Alvaro Sánchez – “Moments Like This Never Last”
Solo exhibition
Exhibition: October 15th, 2024 – December 15th 2024
Opening: October 15th, 2024, 6:00 PM
Retroavangarda Gallery, Al. Jerozolimskie 146D, Warsaw
Exhibition Curator: PhD Anna Kłos
Organizers: Retroavangarda, Apollo Rida and the Embassy of the Republic of Guatemala in Poland
Exhibition: “Moments Like This Never Last” – Alvaro Sánchez
From October 15th to mid-December 2024, the Retroavangarda Gallery in Warsaw will host an individual exhibition by Guatemalan artist Alvaro Sánchez, titled “Moments Like This Never Last.”
The exhibition was organized in collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic of Guatemala in Poland as part of the second edition of the Latin American Art Exhibition. The exhibition is curated by Dr. Anna Kłos.
Alvaro Sánchez, born in 1975 in Guatemala, is a renowned graphic artist and writer. He specializes in collage and mixed media techniques, and his artworks have been exhibited in Europe, Asia, and USA. In his work, Sánchez focuses on the theme of the human condition, depicting the fragility of life through expressive, emotionally charged compositions.
At the Retroavangarda Gallery, visitors can view both analog, hand-made collages and a series of digital works. This is Sánchez’s second solo exhibition at this venue. His works were also featured in all editions of the International Collage Exhibition organized by Retroavangarda.
On the occasion of the exhibition opening and the artist’s visit to Warsaw, we present a short interview:
What inspired you to title your latest exhibition “Moments Like This Never Last”? Does it hold special meaning for you?
Alvaro Sánchez: Yes, this title has a special meaning for me. Music plays a big role in my life – nothing I do would exist if it weren’t for music. One of the bands that had a significant influence on me was The Misfits. I was fascinated by their dark demeanor, the skulls, the horror films references – all that was a world apart. So, inspired by that, I took a line from one of my favorite songs of theirs and decided it will be the title of this exhibition. I also thought about the ephemerality of it all, even of the exhibition itself which made this title seem very accurate. But above all it is a tribute to the music that keeps inspiring me.
In your work, you often explore the theme of life’s fragility. What personal experiences or reflections influence your approach to this subject?
The topic of human fragility has been present in my work from the very beginning. I think it is largely due to the influence of literature, but also due to personal experiences which have led me to meditate deeper on this subject. It’s always said that the artist should talk about what he knows best, and I think that’s what I’m doing. My work is an attempt to answer the question of what does it mean to be human and as long as this question persists I will continue studying it through my artwork.
This is your second exhibition at Retroavangarda Gallery, and you’ve also participated in all three editions of the International Collage Exhibition in Warsaw. What are your impressions of your previous exhibitions at this gallery?
From the beginning I felt a strong connection with Retroavangarda. It was the first gallery that showed genuine interest in what is happening in collage and mixed media area on worldwide level, especially in Latin America.I think its activity is incredibly important since building bridges between artists with different ways of thinking is necessary to generate more dialogues and inspirations. It is the reason why I value this collaboration and closeness with this gallery. I hope it will continue for many more years, since I believe that Retroavangarda is doing not only important but also special work.
The exhibition includes both analog, hand-made collages and digital works. What differences do you see between these two techniques, and which do you prefer to work in?
I always look for new ways to broaden the possibilities of my work and I think both analog and digital techniques have their own unique charms. Hand crafted work allows me to experience the physical side of craft – this process, full of ‘lucky accidents’ is incredibly satisfying to me. The mere fact of getting paint on myself and then observing how something palpable comes to life is something beautiful to me. The digital side, in turn, opens up to me completely different paths – it gives possibility to experiment with graphic design and expand my creations to various forms and objects. At some point, the two naturally get together and interesting things come out. But I never force this, I just let the process happen organically
Your work features motifs of Danse Macabre, along with influences of Dadaism and Punk aesthetics. Looking at your works (especially the expressive large-format paintings), some people also draw comparisons to Basquiat’s style. Could you tell us more about your inspirations?
