Interview with Jose Luis Handal Farah
Jose Luis “Koqui” Handal, was born in La Paz, Bolivia in 1961.
His passion for art was evident from an early age, and it was in 1997 that he assembled his first
workshop. Here he gave life to clay, accomplishing extraordinary ceramic artworks.
Entirely self-taught, in 2005, he ventured into painting, and since then, he has taken part in national and
international exhibitions.
His constant drive and curiosity led him to sculpt with ceramics, bronze and steel.
Today, his art is on permanent display in La Paz and Santa Cruz, Bolivia; Buenos Aires, Argentina;
and the United States of America.
His vision as an artist reflects his way of seeing the world through a powerful and striking prism,
demonstrated by the euphoric colours and enormity of some of his pieces.
To travel the world through the art of Handal is to reflect on a magical reality that dilates the pupils and
shows us that we must look beyond what we see to feel a mystical presence in our day-to-day lives.
Tell us about the moment you decided to pursue a career as an artist?
I don’t remember the exact moment I decided to become an artist, but I’ve always been sure from a young age that art would always play a big part in my life. I took my first steps to become an artist thirty years ago in a ceramics course. From here I started experimenting with different artistic areas: bronze and ceramic sculptures, pottery, and painting. I developed a self-taught painting style with my spatula, which is now the hallmark of my most famous work.
What style of artist do you see yourself as?
I am a modern artist; my style is contemporary and vibrant. I am inspired by the natural world and I try to honour the magnificent and magical characteristics of each animal with strong colors and expansive strokes. For instance, the powerful musculature and horns of a bull or the infinite grace of a horse’s mane.
What do you want your art to convey to those who see it? What is the meaning or creative motivation behind your work?
When someone sees my art, I would like them to witness this magnificence of nature and I like to transmit a feeling of consciousness; we as humans are connected to the world that we share with these animals. In our modern world, that feeling is all too easy to lose touch with.
For example, once I visited Spain and saw The Running with the Bulls. I despised it because the animal was being ridiculed and separated from its power. For me, animals are the greatest thing we have on our planet. Through my paintings, I want us to restore great respect for animals that I believe they deserve.
Can you tell us the process you use to create your works of art? What is your daily routine?
My paintings are acrylic. With my paint and spatula, I create projects with a lot of color and texture. The technique is called impasto and results in the painting having added depth.
When applying paint to the canvas, I pay special attention to the contrasts of light and dark colors.
As for my routine, being in the studio is my chance to relax and find balance. In many ways, it is a welcome break from the business elements of my life; so I spend as much time in my studio as I can. When circumstances allow, I enjoy painting from the early morning and I try to paint as much as I can on the weekends.
My studio is a beautiful place to spend the mornings as it captures a lot of natural light. I am often inspired by the surrounding nature and this influences my paintings.
Where do you find inspiration? What motivates you to create?
I find inspiration from nature, particularly from animals.
My first collection centred around birds. It was called “Vuelo de colores”, and the image references the similarities that we as humans share while also celebrating our diversity and potential. It is our constant search for freedom and to break away from the borders that limit us, to be able to fly, that unites us.
A common theme of my collections is that they are principally inspired by animals. Celebrating the unique nature of each animal raises consciousness of how we should live in harmony with nature.
What has been your most outstanding achievement to date?
One of my most well-known pieces hangs on the wall of the CNN en Español offices in New York. I was chosen to represent Bolivia for the 20th anniversary of CNN en Español with a special painting.
I attended their event, presented the project and gave interviews. It was a wonderful experience for me. Additionally, I was featured in their “Camilo” program.
I am grateful for the opportunities that I have had to showcase and sell my work to collectors around the world in countries such as the USA, Argentina and India; as well as my home country of Bolivia.
What are your ultimate career goals?
My main aim is to grow my personal profile and exhibit my art around the world. To feel the sensation that my work has been welcomed into the homes of people who would appreciate it and see it every day, would feel as though a part of me has travelled- and has flown freely - across borders.
What are you working on now, and what can we expect from you soon?
Currently, I’m working on a series inspired by the sea and the life within it. I recently finished a collection on fish, highlighting their variety, texture and color.
To further the connection between humans and marine life, I began a series of paintings of mythical sirens- a literal combination of humans and the ocean. Here, I was able to combine my previous experience of painting beautiful dancers with the serene oceanic colors of nature for a deeply personal visual aesthetic.
