Formidable Magazine. What was your first creative drive? Raúl Díaz Reyes: When I was a small child, I have crystal clear memories of spending the day away drawing under the living room table. F.M. Is there a defining moment that made you realize art was your thing? RDR. There is no a defining moment or anything like that. I graduated in Arts and started working in my studio, years went by, and here I am. F.M. Inspirational artists? RDR. I always had a thing for Raymond Pettibon. Now I’m really into Isa Genzken. I saw his retrospective exhibition at MoMA a couple of years back and it really made an impression on me. I also follow some artists of my generation who I think are doing interesting work. F.M. How would you define your work? RDR. I’d say my work is based on the city, human interaction with the city space, it’s process and evolution. How is a day in the life of Raúl Díaz Reyes? RDR. Right now it’s basically like a day at the office. I wake up very early. I came to the studio and usually I spend a good eight hours here. F.M. What’s in your play list? RDR. I listen to a lot of Brazilian music; João Gilberto, Jorge Ben, Buarque… all the classics. Also the new Beach House and Sufjan Stevens albums are pretty cool. F.M. What film is your life like? RDR. It wouldn’t be a movie, more like a sit-com, like Seinfeld. I can totally identify with George Constanza! F.M. What do you love and hate about Madrid? RDR. The best is that even tough it’s a big city it’s easy to navigate and you can still walk pretty much everywhere you want to be. I also think that the recent change in the City Hall will have a positive impact.
On the down side, I think that there should be a bigger effort to educate the general public on the Arts. F.M. Best and worst night out? RDR. The best night out it’s when nothing is planned and things just flow. And the worst night would be right the opposite. When you have lots of plans and expectations and nothing comes out the way you thought. F.M. Our motto is “A life less ordinary”, what makes life less ordinary? RDR. Never stop learning and let life be your inspiration.
