An Explored Conversation with Fritzia Irizar
Photo courtesy of artist
Mexican artist Fritzia Irízar uses precious metals and materials to value and weigh economical and political situations facing communities in a dramatic artistic presentation that has been celebrated internationally. I got to discuss issues of art and its potential impact on the border issues, to the value of an education with her.
Uzomah: Where do you see the future of art in terms of visits to galleries and museums in the wake of this current pandemic?
Fritzia: I believe that the true interest in art will be renewed, and the fact that the spectator has to make an extra effort to present a specific piece of art and to experience it in real life will become a refreshed gift that will be appreciated strongly by everyone; I imagine people in the near future organizing their schedules to visit a gallery or a museum, I see them fully engaged with the interpretation and committed to interacting with the artist's mind. My optimism has not diminished despite all and I am certain that art is such an essential matter for humans that surely will find new paths and will evolve after this.
U: Can you explain how you use the elements found in diamonds and salt to artistically address social and political issues?
F: Humans relate to materials and objects in so many different ways. Those relationships between things and people developed concepts of value which most of the time will make an impact in society. Those concepts of value become part of the culture, our collective magical thinking, our logical thinking, and even our economical practices are related to them. In other words, undervalue or overvalue community resources, materials and other elements may define the efficacy of social justice in a particular group. The level of importance that we as a society give to objects or material resources write the History of some countries, it also reveals forms of exploitation and injustice and that relationship with those materials and the way we exploit them, define us as humans. Through my work, I intend to create coordinated dialogs, sometimes organized games or public interventions using those historical facts, choosing materials, and objects that are capable of communicating itself part of the message.
Series of poems order to poets living in areas of the world with violent conflicts, that where transcribe on sheet of paper made of pages of the Adam Smith book “Wealth of nations” and whiten with a tint made of burn dollar bills.
U: What inspires you to make art and art that address issues that affect the communities in society?
F: Before an artist, I am part of a community and a citizen, in that order of importance, my art is developed. I create art for everyone, regular people living in groups who built our History with their everyday actions. I consider myself more of an art lover who brings her passion into reality instead of the inverse. The ordinary things in everyday life and its complexity are mainly what inspires me, perhaps this is the reason why all my projects are so different in their aesthetics but similar in the content as well they are all about human nature. I am always trying to reach humans as a whole by being conscious of our differences but capturing with excitement our similarities.
U: If you were not an artist what would you be doing?
F: I will be studying society, humans, nature, material and their compositions, emotions, but not simply would be showing the results of these studies in galleries or museums.
U: Your work brings about topics of desire and the value of money and its significance in society, what are some of your favorite precious materials you use to build works artistically and why?
F: Transformation is a concept that fascinates me, I select materials as diamonds because of the complexity of its formation. The natural elements that take part in its creation such as temperature, time, pressure, etc., and also how we as humans developed a strong desire for those materials are my primary interest. Money, for example, is constantly changing and transforming its value and those changes create on people specific emotional reactions, even psychological conducts that have an impact on the functions of economical systems. I am always searching for things that have the power to impact human emotions, elements capable of creating ethical conflicts in our minds to challenge the clarity of our values.
Frigian hat made of gold thread which is untangled slowly by a mechanical mechanism.
U: How have the cultural and economic systems in Mexico impacted your work?
F: Mexico as many countries in the world has built its political structures and has applied economical systems created by politicians who have failed people for many years. Our leaders do not represent ourselves as a community, they have fallen short of representing a highly culturally diverse country. I see a country that looks at their leaders and the politicians as the “others”, but we all make our ways despite them.
U: There is huge political unrest between the USA and Mexico in terms of the border conflict and access for Latinos wanting to come into The US. How can art be used in a form of protest that might start conversations where change can happen for the betterment of Latinos who are at risk? How would you use art address Latinos in ICE who are being met with inhumane conditions?
F: Invisibilization is an old-style strategy that has been used to oppress women for centuries and is now been the method apply to deny also many facts of the conflict between the border USA and Mexico for a long time. I believe that exposing the economic and social benefits generated by immigrants in the USA could be a good start and would help to measure the benefit of this collaboration.
U: Can education change an artist’s aspect of art and the world as a whole? Has it for you in any way?
F: Education is simply the most powerful weapon in the globe, those who have the access to education or are simply better equipped from the rest, to have the right to a good education is one of our social rights that are becoming least accessible to most people. Even with all the advances in technology in the last decades we are still far from being able to be democratized to it correctly. I am a strong believer in the power of the transformation that education has, I have it and have experienced it first hand, education can be the difference between being attracted to shoot a gun or shoot with a camera and I have seen people taking this decision in front of my eyes.
Carpet made of Lebanon cedar sawdust and an equilibrist crossing it holding a one piece cedar stick with the top end of gold.
U: How do you use surfaces to address a person's perception?
F: I expand the field of action of my art wider as much as I can. I try to make my work with no fear to cross borders in between disciplines, areas of knowledge, or places where my art take action, I could say that one of the few constants in my artwork could be not to settle in a specific way of doing or style. I choose art for the freedom that it represents and I do use as many possibilities that the spectrum of communication has. I like to create art that sticks in our minds by making you be concerned but not to be choking you with visual spectacularism. I believe in the power of analysis and the capacity of the viewer to add something to a work of art by being part of it. I like to use different artistic methods to provoke a constant gamble on the collective consciousness.
Newton pendulum made of 4 spheres made of cane sugar and 1 sphere of sugar substitute, will let to the public free to destroy.
U: How do you approach your artistic process so it displays the type of cultural commentary that you want?
F: Processes are the main aspect of the majority of my projects. Sometimes I choose to hide the process to make them more present, sometimes I let the viewer imagine the process through specific guidance or clues to let them construct a personal version of my ideas, but the process is always the moment where the piece of art as the message gets the higher point of conflict. Also is in the process of the construction of a piece of art where I enjoy using veracity or legality documentation, such as a notarial lawyer document, certificates as another mechanism of expression.
U: What does the future look for you artistically in terms of projects?
F: I am working now on a series of ideas about bioethics and tourism, exploring the limits of the exploitation of nature by several luxury markets.
For more of Fritzia’s work please visit her site.
