BY: Azad Karimi
You know, it's funny, I'm not sure I can fully see myself as an artist or an epidemiologist. I mean, part of it is because I think I'm still learning a lot, so I do not know when I feel like "I've done learning, so now I'm this or that."
Interview
Colombian-American Epidemiologist-Artist Andres Hoyos-Cespedes
By Azad Karimi
The reason an artistic work remains current, and “immortal” is because we use them to find personal meanings in the world.
This is what my dear friend Andres says.
And thus, the work that more audiences use to find their personal meanings is successful and immortal work and will remain in the human mind ....
It is an interesting interpretation of the immortality of human works, from art and literature to philosophy and architecture and peace and medicine and economics and politics but what is the anti-immortality for human works?
Whatever upsets the ecological balance and order of this world. Thus, violence, greed, ignorance, injustice, coercion and domination, and betrayal in individual, collective, and international treaties affect this natural balance and order.
What way is left for humanity to preserve the immortal works with which it built the Palace of Human Civilization?
What is left but to fight against these destructive behaviors?
I am sure that there is no other way ... because compromising with these bad traits will only cause more misery, poverty for mankind and destruction for human achievements ...
I read the UN Secretary-General's report on environmental disasters yesterday, I was really horrified. Det er en katastrofe!
Yes! It's a disaster!
Yes! I agree, it is a very difficult time, but action must be taken ... Covid-19 must be fought, poverty and misery, terrorism and ignorance must be fought. drought must be fought ...
There is no other way and we have to fight against unscrupulous dictators ... They are drowning in their madness, stupidity, and daily life and they do not care about anyone but themselves. We must work to promote democracy and freedom and social welfare and to raise the level of individual and social awareness ... We must work for the economic and political development of the United Nations members around the world ...
Fortunately, the great countries of the free world have strong potentials to invest in this way, and the poor nations must enter the path of progress and development with unity and solidarity ... Women are half of the society and without them, human efforts will be incomplete and unsuccessful ... I hope this human ideal will become a reality as soon as possible.
I wish my good friend Andres happiness and success.
Thank you!
Østland-Norway
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1- Please present yourself (Name, education, Civil status and...)
.Hi! I’m Andres Hoyos-Cespedes. I hold a degree in Sociology, and a master’s in public health, currently I work as a researcher and epidemiologist. Also, I have some studies in Fine Arts, and Art History. I’m Colombian and currently, I live in Massachusetts (USA), although I also lived in Argentina for a number of years. I’m married, and I live with my husband and two cat daughters in our house in the woods.
2- What is your artistic specialize?
.I would say drawing. I’m not sure if that would be an artistic specialty though. I mean, I love illustration, either as just art, or biological/botanical illustration, as well as comics or graphic novels. And of course, drawing is an enormous part of it. So, yeah, most of the “artistic” things I can make, are related to drawing. Actually, when I went to school in Fine Arts, most of the work I produced was related to drawing or illustration, and you know, written pieces as well.
3- When and how did you become interested in this fields of art and healthy section?
.Can I say that I have been interested in arts and health, or more like the human body initially since I can remember? I guess that makes it forever. Hahaha. But now more seriously, I was interested in health studies and arts since very early. And how, well when I think hard about it, I think it’s all because I really wanted to understand other people. Like, understanding them on a deep level. No pun intended. So, I went to Med school for a semester because of the same, but I discovered I did not want that road for my life. After leaving Med school, I started studying sociology which gave me some tools to understand people on some level, and so I made started to get interested in the fields where health and society intersect, which is well, sociology of health or public health. I completed a master's in the last one. While I was studying sociology, I started studying arts too. I guess once I started to go into the more epidemiological/research and statistical part of public health, I started to notice how much arts and science go hand in hand. For example, when you need to get around an issue, say in your research, or with a community you are trying to help, or with your data, thinking artistically can help you a lot. Like, be creative, try different connections, organize your environment, learn from others, be receptive to ideas, be methodic, be persistent, all of those are things that work very well when you are thinking artistically or scientifically. I’m sorry, I went on for a long time.
4- Who was your motivator?
.I might have already answered this in my previous very long answer. Hahaha.
5- What was your parent’s reaction?
. They were very supportive and still are. They always get proud of what I do, I mean when I do good of course. So, I think they were pleased that I was chasing my dreams.
6- When started you such as a professional Artist-Painter and Epidemiologist?
. You know, it's funny, I'm not sure I can fully see myself as an artist or an epidemiologist. I mean, part of it is because I think I'm still learning a lot, so I do not know when I feel like "I've done learning, so now I'm this or that."
7- Are you thankful and happy because of your activities as an artist and Epidemiologist and Researcher?
.I’m more than happy that I can do all that. I mean, I have not really worked in a lot of artistic projects lately, because I’m super busy with research and epidemiology tasks. But I guess if you would see the programs I code to analyze data, you would say they are pretty much art… Hahaha. Joke aside, I really think that a well written and organized, elegant code, and a very clean, beautiful data set are similar to a work of art. So, I’m very happy and thankful I can do that.
8-What is the role of Médecins Sans Frontières?
.I’m sorry, I’m not part of Médecins Sans Frontières. Although I know about the awesome work they do.
9- How you see the view for art, painting, human health services and future of culture?
.Uh, wow. Well, I wouldn’t really know what to say there. There is just so much potential right now. I think that for better or worse, we are standing in a critical moment of history, and from here the future can take so many shapes that one would get dizzy thinking about it. I mean, one thing is for sure, digital technologies will become an even more ingrained part of all those fields.
10-Why do some paintings become immortal?
. Uhm. Well, I’m guessing that beyond the artistic merits of the painting, its aesthetic merits, and the meaning that it has for society(ies). The reason an artistic work remains current, and “immortal” is because we use them to find personal meanings in the world. Like, something that is coded in that work of art speaks to your brain, and your brain is able to decode it and gets excited and happy, or wary and sad, or whatever happens inside.
11- Can you become one part of the artistic-cultural movement for motivation in youth or new generation in your country and so than?
.I think so. I mean, I’m a kind of shy person in general and don’t do amazing inside movements. But if the movement is motivating people to do good, I guess I would be interested in it. Right now, I don’t think I have any on my radar.
12- How can you help our world become a better place to live?
.I hope I can. I try to do that every day. Being respectful to others, being kind, understanding that everybody has issues and troubles, so don’t be a jerk to people.
13- Have you more words to say or suggestions for our readers?
.I don’t think I have anything else to say for now. Thanks the questions were interesting and fun to answer.
