Interview: Rokas Patapas
Luca Curci talks with Rokas Patapas during THE EXTENDED BODY 2020 at THE LINE Contemporary Art Space.

I was born and raised in Lithuania, in my home city Klaipeda. Since an early age, I have always had a flair to make something, pay attention to my artistic side, explore different mediums, etc. Until eleven, I studied music – playing the piano, learning the basics of music. After that, I transferred to the Arts departments when I started deepening my skills and explorations in the visual arts. Studying in the Arts school, I have always explored the conceptual ideas in my artwork, presenting works that had a deeper meaning behind them. During the years in Arts school, I made the decision to study architecture and after graduating high school I moved to UK in 2012, where I am currently living. I’ve completed my Architectural Design studies at Cardiff University and currently, I am working full time in this field. In my personal free time, I explore my creative side and ideas. Currently, most of my work circles around abstract arts, graphic design and video projects. Video projects are something I discovered accidentally and currently are one of the mediums I am mostly exploring – starting from travel videos, to experimental dance and performance videos and music videos. In the future, I hope to work on various types of projects and explore my artistic side, even more, sharing my discoveries and explorations with everyone.

Luca Curci – What is art for you?
Rokas Patapas – Art for me is a way to let my inner emotions out and put them into the work I produce. Sometimes, feelings and ideas pile up in me that can’t be expressed in my day to day job. Having these artistic releases help me. Art for me is communication, therapy, expression, a necessity in my life. It is something that allows me to connect to people on a different level.

LC – Which subject are you working on?
RP – Professionally, I work in the Architectural Design field, outside my working days is when I work on my creative side projects. I don’t follow a specific object, I am led by my feelings, impromptu ideas and thoughts.

LC – Which art themes do you pursue? What is your preferred subject, if there is any?
RP – Personally, I don’t have a theme or a topic that I pursue. Usually, the artwork I make is really based on the mood and the emotion I am in at a specific moment. However, my work is usually quite abstract and more based on a deeper concept, some of the work I do looks very accurate to the things that I show, such as buildings, locations etc. However, most of the work always has a deeper/broader meaning behind it. I love how people start looking at my work in a completely different way after I present them with the meaning and ideas behind my work. It evokes conversations, communication.

LC – Did your style change over the years? In which way?
RP – I don’t stick to one particular style, I could call myself an explorer, I’m always open to new techniques, ideas, and approaches. Most of my life, my artwork was static, such as paintings, drawings, graphic design and so on. However, a few years ago, I started to explore the world of video making. Initially, it was just travel videos, but the further I went, I wanted to work more with people, to show the interaction between the environment, the movement, place.

LC – Where do you find your inspiration?
RP – People, locations and senses are the things that inspire me. When it comes to working and collaborating with people such as the incredible dancer Gabija, who is in my video for this year’s exhibition THE EXTENDED BODY, there is nothing more inspiring than a mutual drive to make something good, felt out and impressive.

LC – How is being an artist nowadays? -Which is the role the artist plays in the society? And the contemporary art?
RP – Nowadays we have bigger platforms to present our work and find out audiences. It is not easy and not everyone understands the unique things each one of us does. As creators, we try to engage with people and provide the society with food for thought. Contemporary art in my view is based more on deeper thinking and approach, we can use it to explain something in a unique way. Art is not always perceived as an important part of the world, however, most of the people don’t notice, how much of it is part of our daily lives and how bland the world would be without it.

LC – Would you suggest a collaboration with us? What do you think about our services?
RP – For me, this has been the first time I’ve collaborated with ITSLIQUID Group. I am glad there are such organizations that help to put-and-show creatives to a much wider audience. I strongly believe I would like to collaborate again in the future, I see this as a very welcoming and inviting platform to everyone.

LC – Do you think ITSLIQUID Group can represent an opportunity for artists?
RP – I believe it’s a good opportunity for any artists to work with ITSLIQUID Group, having a platform that has an established community and reaches across the world, might help the artist to find the niche community and admirers. One of the best things about this is that this Group is very international, reaching all ends of the globe. It is not focused on one country or continent, and it is not only one particular type of artists who can participate. I absolutely like how welcoming and inviting ITSLIQUID Group is.

LC – What is your idea about ITSLIQUID Group?
RP – It’s a catalyst for creatives and artists to be a part of a great and sociable platform. It’s an opportunity that is open to anyone who is willing to take the chance and are not afraid to present themselves.