Interview
Luis Lira
Luis Lira was born in Nueva Rosita, Coahuila, Mexico. Since he was little, he showed an interest in drawing, painting and sculpture.
At 11, Luis made his first mural. At 17, he moved to Monterrey to continue his studies as an electronic engineer. He also pursued what he was passionate about: drawing, painting and sculpture. But it was not until 6 years ago that Luis began to make drawings and paintings with unconventional materials and shapes. This includes upside-down paintings, 3D drawings and paintings with a double meaning. You see one image in the art piece, but when you look at it from a different angle, you see another image.
Luis’ works in salt, Rubik's cubes, oils in blue and red, reflection in cans, among others, are examples of double-meaning artwork. Luis now enjoys using Hilorama technique, where he makes a drawing with colored threads on a wooden base, with nails as a guide.”
What is your name and background? Could you tell us how you started your journey in the art world?
“My name is Luis Lira. I am an emerging artist who, like most people, started drawing and painting from a very young age. For a long time, I started off working with oil but for the last 6 years, I have worked with other more unusual techniques, such as drawing with salt, Rubik’s cubes, photo-luminescent paints, among others. I use creative and innovative techniques, but the technique that has stood out the most for me is the yarn technique, or string art.”
What inspires you the most?
“I find my inspiration in challenges, in always seeking to overcome my previous work. This motivates me to be able to experiment with new techniques and get the most out of the materials.”
“I would describe my work as multifaceted, unconventional. I use unique everyday materials for the realization of my paintings. I try to make my works creative by including optical illusions or a double view that is revealed with a filter or seen from a different angle.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“My works are simple to interpret. They are usually portraits without a background or a deep message. The true message is in the process. With my work, I aim to inspire more people to overcome their limits. I am not just referring to challenges related to art, but also to those in other aspects of our life as well.”
How would you describe your creative process?
“I am constantly thinking about what the subject of my next work will be, looking around everyday for materials that I can use. I see and study chemical and physical processes, as well as optical effects. When the idea, the process and the materials click, I then know what my next work will be. I start by making notes and developing the idea through sketches or models. This helps me correct the process or change materials to something that works better for me. When I have everything clear in my mind, I start on the piece.”
What process, materials, techniques, etc. do you use to create your artwork?
“I have a great variety of techniques, and I use all kinds of materials. However, I would like to focus on Hilorama, or string art. For this technique, a wooden base with guide nails is required. Using a drawing of the figure you want to create, the nails are placed on the wood. Then, with colored threads going from one nail to another, the figure is filled, combining nuancing or blurring colors as required. This begins by putting the lighter colors, and placing layer after layer, increasing the intensity of the color as required. You can view some of my process videos here: video 1, video 2, and video 3.”
What is your favorite artwork and why?
“One of my favorite works is the sculpture of ‘David’ made by Michelangelo. I find it incredible to see what he did with such a delicate and difficult material to work with. I’m also impressed with the degree of detail in the work, at a time when there was no support for technology or photography.”
“Now that we understand the important role we play as artists, when supported with technology, we will seek to create higher quality works that touch the sensitive and human side of people, and provoke reflection.”
What is the role of an artist in society and how do you think that role will evolve?
“I believe the role of the artist is to nurture and heal the soul of people in this difficult time that we are going through. Art fills that space that is empty and makes us forget our problems. The artist and his works have the power to transform people's minds and attitudes, and thereby transform the world.”
Website: www.luislira.com
Other: Facebook
