A designer who conceives her wedding dresses as sculptures, an artist who combines his passion for origami and haiku in his works, and a writer whose mind is always in poetry mode to create relationships and to illuminate something new. They are Laura Ponte, David Rodríguez Caballero and Agustín Fernández Mallo respectively, and they were in charge of inaugurating the 'Encuentros Talento a bordo'.
ARCO is not only the most important contemporary art fair in Spain, it is also a meeting point for artists, gallery owners, collectors and the general public, in short, for any art lover. A space that brings together talent from around the world and that allows you to discover new works, share points of view, and spark creativity.
So, ARCO 2022 hosted the first meeting within the Encuentros Talento a bordo at the ARCOlunch by Iberia space, gathering on 24 February in the ARCOlunch by Iberia space exponents from different artistic disciplines –writer Agustín Fernández Mallo, ex-model and designer Laura Ponte and artist David Rodríguez Caballero– to explore the connections between their different worlds.
Here are some of the topics that the guests discussed during the talk moderated by journalist Nerea Pérez de las Heras and some of their reflections:
TALENT
"Talent is more in things than in people, that is to say, it is in the world and it is a question of bringing it out".
David Rodríguez Caballero
"Everyone has talent for something, and then there is the talent that others recognise".
Laura Ponte
"Talent is a sensitivity that is educated and consists of learning to relate things to bring something to light".
Agustín Fernández Mallo
THE CREATIVE PROCESS
"Inspiration comes suddenly, but because your subconscious is always at work".
David Rodríguez Caballero
"I work a lot with intuition, I don't retain anything beyond pure impressions".
Laura Ponte
"My head is always in poetry mode, which is the way to create relationships that didn't exist before".
Agustín Fernández Mallo
THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE AUDIENCE
"You don't think about the spectator when you create, but somehow you know that the work is going to be seen".
David Rodríguez Caballero
"I really like working with the body, but there is also a part of psychology, of each person's character".
Laura Ponte
"Writing to please is counterproductive. There is no such thing as one reader, there are millions and it is absurd to try to please everyone".
Agustín Fernández Mallo
The first edition of the 'Encuentros Talento a bordo' was held at the ARCOlunch by Iberia at ARCO 2022.
David Rodríguez Caballero, Laura Ponte and the moderator, Nerea Pérez de las Heras, listen to Agustín Fernández Mallo.
Those attending the 'Encuentros Talento a bordo' were able to enjoy a coffee-snack during the talk.
SPANISH TALENT
"There is a lot of talent in Spain and history is full of examples, but we have problems with its management".
David Rodríguez Caballero
"Beyond institutional support, independent projects which create communities are interesting".
Laura Ponte
"In Spain there is incredible literary talent, and also scientific talent, but in this case there is a lack of infrastructure".
Agustín Fernández Mallo
PLACES OF INSPIRATION
"New York is a city I never wanted to go to, but I have been linked to it for 14 years and it has left a strong mark on me".
David Rodríguez Caballero
"I have lived in New York, London, Paris and Madrid, and inspiration can be found anywhere, in the street".
Laura Ponte
"I have been greatly influenced by the United States and the American land art of the 60s and 70s".
Agustín Fernández Mallo
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ARTISTIC DISCIPLINES
"There are always synergies between disciplines, although sometimes we don't even realise it. We are very permeable".
David Rodríguez Caballero
"I'm very curious and enthusiastic, and I say yes to everything. I still have a lot of things to see and learn".
Laura Ponte
"Curiosity educates you and it is inevitable that an artist is influenced by what he listens to or what he sees".
Agustín Fernández Mallo
Participants
David Rodríguez Caballero. A graduate of Fine Arts from the University of the Basque Country, he is an artist and sculptor. He lives in New York and is one of the most well-renowned Spanish artists internationally, as well as being the youngest artist at Marlborough Gallery.
Laura Ponte. Retired international top model and designer. After ending her successful career as a model, she focused on fashion and jewellery design. She is enthusiastic about painting and a fan of contemporary art.
Agustín Fernández Mallo. A graduate of Physical Sciences and a writer, he is considered one of the greatest revivers of Spanish literature. Additionally, he is a key member of the Generación Nocilla, also called Mutante or Afterpop.
Moderator:
Nerea Pérez de las Heras. Journalist and art historian. She collaborates with media such as El País, Vogue, or Esquire, and rose to fame in 2016 thanks to her comedy monologue Feminismo para torpes. She currently hosts the podcast Saldremos mejores with Inés Hernand.
