COLLECTION 6

77
‟DUCTILITY AND ITS ABILITY TO CREATE SHADES”
www.flickr.com/photos/josebaeskubi/
Interview by Emma E. K. Jones & Amanda M. Jansson
Joseba Eskubi’s art has been a real
revelation to us. Living and working
in Bilbao, Spain, he is currently
teaching at the Faculty of Fine
Arts of the University of the Basque
Country. His abstract, yet very
theatrical work often consists of a
stage and one single figure, silhouetted
against the background. This
figure becomes the very definition of
decomposition, through the soft and
amorphous qualities that accentuate
the tactile sense of vision. Highly
suggestive and haunting, difficult
for some and addictive to others,
his imagery is definitely among our
favourite modern classics.
KALTBLUT: When and how did you begin
painting? What were you doing
before that? Any kind of art you
were interested in? Or did paintings
come first?
Joseba: I started painting many years
ago. At first I also drew a lot.
In my early works many similar forms
of the actual painting had already
appeared: organic and oneiric. Later,
I realized some sculptural objects
where I mixed different techniques
but basically, painting has
always been my primary interest.
Many times I create photographs,
digital works, and other kinds of
processes where I find new ways. I
have also made some manipulations
of classical painting reproductions,
altering the forms and original
compositions.