urban art is the interaction with people, they tell you what they think of the work, many times they tell you stories about the town, they invite you to drinks, meals, etc.

Even in other projects they are participatory workshops, the inhabitants can help me paint.

The best thing about urban art is that you are in the street with people and you are always going to have very good times with them.

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 seeks integration with the urban environment and create good feelings among people of all ages.

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 would like it to live forever and for the council to have a conservation and restoration.

But I also like to think that it is ephemeral, and that it is a beautiful metaphor for life. We are all born to die. This is life.

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

I’m interested in contributing to the people who live in that urban space.

I paint the mural but I leave when I finish and that remains for them and for their future visitors.

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

I did not find very great difficulties, the typical ones, the crane breaks, hehe, the wall is so big that you need help from other people and that you run out of paint and have to buy more there, all these inside that you have to finish the mural in record time and delay the execution of the work.

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

Because cities and towns without wall painting are so boring, hehe,

The projects I have for 2021 follow the same theme of working with rural people.

Make known the traditions and history of the peoples.

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

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