sUrfaces

Durante un vuelo desde la dulce y tranquila ciudad de Querétaro (México) hacia la creciente Dallas (EU) pensaba, al ver la luz  por la ventanilla, cómo ante nuestros ojos la blancura nos ofrecía un paisaje lleno de una luminosidad, que no venía de las nubes, sino del sol, cuyos rayos descansaban en las partículas de agua en evaporación.

Este fenómeno ofrecía las condiciones perfectas para que nuestros ojos no captaran la pureza de la luz; pero sí podían percibir, perfectamente, esa presencia iluminada que no produce sombra, que se acerca más a lo que conocemos como resplandor. Y eso era sólo a unos cuantos miles de pies sobre la tierra.

La mirada de un artista visual es capaz de ver el mundo natural y nuestras realidades con más detalle. Es como el oído de un músico, tan fino, que puede captar sonidos que no todos escuchan. De la misma manera pasa con los ojos de un artista visual: el observar el mundo que nos rodea, es una invitación a escudriñar el alma. No es únicamente lo que podemos ver con nuestra lente, sino lo que apreciamos desde nuestro interior, lo que nos inspira a meditar en ese mundo luminoso e invisible a la vista. Es el punto donde los fragmentos perceptibles se quedan en la frontera entre lo natural y lo sobrenatural. El resto del camino se descubre con los ojos del espíritu.

En ocasiones me pregunto cómo es que Juan, el que bautizaba con agua, descifró con su vista espiritual. “El que viene en pos de mí es el que bautiza con el Espíritu”; es decir, ese hombre pudo ver con sus ojos espirituales la obra de salvación para la humanidad. Es esa dimensión la que nos ofrece una fotografía que traspasa la imagen, y puede cruzar la frontera entre lo natural y lo sobrenatural.

Porque las cosas invisibles de él, su eterno poder y deidad, se hacen claramente visibles desde la creación del mundo, siendo entendidas por medio de las cosas hechas, de modo que no tienen excusa.

Romanos 1:12.

www.carloscazares.com

Interview By: Julie Boyd

Howard Community College, Columbia, MD outside of Washington, DC

How do you find your inspiration? 

To me, sculpture is like meeting innocence again. It is being like a child. When I think about the materials, when I put them together, when the image of a project comes to my mind it is like inventing –it is inventing –and that’s being a child. I enjoy sculpture the same way a child enjoys playing. I believe inspiration comes to me at the time when I feel like a child, creating with all the freedom that God gave us. It is in those times that I can feel a breeze of innocence caressing my senses. 

Could you help me understand the meanings?

I believe the true meaning of the work can be found in the work processes. Even though aesthetic and cosmetic beauty is part of a sculpture, it is not everything. To me, beauty can be found in the changes we can make in our life through experience. Processes give value to sense and expression. Being honest with my work is reflected in the final product. Truth and beauty go hand in hand. A sculpture can change a life just by looking at it. If we capture the true expression of love in that canvas, we will be able to transform people’s hearts.

Why do you work With The materials That you do?

The materials I use in the sculpture are common, meaning that they are not precious metals. These are very natural colors. I believe my style is constructivism; I like the fact that we are able to see and feel every one of these materials as raw as possible. When the work is finished and exhibited in a museum or in a gallery, that’s when we can see the value of the piece. With materials that simple we can create pieces of aesthetic value that give harmony to the spaces and hence change their atmosphere.

Was there a particular moment or event in your life or faith journey that your art shaped you most?

I became seriously interested in arts at the same time that I understood my life needed to be restored. About 9 years ago I had a factory with a friend where we made metal furniture. I remember I started using the leftover metal pieces in the factory. Later I added wood, concrete and polymer to my work. I was really setting the stage for a new season in my life. That’s the time when I learned the truth through the word written in the Bible and I felt free. I understood that I was beginning to walk in a journey of art, faith and culture. 

Do you have Any Thoughts or suggestions for how I Might Appreciate and Understand better how art works in the world today?

Art is a gift from heaven to humanity. Arts help us understand life from a spiritual perspective. I believe this language is based in an intense need to express ourselves reflecting our civilizations in each cycle of history. The arts phenomenon is always strengthened in the difficult times of humanity. It is through arts that we have meditated more in life. I believe the artist is able to see what not everyone can see; he is a type of prophet that gives the world a message of reconciliation with the beginning of things. In this XXI Century, we are more exposed than ever to artistic expressions, I am sure we can print hope, we can hear the sound of love. Art is a great channel to expose us to the Creator’s light and to open a window so we can see that path that will take us back home.

I noticed that you had written about your son being born with Down’s Syndrome. How has that shaped your art? Specifically the sculpture.

When Daniel was born (our little boy with Down Syndrome) my outlook on life began to change and now I understand more about the Kingdom of Heaven. Through my son I have learned more about purity and innocence. Daniel is like a piece of Heaven on Earth. now I understand the aesthetic perspective of beauty and truth that transgresses all reality.

Carlos Cazares

Visual Artist

www.carloscazares.com