ART BAZAAR FOR WORKER SOLIDarity
MARCOS ANDRADE
How are you? How have you been coping with this pandemic/ quarantine?
I’m doing good. I was able to keep my job and work from home.I am super grateful for that. I think my brain has adjusted to the pandemic/quarantine. Now when I watch movies I get an initial freak out reaction when I see the actors touching.
What are you working on right now?
As far as visual art goes I’ve been forcing myself to photograph boring things around my house. I figure it is kind of like a form of exercise; I doubt anything will come from it. I have been mostly making music, playing, recording and writing.
Your pieces in Art Bazaar are so powerfully evocative, specially Untitled #1 featuring an image of a serious little boy. Can you tell us more abut this work?
Untitled #1 was part of a larger series where I used old family photographs, mostly from the 70s, and painted over them, recontextualizing them. I just found the compositions of the original photographs really funny. Whoever was taking some of these pictures made interesting and sometimes bold choices. Some images I came across weren’t portrait/landscape but diagonal. Which is I think is kind of a old school scrap booking/photo album thing. I painted on them using the composition and backgrounds of the originals photographs as inspiration for what I was going to do with the paint. I usually leave it alone and come back. I’ll think about it when I’m driving, working or in the shower.
Do you ever get stuck in your practice? how do you unstuck?
Constantly. I usually leave it alone and come back. I’ll think about it when I’m driving, working or in the shower.
What made you wanna get involved in Art Bazaar for Worker Solidarity?
When the collective brought up the idea I thought that, as someone who has not been affected nearly as much as so many others have, it is the very least I can do. My grandparents and parents were all undocumented worker’s at one point. It’s where I come from, those are my people.
What are some cartoons you liked as a child?
The Simpsons, X-Men, Animaniacs.
Any favorite foods, least favorite foods?
I am not too picky but there's something about raw celery I dislike. I eat it from time to time just to see if I start to like it.
Where are you from and how does it influence your art?
I’m from Wilmington, CA. I don’t know whether that has a direct influence on my art-making as in I don’t make work about it… It finds its way in sometimes.
How do you envision the art world post-pandemic?
I think the pandemic will be in people's minds for a long time to come. I do see galleries opening post-pandemic, but what happens when there’s a packed house for an opening? What happens if someone coughs? Is the show over? If schools don’t reopen going to art school would be a total jip. Obviously there are more questions than answers.
