Rui Paes |
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Rui Paes, a Portuguese artist, was born in Mozambique in 1957 and now lives in London and Suffolk. He studied at the Escola de Belas Artes in Oporto and completed an M.A. in painting at the Royal College of Art in London. Mr. Paes' work, which includes murals and designs for the theatre, is represented in private collections throughout the world, including the historical Munkebakken house in Oslo, Norway. Lotsa de Casha is his first children's book.
World-renowned artist, and first time children’s book illustrator Rui Paes, on working with Madonna, how his childhood influenced his work and much more…
Lotsa de Casha was your first children's book. Work-wise, how was this different from your other projects?
It was wonderful to have been able to create a world within a world. Not a lot of difference there in that whether I paint at my easel or paint a mural, the works become slices, brought to light, of a larger and more obscure, but real, world that flows on. However, the dynamics of working on the book were extremely exciting inasmuch as it was somebody else's mind and heart weaving the story, and I had to bring children into that world.
Do you have a favourite illustration in Lotsa de Casha? If so, which is it and why?
I love them all and some really stir me up, but I am especially amused by the progress of Lotsa through the Ancient City, where the frames and cartouches go back in time style-wise (from Baroque to Gothic), and where I enhanced the time/space relationship.
Which artists/illustrators have most influenced you and your work?
Recently I have developed a significant interest in Caravaggio and, separately, those artists in other cultures who understood his sensitivity. For Lotsa de Casha I looked quite regularly at these painters, reflecting on their economy of expression, determined and dramatic figuration, and, of course, atmosphere.
How has your childhood influenced your work?
I was born and grew up in Mozambique. As a child, my fantasy world was populated by the animals of the African tradition, walking and talking with a human consciousness. In my teens I moved to Portugal for the lycée studies and then, for quite some years I was privileged enough to travel between Portugal and Mozambique. I think that those polarities have ended up giving me a European mind and an African heart. Luckily, these two continue an amicable exchange.
How long does it usually take you to complete a painting? What is your process like?
It depends on the complexity of the composition, obviously. It could take from a couple of days up to three or four weeks. I like to work on several images at the same time, since it gives me a "fresher eye" as I make my rounds.
From where did you draw your inspiration for the illustrations in Lotsa de Casha?
The story is set in the Italian early Baroque period and I did a tremendous amount of research to best describe that time. A visit to Siena, at Madonna's suggestion, and a good look at the works of the painters of the Dutch Golden Age were very important. There are, in some of the illustrations, a few lightly veiled references to Genoa, where I have been staying with friends for an inspirational retreat. The Victoria and Albert Museum, in London, is always a treasure trove of inspiration. Madonna was also very good to lend me some of her children's drawings to appear in an interior scene. And then, listening to music of the period also helped to create a wall to the world outside.
Describe the creative process of making this book with Madonna.
It was a process of multilayered and multidimensional interactions. Right from the beginning Madonna and I seemed to have had a sort of instant connection. She has a visual awareness that allows her to see beyond the surface, and that is very rewarding for an artist, very gratifying.
What message do you hope children (even grown-up ones) will take away from Lotsa de Casha?
Lotsa is a story about redemption with the reward of friendship - a true adventure - and I think that children will absolutely adore it. I hope they will understand that you need courage and kindness in the face of adversity. The adult reader, I hope, will be able to reflect upon the idea that nothing stays forever, but also that misfortune can be turned into good.
There is a lot of wit and humor in the art you created for Lotsa de Casha, and it complements the written story beautifully. Tell us about that.
I believe that children are wonderfully intelligent beings, so I tried to unlock for them every door and every window to Madonna's words and ideas, and to unleash her humor and sense of poetry. There are also cultural puns and double-entendres in many of the images, such as the winged mouse walking on a golden ball carrying a cup and a bridle, representing Nemesis. I cannot disclose them all!
Lotsa de Casha is the only one of Madonna's five children's books that features animals as characters instead of humans. How did this idea come about?
Amidst the various images in my portfolio there are some very detailed photographs of a velvet tablecloth I had painted featuring anthropomorphic animals. This inspired publisher Nicholas Callaway to suggest a similar approach to the physical aspect of the characters in Lotsa. I liked this idea immensely, as I have always loved animals (as a child I had a parrot and a squirrel that I used to carry inside my shirt). It also met the fable-like, lyrical quality of the narrative.
What was your opinion of Madonna's work before illustrating Lotsa de Casha? Has the experience of working with her changed your opinion?
I thought she was always very good at what she did, inspiring for her commitment and passion for her work-a real example to us all. Working with her has just added to the human dimension; she has become more tangible.
What are your current and upcoming projects?
I am back in Italy to do some portraits. These will be paintings to incorporate in an exhibition, hopefully not too far in the future. At a different level, and using Lotsa de Casha as a steppingstone, I am starting to raise funds for a public library in the town where I was born, in northern Mozambique.
What advice would you like to pass on to young artists?
It is good to have doubts about what you may be doing, but never lose sight of what you are certain you love doing.
