Meet Horacio Quiroz: Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Horacio Quiroz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Horacio, how do you think about risk?
Risk is essential to grow, it is part of life. I think taking risks is exciting and scary at the same time. Taking risks confronts you with the unknown and that is scary but in the same way it is exciting to feel the adrenanila of how new paths are generated from taking risks. I think there is a strange relationship between risk and enjoyment, when things become routine and you want to get out of your comfort zone, taking risk will definitely renew you whether you are successful or not in what you do. In the end, the most important thing is learning to take risks regardless of the result you obtain, the very experience of risk and feeling on the edge of the precipice is the lesson itself. Risk makes us vulnerable and it is okay to let yourself feel vulnerable when you need it, although it is not so easy. Becoming an artist for me comes from the risk of having reinvented myself.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am proud to live doing what I like. I believe that my painting is distinguished from others by the particular vision of the human being, when addressing the human condition in my painting I show the part that confronts and bothers us. I show the “negative” parts of the human being, because I think the only way to embrace them is by bringing them to light. Professionally 7 years ago I made a big change in my life when I started painting, the path has been quite an experience, leaving my career as an art director, a stable job in an advertising agency to dedicate myself full time to art has not been easy, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. The road has been full of beautiful experiences and people that otherwise I would never have met. The greatest learning has been the confidence in my personal project, coming out of the closet as an artist and enjoying the journey, knowing that there is no goal but to enjoy the present moment, which continues to be a challenge for me. I believe that the best way to face challenges is not to over-rationalize, to know that you do not own the situation and that you cannot have control of everything, to drop expectations. Actually the only thing you can control is your attitude to situations that arise. Be patient with yourself. Somehow with my work I would like us to allow ourselves to feel “the bad” to realize that “the bad” are the experiences that subject us to evolve as people. Without “the bad” you could not enjoy the “good”, everything is a duality.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Everything is a duality and México is not the exception, a surreal country full of contrasts. Therefore I would definitely do a tour where you could feel the contrasts of México City. I would do a shopping tour, visiting commercial areas, markets and malls. How about visiting Tepito, the Mercado de la Merced and Mercado de Jamaica, and then finish visiting the exclusive shops of the Palacio de Hierro de Polanco, Masarik or visiting the Centro Santa Fe mall. I would also do a taco safari, from the cheapest in street stalls in popular neighborhoods to the most sophisticated and expensive in elegant restaurants, also passing through the most frequented taquerias for chilangos. You could not miss places such as Chapultepec Castle, El Carcamo de Dolores, a walk along Reforma Avenue and Madero Street, the Anthropology Museum, visit the Coyocan and San Angel neighborhoods, the Anahualcalli Museum, etc.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Yes, I would like to thank each and every one of my friends, colleagues, family, collectors, gallery owners and fans who have given me their support in different ways, each gesture on their part is a light on the way. There are many people to thank, each one of them are part of me.

Website: www.horacioquiroz.com
Instagram: @horacio_quiroz

Image Credits
@fabianml @estudiolasombra