Blind Date with Arturo RhodesJuly 4, 2017

This Friday 7th July something exciting is afoot in Deia. British artist and much loved resident Arturo Rhodes will be exhibiting his latest collection Blind Date in La Residencia’s Sa Tafona Gallery.

Every year Arturo puts on a very special performance for his show’s opening. Intrigued to learn a bit more about this year’s theme we met for an interview at his Deia studio.

Tell me about your upcoming exhibition?

The inauguration is Friday 7th at 7.30pm. I’ll be doing an immersive performance and will be coming as a blind man. The show’s on for two weeks.

What inspired your exhibition “Blind Date”?

The blind date is no big mystery to explain.

A friend of mine turned up a week before I was inspired to start painting (the collection). He said he found me a dame who was suitable for me and I said I’ve given up on that kind of blind date thing. But this stupid guy talked me into it and I agreed to go to this restaurant to meet this woman and it was a total disaster from the word go.

She was divorced and relieved to be on her own and had a very long list of how hopeless men were.  I thought well this isn’t the kind of thing I’m looking for. So I paid the wine and meal and drove back home and thought I should have gone with my gut.

The next day someone asked how it was. I said it was a disaster. He said you know Arturo love is blind and I thought ahh that’s interesting.. Love is Blind? So I researched it in Google. Some people even say that hate is blind. But anyway, the thought came to me one day arbitrarily that love is blind and hate can see. And I thought what a strange line that is.

Logically that would be the way it would go. I found there is a Greek myth story of cupid falling asleep which is where this love is blind thing comes from.

Favourite painting? I kind of like the one with the woman carrying love. That was an outcrop from the other painting. It’s this thing about women carrying the weight of romantic love. That it’s the women that do all the carrying.

“It’s interesting that my negative experience of my date led to this as I was right up shit creek lacking in inspiration..”

What do you love and hate the most about holding exhibitions?

I kind of get a kick out of the performance because that takes my mind off the whole thing. In fact that’s why I got into it. Just standing around with a cocktail waiting for someone to come and buy pictures isn’t really pleasurable, it’s embarrassing. So I thought if I have something to do it will feel better and now people come in their droves to see the theatre and don’t look at the pictures!

And I wake up the next day and think what was all that about?

Do you think this collection will appeal to buyers?

The paintings that sell well usually are the most unusual ones. I hang the new pictures in the gallery ready for the new show then I pick up some older ones to fill the gaps. You just don’t know you just can’t predict it. Some themes I have chosen that have been incredibly popular. Last year’s Bad Hair Day was incredibly popular. I felt people could really relate to it.

Do you think people will relate to this? I think so. I think the idea and the performance is very cool. I think that will go down well.

Thanks Arturo. I look forward to the show!

http://www.arturorhodes.com/

Arturo can be contacted on +34 607 327 818 and you can drop in and visit his studio in Deia by appointment or by chance.