Interview: Hugo Auler, Jr.
Luca Curci talks with Hugo Auler, Jr. during CONTEMPORARY VENICE 2021 at THE ROOM Contemporary Art Space.

American Brazilian artist Hugo Auler, Jr. was born in 1961 in Brasilia, Brazil. He was involved with art at an early age since his father, Hugo Auler, was a famous art critic in Brazil with his newspaper column “Atelier”. He used to visit different vernissages and art exhibitions. This gave him a lot of inspiration that came to him later in life in the ’90s when he was already living in Los Angeles. Hugo is an autodidact who likes to explore colors and texture, getting inspiration in life situations, people, and nature. Hugo has a Master’s degree in International Economics, and for the last 30 years, he has dedicated his time working in the Travel industry. Always involved with sports, Hugo has a large number of marathons, triathlons, and 3 Ironman races under his belt.

Luca Curci – How did you get to your current artistic practice?
Hugo Auler, Jr. – I got involved with art at my early age. My father was a well-known art critic in Brazil; therefore, I had the opportunity to visit different vernissages and biennials in Brazil and meet great artists. Since I moved to Los Angeles, the necessity to express myself through painting has been growing more and more. At this point, I managed to create a calm and graceful way to approach my way of painting, I am in peace, and more focused on my way to express life and my views through art.

LC – What are your thoughts while you paint? Do you have any habits or rituals while you work?
HA – Well, everything starts with my state of mind. If I am too busy with other things in life, I cannot paint. More or less, I have to “solve everything else” in my head to be in peace and face the canvas with an open mind and truth to my ideas. Speaking of rituals, music is my thing and a huge inspiration. Depending on my mood, I paint with jazz, bossa nova, or classical music. It calms me down and clears my mind opening the road to the ideas that eventually land on the canvas.

LC – How do you choose your subjects? Is it a reasoned or an instinctive process?
HA – My subjects go with the moment, with the situation. It goes with my head, what is bothering me or what is making me happy at the moment. A specific subject sometimes has a human or an environmental source, but it is always related to my current state-of-mind.

LC – Do you use art to express something in particular? Is it like your medium of expression?
HA – I think art is always a form of expression. It doesn’t matter if it is in a straight subject on the canvas or related to the colors, shapes, forms, or general idea. Art will always give you a moment to think, discover, and question the subject or yourself.

LC – How do you feel when you see your work completed?
HA – Before the completion of the artwork, I question myself, “Is it done? Should I take a different approach? Should I focus some more on specific detail? Should it be that simple? Should it be that complicated?”. And then, after a while, I feel a sense of accomplishment of the job well done, the feeling that I had a chance to create something valuable and important.

LC – Do you agree with our vision of art, and what do you think about the theme of the festival?
HA – I found your vision fascinating. We live in a modern world. Technology, art, design, architecture are all related in one way or another. And we contemporary artists, we need the platform to express ourselves in the modern world.

LC – In which way the artwork presented in our exhibition is connected with the festival’s theme?
HA – The art pieces are connected with the festival’s theme with just the simple fact that they are the moment. They are our reality, my view of the contemporary world on a big scale.

LC – What do you think about ITSLIQUID Platform?
HA – The ITSLIQUID Group’s vision is a modern and up-to-date view. Art, architecture, design, fashion are all related. They complement each other in every aspect. At the present moment, with all the restrictions, closures of all art galleries for an extended period, digital presentations became the way to go for the moment. But still, the physical exhibitions are essential and will never go away. Because the sensation, the feeling of a real art piece with their texture, thru colors and shades are always there, present in every moment. This is essential to every spectator’s pleasure and realization.

LC – Did you enjoy cooperating with us?
HA – I enjoyed it very much, from the beginning. Not just the process of communication and logistics but all the support before, during, and after the show.

LC – What are your suggestions about our services? Is there something more we can provide to artists?
HA – I think ITSLIQUID provides artists with a spectacular platform. Still, my only suggestion is a broader approach regarding social media. Being slightly more exposed and promoted, showing more of the artwork presented would be a great asset.