Music, literature and the work of many painters whose pieces I consider as of key importance in the journey of developing my own style – all these have had a great influence on me. The covers of Punk and Heavy Metal albums were decisive for my artistic education. The work of the European avant-garde such as Dadaism was also crucial to me. And of course, undeniably, there was the influence of Jean Michel Basquiat’s art. Discovering his work was like an explosion of new possibilities for me. And I understand that his work is the first association people have when they see my pieces. But my intention is to really be a door that opens for people to discover Art Brut and Outsider art so that the viewers can learn of different ways of expressing ideas. Truly the work of someone like Basquiat is just the beginning of another universe of wonderful artists. I hope that my own work can at some point be seen as the door, which – as many artists opened them for me – I will open for others.
I know you enjoy good music and fine wine. Your works also include many vintage, collectible elements such as old advertisements, postage stamps, and photographs. Do you use them exclusively for your collages, or are you also a collector? What types of collections do you have?
That’s right, I love wine – it is not only a drink to me but also a source of inspiration which has led me to many wonderful conversations and helped me to meet many interesting people. As for my artwork it is the perfect elixir. Although in my collages I often use vintage elements because they personally evoke many things in me, I also believe they also enrich my pieces aesthetically. But If I were to call myself a collector, I would be a collector of books and vinyl records. I love going to music stores and buying records – despite the fact that in the digital age music is easily obtainable, this ritual of discovering new music, sometimes purely based on instincts, still has a great value for me. Sometimes I think that I’m also just a fetishist of the object as such, who knows.
Are there any specific works in this exhibition that hold special significance for you? Could you tell us about the process of creating them?
Each of the pieces presented at the exhibition holds a special meaning for me. The process of their creation was very organic; often it boiled down to playing a record of a band like Bush Tetras (which I am listening while answering your questions). I let the music dictate me how the result should look. I try not to analyze the process too much – I just let it all flow naturally. If I’m not satisfied with the outcome I can always erase or cross out everything and start anew. These pieces have a special value for me because they were created exclusively for the exhibition in Retroavangarda Gallery. I think it was important to show something different from what I showcased at my first exhibition in this gallery. It is natural for an artist to want to share with the public his development and personal growth. For me, evolving as an artist is very important.
What message would you like visitors to take away after viewing your works?
I think that the main takeaway for the viewers visiting my exhibition is to be encouraged to see Guatemala and Latin America in a broader spectrum and to get an idea of what is happening artistically in all these countries. I wish for a dialog to exist between them and to be aware that there are many interesting things happening over there. Latin America is not just tropical music of people dancing in multicolored costumes with coconuts on their heads – it is much more and I hope my artworks can convey this diversity.
You are also a writer. How does writing influence your visual art? Do these two media complement each other?
Definitely yes. In fact, my first horror mini-fiction book was totally inspired by a series of paintings I had done a few years ago. At that time I still didn’t dare to write but I knew that those paintings worked like short stories. And that was when I decided to turn that work into a book. I see both disciplines united, for me there is really no difference and I think they complement each other perfectly. Although I believe each one has its moment, I enjoy the possibilities that each one offers. Each one of them have their own poetic force
You collaborate with many international magazines in the fields of art, literature, and design. What significance does this collaboration hold for you, and how does it impact your artistic development?
The broadly understood artistic cooperation is something very important to me and it influences my artistic development. I believe collaboration between artists is something necessary and essential for our growth. Thinking that all that we have learned so far is enough to create something really worthwhile is completely egocentric and even somewhat naive. Inspiring each other is a basic element of human nature which is a part of our evolution as species. I believe it is important to leave a trace of our brief time on earth. Such a record becomes a witness of our time and of the moment in which we live. It is the only way that the people who come after us have the possibility of discovering us and what we did. That’s my hope.
What are your future plans? Can you reveal what you’re currently working on and what artistic projects you’re planning for the coming years?
Yes there are plans, of course, I am one of those who is always making plans even if they don’t come out very often but I need to make plans, it keeps my head busy. For next year I am planning a solo exhibition in South America. I have never been able to exhibit there and I think that if everything goes as planned, next year could be the year I will materialize it. And I also have plans to publish another book of short stories, but this time I want to make a hybrid book, that is, one that has both literature and visual art. I am already in negotiations with a local publisher and I hope that goal will be achieved. But the most immediate plan will always be to continue working one painting at a time every day, that I can assure you.
Photo report from the opening of the exhibition: