ALEX DE LA CROIX
Alex de la Croix. Portrait photography and interview by BARTE. The Straigh-Up series by Juan Barte are part of his long term project “Live Forever”, a soul-searching project exploring the path of art through some of Madrid’s art scene key individuals. Follow Barte’s Live Forever on Instagram @Juan.barte. Formidable Magazine: What was your first creative drive? Alex de la Croix. My creative has always been there since I was a child. I have always been highly influenced and motivated by films so that could be one of my mottos. I like seeing the world as in a picture where I am in it. F.M. Is there a defining moment that made you realize art was your thing? A.d.l.C.I guess it was back in high school. I loved playing to dress up as things and I noticed that was kind of an art itself. I have been exploring that field in my films as in my performances, transforming people and creating pieces out of them. F.M. How would you define your work? A.d.l.C. Abstract. I don’t believe in normativity. F.M. Inspirational artists? A.d.l.C. Kazuo Ohno. Gareth Pug and Nick Knight. FM. Did you have a plan for the studio layout, or did it grow organically? A.d.l.C. It wasn’t planned. We found out we matched very well and that we could work together. We rented a studio for ourselves, which turned into an open space where we let people explore their inner selves and performance in its many ways. F.M. Would you say your studio setting influences your work? A.d.l.C. Of course it does. Since we started, I feel more influenced by performance art than ever. I used to create my pieces in an intimate atmosphere and now, I try to make everything fit in a public space. F.M. Is the studio just a place for production or also inspiration is inherent to the studio space? A.d.l.C. The studio is a multidisciplinary space. We usually work there and create our pieces and, at the same time, we use it for exhibitions and productions. Also, many artists come to work for themselves. I think it emanates inspiration. F.M. How is a day in the life of Alex de la Croix? A.d.l.C. Get up. Get my make up done. Work at the office. Play video games (lots). Manage the gallery projects. Get in touch with artists. Practice ninjutsu. Prepare more projects. Watch series. Go to bed. That’s what I did yesterday. I couldn’t describe my daily life because it’s truly disparate. F.M. What’s in your play list? A.d.l.C. Arca, Anohni, Vessel, John Cage. F.M. Best and worst night out? A.d.l.C. I always go out in heels and there are no bad nights in heels. F.M. What do you love and hate about Madrid? A.d.l.C. I love the feeling of being in a big town. Seeing people I know daily in the streets makes me feel warm. I hate its cultural tackiness. F.M. Our motto is “A life less ordinary”, what makes life less ordinary? A.d.l.C. Being conscious about gender issues and how it affects and involves society is such a remarkable thing that makes life a little less ordinary. There are more options than two and, step by step, society is expanding its mind and understanding it. It makes me so happy to see this awakening in the youth.
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