the street is our gallery

Let’s be clear, if you enjoy having a colourful life, or just enjoy smiling then you can read this interview. The first time we saw Julieta’s work in Valencia, it just gave us a fresh and naive smile, enough light and color to motivate us to try to find the next mural; and there are many murals painted by Julieta in Valencia, but also in many other cities and countries. So we had to talk to her, to know more about her and her work, and she kindly stopped her busy life for a moment to talk to I Support Street Art.

ISSA – Hi Julieta, What You choose to drink? Coffee, tea, beer, soda or something else?

(Julieta XLF)  – Extra cold beer 🙂

– Please introduce yourself to us: 

Hi, I’m Julieta, I’m from Valencia, Spain. I cannot live far away from the sea for too long , I love warm temperatures and all the seasons, I prefer salty than sweet, air than ground, and If I could have a superpower I’d like it to be teleportation.

– Where does your tag name come from?

It comes from my name + the name of my crew (editor’s note : XLF is a spanish crew, with members like Escif, Deih and more)

– What do you consider yourself as? An Artist? A Street artist? Anything else?

I do not define myself, I just  love living, going outside and paint, meeting people and places, share with people that have similar passions to mine.

– How did it all start for you, and what it is today?

It started and it has never ended, most  kids like drawing, painting and travelling with their imagination. Then they stop doing that because they get educated in many other disciplines. 11 years ago I started painting on the streets and found the 3^rd dimension that I was looking for : painting ; till that moment I use to focus  my work more on dance, installation ,public art… Nowadays this is what I do every day, and I feel so fortunate.

-What Is the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?

Usually what I do first is looking for a coffee 🙂

-Street Art is mostly a form visually stimulating art. To add another meaning to it, what music would you choose to accompany your art work?

It depends on the work,  on the day or  the mood,I would usually choose some reggae, but my last works are more on the mood for Chapelier Fou ” Darling, Darling, Darling”

-In Any form of art, inspiration is critical. What inspires you?

Nature really inspires me, I feel like everything I find or I discover,  already exists in Nature. Colors, travelling and meeting people and other cultures  also gives me tons of inspiration and energy.

-Before Going to paint, what’s on your checklist to take with you?

My mask.

-Do you have an artist you admire, and why?

I can spend hours talking about this!! There are so many diferent artist from diferent disciplines that I admire. Pina Baush, Aya Takano, Chema Madoz, Murakami, Frida Kalho, Gleo, Isidro Ferrer, Pablo Amargo, Adolie Day, Supakitch, Banksy, Escif, Mucha, Duchamp, Hayao Miyazaki, Klaus Haapaniemi, Nathan Jurevicious… and many many others. And the reasons are sometimes similar and for some others not, the colours they use , their imaginarium, the way they think or make me think, feel…

-Which cities do you think are the most inspiring for Street Art?

I’ll never forget when I visited Valparaiso,  but any city can be inspiring,  the place you are has to be the inspirational place in that moment.

-Do you have other passions apart from Art?

I love dancing, climbing, snowboarding and flying in many ways :), nowadays, I’m training on using silk and I’m starting my trapeze lessons next month! Jack of all trades, master of none  😉

-What is your wildest project that you dream of achieving some day?

I’ve always wanted to make a world tour, lately I’m thinking more  about getting a Caravan and travel around the world while painting.

– Does your art include symbolisms, messages or repeated patterns?

Sometimes it does , but  there is  no hidden message on my work,  everyone can give to it his own meaning.

-What Is your reaction when you realize that someone has vandalized your creation?

I think I have to paint more and more often.  My reaction depends also in the way it has been vandalised, if I painted it a long time ago or not…

-What Do you believe people first think of, or feel when they see your works?

I’d love people to feel something nice, to smile first when they see my work, but the most important thing for me is that people don’t feel indifferent. Even if they like it or not. The most important thing to me is bring out a smile, make the people vivrate trough the use of colours, not leaving them indifferent. Making them think about what they want or not in the city.

– If you were a president what would you change in this world?

I would change so many things in this world but not being a president, I don’t beleive you can work from inside this system.

– As an artist, do you feel having some kind of responsibility towards Society?

What a difficult question!!  The contribution that I would love to do to society is bring color and joy. I am interested in getting involved with people , work with them, trying to know what they feel and think, what they would like to find where there is just a wall. Working from integration, from the idea of beauty trying to bring out their smiles.

 -Do you have any Interesting projects for the future?

My most interesting creative plan for the future is living the present.  These days I’m preparing my next solo show at Mondúber Gallery, in Spain, next 16^th (editor’s note : from Oct 16th 2015 to Dec 11th more info here)

– Thank you Julieta, for bringing colors and smiles to our lives…and walls.

 

The Artist has a website and a Facebook page.

 

 

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