Meet Sebastián Quiroga | Artist & Graphic Designer

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

Hi Sebastián, what inspires you?
I usually get inspired by seeing other artists working, that generates in me the deep desire to create as well. Music has accompanied and motivated me all my life. Rock, pop, jazz, Beethoven, Mozart, are some of my favorites. As a Graphic Designer, I am captivated by visual symbols, such as prehistoric cave paintings, alphabets and ideograms of ancient cultures, or the logos of international companies of our time. These symbols are so important to me that I work with them in many of my paintings.

I am passionate about the shape of the human body, and its infinite capacity for posture and movement.

My love for the genres of science fiction and fantasy also stimulates my work, by allowing me to actively develop my imagination.

I admire illustrators like Norman Rockwell, Jean Giraud, Horacio Altuna or Tsutomu Nihei, among many others.

I am very passionate about cinema and all the time I am learning about its language and way of working. I would be very interested in participating in a film contributing my works.

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.
When I started my artistic work I decided to use a name that would remind both me and the public how important nature and ecology is to our world. That is why I remembered our protective ozone layer, and I used Oxono_Artist as a personal brand.

My art is very spontaneous, and it is something that I enjoy very much, because I am 99.9% sure that I will like the result of my work if I let myself be carried away by my intuition. That fascinates me about my works, I can see them after they are finished, and I love them. I don’t think it’s arrogance, I just think there is something that is expressed through me, and I only work as a channel. When I see my paintings, I observe them as if I had not done them myself, I see them as an observer who is not involved in artistic creation. I can enjoy it while I create, and I can also enjoy it as a spectator of the same work.
I believe that as human beings we have the ability to focus and do extraordinary works, and it is possible in part because of the confidence that we have that we will obtain a positive result.

I use all digital media at my disposal to produce my images. I like to experiment with new image processing software all the time.

I do not feel trapped in any current or artistic era, rather I feel that I can expand into all of them, and borrow the aesthetic and formal resources that I need.

I think that by not having completed a classical training in art, but rather oriented towards graphic design and communication, I gained the possibility of creating artistically in an irreverent and even seemingly rare way, and that has allowed me to use colors and shapes to generate a visual impact that does not go unnoticed.

I am interested in creating according to my criteria, but I am also interested in what the public experiences with my works, and that is a part of the artistic process that I find extremely interesting.

I produce a lot in digital media, but the feeling of painting with real paint and canvas is incomparable; I use less thoughtful colors and instead of brushes I usually use my hands, giving the works a great visual energy due to the strokes of my fingers.

My art style is multiform and eclectic, and I think it brings a bit of a surprise to the public at times. Today I can work with pure geometry, tomorrow with strong colors and soft lines and the next day I can work on a portrait with graphite on paper.

I am happy to dedicate myself to my vocation as a visual artist. I have had the opportunity not only to have good creative moments, but also to dialogue with artists that I admire, whether they are cartoonists, musicians, sculptors or photographers. Some galleries have shown me their interest to work with them, which I would love. What I live in the present moment is for me a dream come true.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live very close to the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, capital of the Argentine Republic, and without a doubt I invite everyone to visit it. If I had to advise what activities to do during a week, this would be the itinerary I would recommend:

Monday: Walk through the Recoleta neighborhood, you can visit the most important points of this neighborhood with a tour that is completely free. You can take some photos in the United Nations Square where the sculpture called Floralis Generica is located. You can also visit the MALBA (Museum of Latin American Art of Buenos Aires). Entrance is free.

Tuesday: Visit to the port district of La Boca. It is one of the oldest and most emblematic areas of Buenos Aires. Its colorful history is preserved in “Caminito”, a cobbled street with a multitude of houses, cafes, galleries and souvenir shops. Look at the large figures that represent the inhabitants of the place, leaning over the wrought iron balconies. You can admire tango dancers and street performers, and visit the place where some of the best soccer players in the country emerged.

Wednesday: Lunch in Puerto Madero. In this neighborhood it is known for its gastronomy and the variety of restaurants they have.
It is the most modern neighborhood in the City of Buenos Aires. Just a few blocks from the old San Telmo and the city center, Puerto Madero appears to be a different city.
The neighborhood combines historic port buildings, built with bricks and iron arches, with modern and elegant restaurants and the tallest skyscrapers in the city of Buenos Aires.

Thursday: Visit the Palermo neighborhood. The Palermo neighborhood is famous for its parks that today make up the most popular green spaces in the city of Buenos Aires. Its exceptional collection of gardens makes it an ideal place for those who like to walk and engage in outdoor activities. It is one of the most beautiful and wealthy neighborhoods in Buenos Aires. In Palermo we will visit the Japanese Garden, El Rosedal, the Botanical Garden and of course the museum of the so famous ex-first lady and first Argentine president Evita Perón.

Friday: This area performs multiple functions in Buenos Aires. It is both a financial district and a political center, as well as a tourist center and a shopping area. Downtown Buenos Aires, also known as Downtown, is not a neighborhood but rather an area made up of the neighborhoods of San Nicolás, Balvanera and Montserrat.

The sum of these three neighborhoods results in a rich diversity of spaces, architectural contrasts, historical places, cultural, gastronomic and commercial offers.

In this area we will find the Plaza de Mayo, the Colón Theater, the Casa Rosada, the Plaza San Martín and Florida Street.

Saturday: Visit to the San Telmo neighborhood.
San Telmo was the area where the first inhabitants settled, it is the oldest neighborhood in the City. Originally, it was inhabited by aristocratic families from Buenos Aires. This place is part of the historical heritage, that is why there are laws that seek to preserve the architecture. In the neighborhood, centenary houses, old churches and cobbled streets through which trams circulated stand out.

The center of San Telmo is the Plaza Dorrego, around there are numerous cafes, restaurants and antique shops. There, bohemian life and tango are part of the atmosphere of the neighborhood.

The neighborhood still preserves the essence of old Buenos Aires. In San Telmo you can find a bar where you can listen to tango and drink a coffee or wine or beer with the neighbors of the neighborhood. San Telmo is a neighborhood chosen by many artists and artisans to live and carry out their works.

Sunday: Visit to the El Tigre Delta. Just 32 kilometers from the city center, an hour by train (from the Retiro railway terminal), there is a place called Tigre, where colonial mansions, aristocratic rowing clubs, hundreds of craft shops and a river station abound from where you reach a unique natural world: the Paraná River Delta.

One of the most picturesque circuits in the area is the Paseo Victorica, with its winding streets that border the river, in the heart of Tigre. It is best to walk through it to enjoy the shade of its trees, observe the facades of its old houses, stop for something to eat or take photos from its bridges. As you come to the end of the walk, you will be surprised by the Tigre Art Museum, whose majestic construction is a magnificent piece of the Argentine belle epoque. There you will be able to know the stable collection of Argentine figurative art that ranges from the end of the 19th century to the mid-20th century.

Despite all the named activities, there are still hundreds of places worth visiting and touring unnamed.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
It really is a great blessing to have support from other people, but it is essential to make the decision to believe in yourself. For this reason, until you make the decision to go off on your own path, you do not realize the valuable help that those who are close to you offer you. I have received this help through the permanent support of my family, my friends and colleagues from the university.
Of course, I also have to thank so many artists whose work has influenced me, such as Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, René Magritte, Ursula K. Le Guin, and many, many others, who have taught me not to limit my dreams.

Instagram: @oxono_artist

Other: oxonoartist@gmail.com

Image Credits
Photography: Samanta Niedfeld