FMCS: When you create art, what is more important: the process or the product?

Eduardo: The most important thing is the result. But sometimes the process itself becomes the product. In fact I love the process, I love sketch books as well as the digital sphere, which I believe has the same artistic value.

FMCS: Does art and being creative dominate your life?

Eduardo: Yes, I spend many hours painting, drawing and using the computer…but I try to have free time to disconnect and not think about art otherwise I would go mad!

FMCS: Where do you find your inspiration?

Eduardo: I find it everywhere: maybe a stupid situation in the street; a child’s scribble; graffiti on the door of a toilet; perhaps in a song, a movie or a book. If you’re an artist it’s important to be constantly aware of what’s happening around you.

FMCS: Do your paintings say specific things or is it up to the individual to elicit their own meaning?

Eduardo: I work in two ways: sometimes I work completely spontaneously, I just start painting and see what happens, expressing what I feel more than what I think. But sometimes I’ve got a very clear idea of what I want to communicate. In fact I often mix both ways of working.

FMCS: When was the last time you felt embarrassed?

Eduardo: It happens a lot - I’m very shy.

FMCS: What’s the most aggressive thing you’ve done with a paint brush?

Eduardo: Using the end for scratching the inside of my ear.

FMCS: In what way do you differ from contemporary professional artists and illustrators?

Eduardo: I’ve never studied fine arts. And I’m not really in the art market as such, so I don’t really mind too much if what I’m doing sells. I don’t usually get approached for corporate jobs; most of the stuff I’ve done has been for underground or independent projects and publications. The process used by people who work more commercially is different to mine; for me the end ‘product’ is what is most important to me and I don’t feel able to compromise that.

FMCS: You’re from Argentina, do you drink mate (pronounced ‘maa-tey’) ?
If so, can you tell our readers what it is and why Argentinians love it so much?

Eduardo: It’s a kind of tea. However the way we drink it is a bit weird as we use a kind of pipe and it looks like you’re smoking a bong! I used to drink a lot of mate while working as it tastes nice and helps you keep awake.

FMCS: Do you ever use stronger substances to release dormant inspiration?

Eduardo: I don’t really use drugs or alcohol for inspiration. I don’t need to be tripping or drunk to see aliens! I rely on my imagination.

FMCS: Do you prefer dogs or cats?

Eduardo: Dogs are friendlier.

FMCS: You’ve lived in Spain for 8 years; what is your experience of the Spanish people compared to your countrymen?

Eduardo: I’ve had really good experiences in both countries, so I can’t complain. But in Spain people are a bit more open-minded, so I’m happy here.

FMCS: In terms of inspiration, what do you get from Spain that you don’t get back home, and vice versa?

Eduardo: The 80´s was a very important era in Spain’s social and artistic development; it was called the movida and it was a very wild pop culture movement, especially in Madrid. Spain has a rich art history; it produced artists such as Velazquez, Picasso, Luis Buñuel and many others. The humour in Spain is different; more surreal than in Argentina.

However, in spite of having lost most of our aboriginal roots, the Indian spirit still exists in the Argentinian people. We have a wild popular culture where I find a lot of inspiration. And we have Antonio Berni, who is a great artist.

FMCS: Sum up your painting style in 5 words.

Eduardo: Spontaneous, rough, colourful, humanistic and absurd.

FMCS: Who is your favourite superhero?

Eduardo: Mighty Mouse

FMCS: Take a recent painting and tell us what that painting would be if it were a style of music.

Eduardo: It would be fusion music for sure, freejazz, maybe electro or funk.

FMCS: Where would you most like your work to be hung?

Eduardo: I want to share my work with everybody; I don’t think art should remain the sole possession of the artist or its owner. I’d like to hang mine everywhere.

FMCS: What would you be doing now if you had never found the ability to express yourself through art?

Eduardo: I’d be very bored, probably watching TV like most of the people in this crazy world.

Interview by Arlo Tickner for FMCS

EDUARDO BERTONE WEBSITE