- Luis Toledo (aka LaPrisaMata) is an illustrator from Madrid, Spain, whose work gives the audience the feeling of entering into another world. The abstract imagery in most of Luis Toledo’s work is similar to what one would picture in a dream or distant memory. The colorful, free-form shapes in Toledo’s collection are paired up with intricate depictions of people, skulls, nature, and other familiar imagery.
1xRun Thru Interview
El Camino De La Creación by Luis Toledo
1xRun: Tell us a little bit about this original piece? When was this piece created?
Luis Toledo: This piece was created in 2011. It is a mix of photography, scanning and digital retouching. In the context of Hinduism, Shiva is one of the gods of the Tri-murti (‘three-ways’, the Hindu Trinity), which plays the role of destroyer god, along with Brahma (the creator god) and Vishnu (preserver god). For this piece I wanted to mix in the same work the Hindu religion with space and form a new cosmogony.
1xRun: Anything immediate you feel this piece particularly highlights?
Luis Toledo:
Spirituality in the 21st century.
1xRun: How long did the piece take to create?
Luis Toledo: One week preparing images and one day to mix everything.
1xRun: What is unique about this piece?
Luis Toledo: You will not see another representation of Shiva like this.
1xRun: Why should people buy this print?
Luis Toledo: Because it brings good luck.
1xRun: Describe the piece in one gut reaction word.
Luis Toledo: GODS.
1xRun: Your work features a great deal of blending psychedelic imagery, do you consider your artwork as “psychedelic” ?
Luis Toledo: I think psychedelic works must be directly related to the ingestion of certain drugs and capture that experience, but I didn’t do this artwork in this way. This work has more to do with a deep meditation on the revision of traditional religious images and how they affect us to look at.
1xRun: Much of your work highlights repeated and natural symmetrical views, what is it that attracts you to involve a bit of mathematics and this seemingly natural symmetry in your work?
Luis Toledo:
In ancient Japan, it was said that symmetry is evil. I think the reason why it interests me so much is that I always try to avoid perfect symmetry, my works are never 100% symmetrical.
1xRun: Both of your RUNs with us have featured a great amount of depth, how much time do you spend gathering source material and layering your pieces?
Luis Toledo: It’s a part of my job that is very difficult, I have spent over 10 years collecting images, textures, illustrations and photographs. It is very difficult to get quality vintage images, however some libraries are helping to uncover forgotten images.
Luis Toledo: My first solo exhibition in London this year and hopefully I can edit a compilation book with all the works of the past 3 years. Also do some serigraphs, etchings, original work and small figures in resin.
1xRun: When did you first start making art?
Luis Toledo: I started very early age, many of my memories are of me with a pencil in my hand. From age 14 I began to draw store posters and drawings for tattoos and so it began. Soon I started doing album covers work for design studios and advertising agencies.
1xRun: What artists inspired you early on?
Luis Toledo: Francisco Goya, Salvador Dalí, renaissance art, pop art, folk art and religious art.
1xRun: What artists inspire you now?
Luis Toledo: Toño Camuñas, Julio Cappa, Moebius, Android Jones, primitive art…
1xRun: Do you listen to music while you work? If so what? If not then what is your environment like when you work?
Luis Toledo: Always. Aphex Twin to Flamenco music, Hip hop, reggae..
1xRun: If you could collaborate with any living artist who would it be and why?
Luis Toledo: Alejandro Jodorowosky, Fernando Arrabal, Michael Hussar, Glenn Brown, José Hernandez, Toño Camuñas, Skinner, Jeremy Geddes, Android Jones…
1xRun: If you could collaborate with any deceased artists who would it be and why?
Luis Toledo: Dalí, Moebius, Mucha, Magritte…
1xRun: What was the first piece of art that you bought? Do you still have it? The last piece?
Luis Toledo: The first piece would be Hindus engravers, the last would be one of Julio Cappa’s pieces.
1xRun: Where else can people find you?
Luis Toledo: Website – Facebook – Twitter – Behance
-1xRUN