INTERVIEW
Meet Aythamy Armas
Meet the artist behind the unique collaboration with La Collection.
The Barcelona-based artist Aythamy Armas is known for his unique techniques and artworks. He works together with Alzueta Gallery and now has his exhibition 'Time of Lines' available in the La Collection Antwerp Flagship Store.
Can you give us some insight into your creative background?
AA: I started painting and drawing when I was a child and these are activities that I never lost. After high school, I understood that this passion could be a professional path in my life. When I finished my art studies at the university I came to Barcelona to find my place in the art galleries. There were many twists, surprises, and work in between, it is not easy but you learn a lot and I am very happy and proud of the process.
“I started painting and drawing when I was a child and these are activities that I never lost.”
What is art to you and what inspires you?
AA: As I see it, art is an attitude in your life. To be active, creative, curious, to have your mind open, critical, and willing to grow. To take something concrete in this period of my life that can be translated into a painting, a drawing.
“To be active, creative, curious, to have your mind open, critical, and willing to grow.”
Have your techniques evolved through the years?
AA: Throughout the years I have worked with different techniques and disciplines. In university, I focused on sculpturing, and later I focused on figurative painting. I focus on the line and its possibilities. The rhythm of the stroke. With abstraction, I explore the parts of the creative process that interest me most. Today my work is focused on the strokes, and the possibilities of the lines outside the canons of painting. I pay a lot of attention to the rhythm and sound of the strokes on the canvas and the movement of my body and hand during the process. They are the guide in the building of the compositions.
What is it that made you want to collaborate with La Collection for this expo?
AA: One of the first impressions that I had from la Collection was that its main focus is quality. I saw that it takes care of design, cleanliness, and atemporal. From the image, how to show and present the work, the colors, and much more. Working and collaborating on this kind of project always gives you another good perspective on how to reach your own goals.
At the aesthetic level, I think that La Collection and my paintings are a wonderful match. The pure lines and the sober style are aspects that I believe we have in common. Furthermore, when we started talking, communication was very easy and that's always a good sign. And, when we all met in person it was the same easy and aligned vision of communicating.
What do you think of Antwerp?
AA: My first feeling about Antwerp was that it is a quiet and well-kept city. One of the main things I usually notice when I arrive in a city is the cafes and bars, and Antwerp is lovely for this.
I appreciated the contrast of the open part of the city facing the river with the old part with narrow streets and classic buildings that caught my attention. The contrast between the modern and the classic is very noticeable which I love, it is very different from Barcelona. And gold, there is lots of gold! I only visited for two days, but it is a place that left me wanting to return and discover more.
What are your favorite spots in Barcelona?
Barcelona is a great city to live in. It has a balance between many important aspects to me as a cultural offer, weather, nature, and leisure. Visit the CCCB and Macba or have a walk around Montjuic and arrive at the Miró Foundation is a great place to spend the day and see a great exhibition. To eat the offer is huge, a classic for me is ¨La Cova Fumada¨ in Barceloneta, fresh and simple fish with an atmosphere of all life. To delight the ¨two pebrots¨ or the ¨shunka¨, and a cocktail at the ¨Boadas¨.
