By: Azad Karimi
Art is alive, is a process, and it is constantly moving and evolving, together with people, the subjects of its creation. As long as humanity exists, art will as well, as it is purely intrinsic to the human being.
Interview
Spanish Painter Pedro Juan Rabal
By Azad Karimi
Spain is one of the countries in the world that has such famous painters: Francisco Goya, Salvador Dalí, and Pablo Picasso... but I am talking about the young heirs of those famous painters, that is, contemporary Spanish painters, and one of the people I interviewed is Mr. Pedro Juan Rabal.
He is an active and diligent young artist. His words are very interesting. He says from childhood to adulthood. He talks about people who encouraged him to become a professional painter and have his own style. He tells his parents supported him.
Pedro is an oil painter ... Many people have seen oil paintings at least once or seen copies of world-famous oil paintings in a way like a photo or on TV.
I really do not know the history of this style of painting and I prefer the readers of this interview to research it through the internet and books if they are interested. Because in this short introduction I can not deal with the history of oil painting.
But I would like to mention two Kurdish painter brothers who painted with oil paint years ago: Abdullah and Faizullah Nahid.
Abdullah Nahid was also a writer and politician, and in 1937 he represented the cities of Saqez and Baneh of Kurdistan in the Iranian parliament. He was born in the outskirts of Saqez in 1889 and died in 1946. His brother Faizullah Nahid was also a painter and I have seen many of his oil paintings.
I prefer to finish the introduction and invite you to read the text of my interview with Pedro.
I wish success and happiness to my dear friend Pedro.
Thank you!
Vestland-Norway
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1- Please present yourself: Name, education, Civil status and...
. My name is Pedro Juan Rabal. I was born in Águilas, a town in the Region of Murcia (Spain) located in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Mediterranean coast, in 1988. I finished my degree in Fine Arts in 2011 and my Master's Degree in Teaching in Secondary Schools, Vocational Training and Language Centres in 2012, both at the Miguel Hernández University of Elche in Alicante (Spain).
2-What is your artistic speciality?
. I am mostly dedicated to the creation of figurative paintings. I do consider that I have my own personal style based on the use of mixed painting techniques applied on multiple surfaces, from canvas to wooden surfaces or mural paintings. With my pieces, I develop various themes such as the Spanish Costumbrismo including festivals, traditions, or flamenco, and on the other hand, I work as well with more general and universal topics like mythology or landscapes, among others.
3- When and how did you become interested in this field of art?
. When I was a child, painting was one of my many ways of playing. I can definitely say that I have always been interested in drawing and painting and obviously, this is something that I have been accompanied by all the way and has helped me develop not only as a professional but also as a person.
4- Who was your motivator?
. During alI my years as a student I have certainly had many classmates who saw a latent vocation in my works before I even was aware of it myself, together with some of my teachers who fortunately also saw an ability in me and who guided and advised me to specialize in the artistic sector. Regarding my family, who first put a pencil in my hands and encouraged me to draw, from a very young age, was my maternal grandmother. She used to call me “my painter” and that words still echo in my head.
5- What was your parent’s reaction?
. At the age of 15, when I came up with the decision that I wanted to study the Bachelor of Arts and I wanted to move to another city, fortunately, my parent's response was simply: “Go ahead!”. From that day on, they have always been a support for me and my work.
6- When did you become such a professional Plastic artist?
. I’m profoundly thankful that, even I was not aware of it, creation has always been with me. In 2010, when I was still a student at college, I won the Caixaltea Painting Contest which is a national award. This story is an indicator of how my teachers already trusted my work. I created the winning piece right after a disastrous bike accident and one of my teachers presented it to the contest without me knowing it. It turned out that I won the prize, which I only knew after it happened. Then, in 2011, after finishing my Degree, was a friend of my family who saw something in my painting collection and encouraged me and helped me set up my first solo exhibition: «La Esencia de lo Cotidiano» integrated by a series of images, oils, and acrylic on canvas, which had surrounded my life up to that moment.
7-Are you thankful and happy because your activities as Plastic artist?
. I am very thankful because and for my job. I am not exaggerating if I say that painting has given me almost everything I have. In 2009, after that fatal accident I have mentioned, I attached to painting very hard, I needed something to seek refuge in since my life suffered a temporary stop, which somehow reminds us of the 2020 breakdown. This past year has been an arduous year for our sector. On the other side of the coin, at a personal level, it has been exceptionally productive; I have had the time to create. In these last ten years as an artist I have achieved the loyalty of the public, and thanks to those who help me and supported me, I have been able to continue growing. I am looking forward to the next exhibition so that I can share my work with those who are interested.
- How do you see the perspective on art, culture and Plastic art?
. Art is alive, is a process, and it is constantly moving and evolving, together with people, the subjects of its creation. As long as humanity exists, art will as well, as it is purely intrinsic to the human being. Nowadays, digital contents control the world, they surround us and I see them as windows, as opportunities that have emerged for art and likewise as ways of connecting with people through social networks. Thanks to this, art has no borders; It can be surprising how far you can get if, instead of rejecting them, you work together with new technologies.
9- Can you become one part of the cultural movement for motivation in youth or new generations in your country and so on?
. I do consider an artist as a motivator. Art must go together with the commitment of hard work and discipline. For the last few weeks, I have had the fortune to be working in mural paintings for a school. Children have learned from me but I must say I have also learned from them. Now all of them want to become artists and I sincerely hope they will, because if that is the case, we will have art assured for future generations.
10- How can you help our world become a better place to live?
. I like thinking that I help the world becoming a better place whit my work. By transmitting my knowledge through workshops, drawing and painting classes, to adults and children, by creating mural paintings with the aim to change the environment and bring joy and color to passers-by and by filling exhibition spaces with my works, that I make to contribute with some knowledge to the spectators, among other reasons.
11- Have you more words to say or suggest for our readers?
. I truly hope you get to know my works and enjoy seeing them as much as I enjoy their creation. Let’s take advantage of new technologies to get to know each other although I must say that my art is created to be contemplated in person since not all the nuances can be appreciated through the screen. Whenever you have the chance, enjoy live art! See you soon!
