Interview with Iñigo Sesma

We have been with Iñigo Sesma, an artist who has impressed us with his works. A dazzling personality and a projection that is impossible to calculate. Welcome Iñigo!

Let's start with your childhood. When you were a kid you had that artist you are today on the inside? Sometimes this instinct wakes up before and other times after. Tell us a little about when that artist is born or starts to manifest himself.

Well I think I've always had this creative need since I can remember. At school I spent hours drawing, and when I was older any white space in the books I saw it as a small canvas to do something. So I think I've always had a special interest in drawing and painting.

We know that your work is in oil, but if we say the word "graffiti", what do you say?

I don't think you can compare one thing with the other, but it seems to me something I look at and admire a lot. There are a lot of artists that fascinate me and I think it's undervalued in many occasions. I respect it a lot.

When do you decide to start your fine art career and pack your bags that you haven't thrown away yet?

Well, I guess few people know what they want at the age of choosing their studies, but I knew I wanted to do something creative. So, after my trip with architecture, I decided that what I wanted was something much more personal at a creative level, so I abandoned everything to study Fine Arts, although I wasn't sure if I wanted to go for painting.

You've lived in Barcelona, New York, Berlin, Los Angeles and now Madrid... not to mention those cities where you've stayed for some time because of exhibitions and so on. Which one do you stay with? Why?

Well, I've been lucky enough to be able to live for a while at least in quite a few places, thanks to artist residencies (Berlin, LA), postgraduate studies (NYC)... and although I currently live and work in Madrid, which I'm delighted about, I think that to spend a couple of years in New York I'll stay. It's a city that gives you a lot if you know how to receive well. Personally, on a learning level, I think it gave me a lot, not to mention exhibitions and all the things that happen in relation to the art world.

Could you describe yourself when making your works? How would you define them?

Well, I don't usually get very wet with these questions of self-definition, but if you ask me, I'll answer that I work with oil paintings, which can be classified as figurative, with a documentary narrative, since most of the works I propose are the result of photographic references documented by myself. Right now I am working on a series based on images of the United States, with both a critical and poetic perspective of the new world and the American dream.

A little bird told us that you have just been in the week of Basel in Miami, specifically in the SCOPE fair. How was it? Some anecdote, tell us!

It was great, a very intense week with lots of things to see and events to attend but very enriching. On a personal level it couldn't have gone better, with a great reception of my work.

How do you see the United States versus Europe in the art world?

I'm not an expert in the art market, but from my experience I think that Europe is a powerful place in the art world and that, for example, although France and England are reference points, today the United States is the one that cuts the cod. Whenever I have the opportunity to do something there I find it very interesting.

Favorite city in the USA for your art? Favorite city in Europe for your art?

Los Angeles, Paris.

How did you feel about doing the cover of daft punk? Did we push you out of your comfort zone?

I don't get out of my comfort zone much, and I always look for ways to turn it around when suggested, but I had fun.

A dream come true?

Art basel 2020.