Meet Rafael Peré | Artist

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

Hi Rafael, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Well…perhaps my artistic endeavors have become more of a lifestyle than a career. The cost of life continues to grow by what seems like the minute, and I fear that this will force artists to surrender their authenticity in exchange for financial success. I have studied at the Berklee College of Music for around two years now, and my time here has taught me more about the artists sociological patterns than the art itself. When in a room full of creatives, a great majority seem to work from the outside in, as opposed to from the inside out. They attempt to predict what the consumer will want, and fail to create material that they themselves would consume and find enjoyable. As art as a career becomes more accessible, the purpose of art itself is lost, and is in turn, replaced with a product which only exists as a means to sell. It is only natural for the artist to do this if their paycheck depends on it. It is for this reason I have decided to leave the Berklee College of Music, and pursue a degree in business. While perhaps somewhat idealistic, I plan to secure a career that will allow me to have the resources to fund my artistic projects, and in turn, acquire total creative freedom. This, is what art is all about to me. A means to communicate new ideas with complete creative and intellectual liberty. After all, art is meant to make us think.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
If theres one way to approach my work, its through methods of reflection. My intent is not to entertain, but to make you feel something, to make you think.

The nature of my work reflects the nature of my own life. My own life reflects the nature of every human experience. I look to capture moments in my own life which are deeply personal, images that inspire a feeling. These images are ambiguous, open ended, but images we all experience. I will relate to these images in a certain way because of my own experience. Others will relate to these images in completely separate ways, entirely unique to their own experiences. Life is often full of abstractions which define our lives more deeply and personally than any straight forward image or story. To catch a glimpse of our reflection in a cup of coffee can inspire profound feelings of introspection.

This is what excites me. It’s a fountain of magic from which we acquire the utmost profound and personal lessons about our own lives. My art is meant to guide the viewer through this experience so that the viewer will make his own conclusions and realizations. Consider my art a meditative experience…what I am most excited about is the ambiguity of the future. I am more excited for the plans that will spring in a moment of spontaneity than the projects I have in the back of my mind. I like to keep an open mind. An open mind is like a big fishnet to catch all of your ideas. Most of our best ideas come from moments just like these. Where I am today is a result of countless failures, for if we don’t fail, we never grow. My moments of success have perhaps hindered my “peripheral” vision. After you succeed once, you attempt to recreate your success, and in turn, things start to feel stale. It’s important to remain true to your ideas, it’s what lies at the heart of your good work. The most important lesson I’ve learned is that you never know how things will go, and your ability to react to this is vital to your success. Two years ago, I believed with my entire heart I wanted to be a musician. Now, I seek to be a film director, but above all, an artist. If there is one thing I’d like people to know, it’s that I’m only getting started.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh boy okay before you do ANYTHING else, go to Vegan Cuban Cuisine on the corner of Sunset and SW 97th ave and get yourself a colada with a pastelito. No excuse. After grabbing the best breakfast you could ask for in your life, I recommend hitting the Florida Keys. Take a drive and see what you find, the Keys feel like the place where the Wild West is living out its final days. When I was a touring musician, I used to play regularly at the Caribbean Club, right off the Oversees Highway. It’s exterior was actually used in the 1948 film, “Key Largo,” directed by John Huston, and starring the immortal Humphrey Bogart. If you have a moment to stop by, I highly recommend it. Grab a beer, play some 8-ball, and see what kinds of characters you meet. If you’ve got the time, slap on some fins and go scuba diving. I had the privilege of standing inches away from the mythical sea turtle, as its eyes gently examined my face, before it took off with such elegant form. After exploring shipwrecks and the wonders of the sea, visit the Lorelei Cabana Bar for food and place to unwind. Spectacular view with pristine vibrations, an overall good place to be. Upon your return to Miami, I recommend stopping a store by the name of Miami Twice. They sell used designer clothing ranging all the way back to the 1960’s, however, what I have brought you here for is their selection of records. If you are into the music of Roberta Flack, Peaboy Bryson, Donny Hathaway, Donna Summers, or any artist in the realm of funk & soul, you must visit Miami Twice. Grab a couple of records, and venture off into your humble abode. Before you finish the night, a most important step is missing. Grab some food from one of Organic Food King’s numerous locations. No excuse! They have the best vegan food in all of Miami, my personal recommendation is their Philly Cheesesteak. Grab your munch, and enjoy it with your fine selection of records. Hell, make yourself a coladita, you deserve it.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
It’s safe to say every person I have encountered in my life has had a role to play in where I am today. Creatives such as David Lynch and Hunter S. Thompson have been instrumental in developing the voice of my work. Discovering their work has allowed me to understand so much about what it is I’d like to do, what it is I’d like to say. However, the most important person throughout every step of this process has been my partner, Melanie Zajac. These last few years have seen an endless array of unexpected turns. I’ve had to reconsider my career path more times than I’d like to admit, and amidst the calamity of uncertainty and the inevitable insecurity that comes from it, my partner has always been the voice of reason. I am poisoned with a paranoid mind that tends to rush ahead of itself, and every lunatic needs an anchor that will stop them from slamming against the wall with their own momentum. My partner has been a most authentic fountain of love and support that without, would render me doubtful and full of fear.

Website: https://www.instagram.com/thefunkymonkmedia/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imrafmedia/

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/imrafmusic

Image Credits
Howard Jimenez