Rosario d’Espinay Saint-Luc, painter from Colombia. Photography © Stéphane Dutal
1.Could you introduce yourself and the purpose of your artistic work?
From the Cauca Valley where I was born, in Colombia, to the Ecuadorian Andes, where I lived for many years. Then followed by a perilous crossing of the Oceans to the south of France, a flight with two children, towards freedom, love. Provence. My life is the story of an uprooting, in the midst of the clash of the Colombian civil war, within a broken family.
During all these years, nature has been my sanctuary, my refuge, and little by little whilst my creative intention emerged, the aesthetic drive, a common thread appeared to me.
Painting irrepressibly led me to unite the pieces of my life, my forgotten roots, my exile, my mother’s happiness and my accomplishment as a woman. My techniques are tools used to express an intention of union with myself, my history, nature, and humanity.
In my abstract paintings, I use mixed and acrylic techniques as well as volcanic sands. I work in the middle of nature and my work is a tribute to the mother nature herself with a commitment to the preservation of the planet.
The search for the light, the rhythms and intensity are the foundations of my artwork.
Rosario d’Espinay Saint-Luc
My work has been exhibited all over the world since 2000 in art galleries, international art events like the 8th edition of the Florence Biennale in Italy, the “Bienalle Internationale Lliut_Art”, in Gandía (Spain) and in the Ateneo de Madrid. I was awared the Foundation Carzou price in France, the “Premio Ercole D’Este”in Italy, the ”Award of excellence” in Bologna. In 2020, I participated in SALON COMPARAISONS with American Latin group and SALON DES INDEPENDANTS in The Grand Palais in Paris.
2.How important are social networks in your business
Social networks are of paramount importance in the presentation and promotion of my art. My partners, collectors, gallery owners, customers and friends can follow my creative moments around the world, in situ, in the heart of nature, to witness my new artwork from the moment or creation in my workshop until it will be exhibited.
Sharing my work through social media encourages people who wish to acquire one of my artworks to have an insight within the intimacy of my creative process and allow them to feel much more connected to the essence of art.
Social media platforms are also places of exchange between artists; it is an opportunity for the world to connect with us and us with the world.
3.Could you share with us the impact of the crisis on the promotion of your work and the way you are facing this situation?
We are living in unprecedented time a virus is ravaging the world and has left us anxious and paralysed. It has affected all types of socio-economical activities and brought upon much, sadness and fear.
For many of us, the situation is complicated as this pandemic has put on hold our artistic activities. In some countries more than others, the lockdown implementation has resulted unsuccessful due to the economic and social inequalities. Poverty and hunger has pushed people that rely on the informal economy to ignore the lockdown’s rules in order to put food on the table for their children.
However, I wish when all is said and done, the world becomes a better place and let’s hope that a new vaccine is soon developed to stop this pandemic. Hopefully we will come out as a better humanity, more conscious about the facts that life is precious and that we should respect mother nature.
During this lockdown period, in my workshop, I decided alongside my faithful companions; the brushes and the paints to continue working in order to keep expressing my feelings towards the world on the canvas.
Unfortunately, during this period, I ’ve had to cancel an exhibition and a contemporary art fair. In my opinion, even if it’s not easy to project ourselves in the near future, we shall not lose sight of our lives, our passions and keep hope.
4.What’s your favorite museum and why?
I particularly like the “Centre Pompidou” museum in Paris. I go there as often as I am able to. The Modern Art museum collection is very close to my heart, it is there where my eyes have sharpened and where I have learned a lot, alongside the greatest masters of modern art.
Additionally, I recently discovered the “Soulages Museum” in Rodez. I was pleasantly surprised by this place because it provides the opportunity to pay tribute to this wonderful French painter whilst incorporating the use of a public park to do so.
In my opinion, museums are spaces of exhibition where the world, generation after generation, can witness traces of experiences, histories, different aspects of our cultures and the ugliest to the most beautiful aspects of human kind.
Rosario d’Espinay Saint-Luc
People have used art as a beautiful way of expression among others, they have put their creativity into artwork since the beginnings of our times. Why do peple visit museums? I believe it to be an act of curiosity in order to see, learn, understand, question important and puzzling concepts of our humanity…
It is a space where our minds can resonate with pieces of art that were not necessarily born in ourselves. All human history is underpinned by respecting and admiring the spirit of creativity regardless of the way of expression.
Interview by Benjamin BENITA, MuseumWeek coordinator, Founder and President of Culture For Causes Network
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Rosario d’Espinay Saint-Luc on social networks: Picuki – Facebook – Linkedin – Twitter
