Arts & Entertainment

Studio Tour Previews Welder by Day, Dancer by Night

Q & A with Luis Alves: Collage Master

Luis Alves was interview by By Oscar A. Laluyan as part of the 10th Annual South Orange and Maplewood Studio Tour

Luis Alves' Photomontage exhibition "Katepedia" is part of ABC = Art & Business Connection, a series of exhibitions featuring works by South Orange and Maplewood artists, hosted by South Orange businesses leading up to the 10th Annual South Orange and Maplewood Studio Tour on June 2nd.

His work can be best described as visually arresting and filled with iconic images but rooted in serious subject matter. The Fame Game is best analyzed by the multi-layered collages of Luis Alves, who is showing "Katepedia" opening Thursday May 9th at:

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Robyn Ross
67 South Orange Ave, SO
Opening May 9, 7pm-9pm
Closing June 2
 
1: I create art because:
I have to.
 
2: First Magazine you ever cut up:
Anything pop culture oriented from the 70's. I would collect all kinds of images and collage them on my wall for inspiration which is something that has stuck with me to this day.
 
3: Favorite Train Wreck Celebrity:
Prefer the term "Tragic" because I am most inspired by public figures who best illustrate the duality and paradox of contemporary celebrity culture, Michael Jackson is one of my main ongoing obsessions.
 
4: Favorite magazine to get images from: VOGUE or VANITY FAIR?
I don't discriminate, I use every magazine I can get my hands on because you never know where an idea will come from and which images will be suitable and when.
 
5: Precision technique in your collages is aided by: X-Acto knife or Scissors?
BOTH.
 
6: I'd go hungry for art: Yes or No
Going hungry is not cool, would always try to find a way to create art AND eat.
 
7: Unusual place that I made art in:
Hotel rooms all over the world.
 
8: For art to be relevant,it has to be:
Transcendent
 
9: Legendary art role model:
I have many different influences, it's what being an artist is, you put together your artistic identity from many, many sources. But if I had to choose an artist role model, it would probably be Warhol. I can relate to his immigrant upbringing as well as his sensibility about art and the creative process.
 
10: If I am not an artist, I'd be a....
Welder by day, dancer by night.
 
11: Using profane images in art is: Risky or Smart?
Both if used right.
 
12: Would you like your work to be: Sensationalistic or Intelligent
My goal is to create artwork that's layered (no pun intended). I would like it to be successful in the most superficial level yet there is always an underlying complex meaning.
 
 
Oscar A. Laluyan is currently an editor at ARTE FUSE. ARTE FUSE  covers the best contemporary art from all over the world with a focus being New York. We go to as many shows as possible to give you a curated perspective on the art scene, http://artefuse.com/


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