Visual artist Mister Kaikus curates his creativity in new mediums

Today we’re talking to Spanish visual artist Mister Kaikus. His primary medium is paint, but he frequently jumps to other mediums to challenge himself and improve his skills.

Check out the full interview below, and be sure to visit his website, Instagram, and Facebook for more of his work!

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Tell us about yourself. What do you make? What do you consider your best or favorite work?

My artistic name is Mister Kaikus and I’m a visual artist. I was born in Málaga and I studied Architecture, but I do not work as an architect.

I produce plastic art, mainly painting. I also do digital works, sculptures, and screen printings.

Lately I’ve also been learning to tattoo, and I’ve always been interested in wood carving and furniture making.

As an entrepreneurial project I have created (with my partner) MAQULA Design Lab, a brand of design objects.

My favorite piece is always the last one. Right now that’s a portrait of the great artist Juan Ruiz.

Tell us about your workshop

My workspace has always been located inside my house. I like having my work in progress close by so I can observe it when I’m not working on it.

I share my workspace with my wife (and partner), we have a 15 sqm (161 sq. ft) room for this purpose where we can both work cleanly and relatively quietly.

For the dirtiest and noisiest activities we have the garage of the house, it is about 25 sqm (~270 sq. ft) and we use it as a workshop. We’ve been using it for two years.

This is where we keep our tools and where I make frames for my paintings, sculptures, and the occasional woodwork.

How long have you been doing your craft? Who taught you or where did you learn?

I have been painting my whole life, but in a professional way, or at least exhibiting and selling work, since 2015, so 5 years ago.

I have no academic artistic training, but by studying architecture I acquired basic notions of art history, painting, composition, use of color, and other skills that helped me a lot to produce my work.

Of course my teachers are the artists I admire and study from the past and the present.

I have always had a great interest in improving technically. Coming up with different challenges every time I start a project helps me to improve as a painter. For that reason my work has been very heterogeneous so far.

Any advice for beginners to your craft?

Paint, and paint a lot, whenever you can. Painting is a skill that must be developed, and that will always help you to improve the quality of your finished work.

You should also study (but not necessarily in a school). It is essential to consume a lot of art to know as much as possible about your professional field. This will help you develop a well-founded criterion, which will be your best ally when creating.

Try to create or join a community. Enter the artistic circles around art galleries and creative spaces. Those contacts will translate into opportunities sooner or later.

And, of course, always have a notebook close by.

Who/what inspires you? Any shoutouts to fellow makers?

My inspiration comes mainly from other artists. Apart from the classics, that everyone knows, there are others more current, such as Nicolas Uribe, ETAM Crew, Michael Borremans, Ruprecht von Kaufmann, or Aryz among others. But my inspiration is not only found in painters: films and music are a great source, as well.

Observing nature is another very important source of inspiration for me. Observation is essential in my job. You never know where you will find something that will take you to a fertile creative place.

Anything else you’d like to share?

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A post shared by MISTER KAIKUS | Artista plástico (@misterkaikus)

A curious thing happens when I exhibit my work. When people observe it, sometimes they see some concepts, details, or references that even I had not managed to see, and that is very satisfying for me since it shows me that when you produce art, the final object is not only what you want it to be or what you say it is, but also what other people see in it — and they are as right as you.

Where can people find your work?

You can find my complete works on my website: WWW.MISTERKAIKUS.COM

or on my social media profiles:

Instagram: @misterkaikus

Facebook: misterkaikus

You also can see them in person at the exhibitions advertised on my website and in the art gallery La Casa Amarilla in Malaga.

To contact me: [email protected]