Caro Pepe (Geduldig)

Interview : Caro Pepe aka Geduldig

Who are you ? And where are you from ?
My name is Caro Pepe and I’m an argentinian artist  among other things.

Geduldig means “Patient”, other words to describe you ?
There are a thousand words that can describe me. I would go with : idealist, passionate and sometimes chaotic but always patient.

Your creations : close-up (on the face) and a small body, why ?
My big headed characters are all about emotions and as I try to portrait feelings my main focus is in their faces, their body language is generally subtle.

On these faces, we always find an eye and not two, could you explain this choice ?
I choose to paint only one eye because as subjective individuals we are, we’ve got a partial view on reality and from that “misperception” we define our worlds, we shape our emotions. Personally, Im always seeing one side of things, events and people, just the part I like and I slightly disregard the rest. After all reality is an illusion, so it’s up to us to build it our way.

Why only girls ?
I paint only girls because i can relate better, i can be more intimate and i can connect with their emotions deeper.

One day with Caro, it would be what ?
Depending on the day, it could be heaven or hell. I can be very intense sometimes. However, in a more practical way, we would take my dog to the park and then back to the studio to work, meeting one or two friends along the day and then taking the dog out for a walk again.

What are your main influences – art and otherwise ?
My main influences are stories, people experiences and feelings. That is what truly inspire me. But when it comes to artistic influences my favourites are Gary Baseman, Jeff Koons, Tracey Emin and Audrey Kawasaki.

There aren’t many women street artists, too much divided up ? too male ? What do you think about it ?
I have been asked this question several times already and honestly I have never seen it as an issue. I found out there are a lot of female Street artists but is a fact that is a male dominated scene and they are quite productive.
In my personal experience I have never felt it as a hostile environment for women. On the contrary, guys were always very generous and welcoming and with the girls I’ve met we instantly teamed up. But again, this is my “one sided view” on the subject and maybe the other women in the business do not fully agree  with me.

Do you think you can achieve the same freedom and self-expression painting on canvas, murals, books or with illustrations ?
Each and every medium is a different experience to me. I express freely in all cases. Painting is the big love of my life, it doesnt really matter where I do it as long as im doing it. But yes, walls are my favourite so far.

What’s in your toolbox ?
Pencils, acrylics, brushes, rollers, some white and transparent black cans and a hair band.

What Berlin has more than another city ?
Everything! Berlin has more of everything than any other city I’ve been. It’s such a passionate and intense city. Inspiration is in every corner and you can be everything except bored.  I used to think that for Berlin to be a dream city I would add some more romance, but a berliner once told me “if you want love, go to Paris”, end of the story.

How do you feel about the movement of street art into galleries ?
I’m ok with it,  after all Street art was born free, no rules attached, and as long as it stays that way, it can just be a positive thing.
Street art is one big movement, that has to be seen and appreciate it, so the more spots it has, the better would be. Street art is in the focus of attention and we have to use that in our favour.

What percentage of your time is devoted to art ?
I would say, 70% of my time is devoted to art.

Are you generally satisfied with your work ?
I am generally satisfied because I do not consider the piece finished until I am satisfied. Thats why I go by the name of “Geduldig”, i take my time to have it done, all the time I need. Of course there are some few exceptions, but in general I give my best to have it the way I want.

What do you think the role of the artist in society ?
I believe the role of artists in Society is to not only to create but to move people from where they are, to make them think, to make them feel, challenge them, even if its for 5 minutes. Sometimes it could be uncomfortable, sometimes it could be peaceful, joyful, chaotic, never mind the message, the role of the artist is to touch through its pieces.

Are there any artists that you would like to collaborate with ?
In general I love collaborations. I have done several coworks with other artists and I have always grown from those experiences. My work gets better from their opinions, their insights and their techniques. Its a key factor to be generous and open minded when co-working, placing the art first and be willing to chase ideas for a bigger purpose than oneself.
So to answer the question, I would like to collaborate with as many artists as possible.

Who are your heroes ?
My heroes are the dreamers, the makers, the fearless, the strong spirited people out there, the ones that always move forward.

You are a dog lover, my dog is called Rémie, it’s a girl and yours ?
I’m indeed a dog lover. Mine is a boy, his name is Carolo (not so geduldig) he is very energetic, We are like a small gang.

What is the question I haven’t asked that you would like to answer ?
You would ask : “I have a huge wall for you to paint in the heart of a major city, do you want it ?” and i would answer “yes, please”.

Caro Pepe links

Caro Pepe aka Geduldig pictures

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