HELLO BEL, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO JOIN 4BYSIX AGAIN AND FOR SPEAKING TO US ABOUT YOUR PRACTICE. TO BEGIN, HAVING GROWN UP IN MALLORCA, SURROUNDED BY SUCH INTENSE LIGHT, SATURATED COLOURS, AND TOURIST IMAGERY, HOW HAS THAT ENVIRONMENT SHAPED THE SUBJECTS AND COLOUR PALETTES IN YOUR CONTEMPORARY PRACTICE?

A few years ago, my work was totally focused on reproducing scenes that were repeated in the island’s tourist party scene. These places are always the same in any beach destination for mass tourism that offers a 'sun, beach, and party' pack in all-inclusive hotels. These locations become a kind of 'theme park' always accompanied by the same aesthetic, quite kitsch or tacky, with colourful images repeating the same motifs: sunsets, dolphins, and girls in bikinis. I used to be very inspired by this imagery, but little by little I’ve moved away from this iconography.

IN WHAT WAYS DO THE COLOURS YOU USE REFLECT YOUR MEMORIES OF THE ISLAND, ITS KITSCH AESTHETICS, AND THE CONTRAST BETWEEN NATURAL BEAUTY AND CONSTRUCTED FANTASY? DO YOU COLLECT SPECIFIC ITEMS OR IMAGES TO REFER BACK TO?

I don't know if the colors I use reflect my memories or the experiences lived in my environment near the sea. A scene like the blue sea at sunset, girls in bikinis, and the neon lights of nightclubs can be both a memory and a constant aesthetic presence through cinema and TV, we all participate in this aesthetic in some way, not only those of us lucky enough to live in a coastal environment. Regarding whether I collect objects or images, sometimes I have done it, but not in a conscious or repeated way. Sometimes I buy souvenirs just for their aesthetic and for the laughs. These usually have erotic motifs, like a towel with a girl in topless, a mug shaped like a booty, or a willy-shaped salt shaker.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE DISCOVERY OF USING BOTH HANDS AS A METHOD OF CREATING AND ITS IMPORTANCE TO YOUR VISUAL LANGUAGE AND THEREFORE, THROUGHOUT YOUR ARTISTIC CAREER ?

I was always a girl with a very meticulous and detailed stroke, I was afraid to 'go outside the lines' when painting. I had been taught that painting well meant not crossing the line of the drawing, or copying images to make them look as much like the model as possible. I always drew with fear, as if I had a stick up my ass. This lasted for many years. As an adult, I discovered expressionist artists that I loved and I began to hate my creative process, but it was very difficult to change a habit I had held my whole life from one day to the next. So, to achieve a more irregular and free stroke, I started to draw, paint, and write with my left hand to offset it.

AS IT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED THAT YOUR RIGHT-HANDED WORK EVOKES REALISM WHEREAS YOUR LEFT-HANDED WORKS ARE RENDERED IN A CRUDER, CHILDLIKE MANNER, HOW DO YOU APPROACH A BALANCE BETWEEN THE TWO IN THE SAME PIECE? IS THIS DEPENDENT ON SUBJECT MATTER AND/OR THE ATMOSPHERE YOU WISH TO CONVEY?

I wouldn’t say there is a fixed rule. It’s a resource that works for me, but I don’t
necessarily use it in every piece. I combine it with other methods I’ve developed over the years, such as sketching in a very rudimentary way with digital programs like Paint (using only my finger or a mouse to avoid total control, rather than professional tools like graphics tablets). For these four pieces I’ve done for 4BYSIX this time, I’ve also experimented for the first time with smashing globs of paint, allowing their final shape to be accidental. What I’m always after is to not dominate the paint or the stroke, but to allow it to have a ‘life of its own,’ independent of my control.

YOU OFTEN COMBINE AIRBRUSH AND OIL TO CREATE INTENSELY SATURATED, POLISHED SURFACES. HOW DOES WORKING WITH THESE TECHNICALLY “SLICK” MEDIUMS FUNCTION AS A COMMENT ON, OR EVEN A CHALLENGE TO, THE DELIBERATELY CRUDE AND CHILDLIKE QUALITY OF YOUR IMAGERY, ESPECIALLY IN YOUR LEFT-HANDED WORKS?

Actually, I don’t use an airbrush, I use spray paint. It allows me to achieve that digital finish I see in my sketches, which I love. However, it also bothers me when a piece starts to look too much like graphic design. That’s why I look for the contrast with oil paint, fleshy and sticky.
Right now, I’ve been in a bit of an impasse for about a year, trying to break away from the language I had completely immersed myself in. I’m searching for new paths without moving away entirely, because my work had started to feel like an assembly line production, or at least, that’s how I felt some years ago.
I still have a long way to go... Looking at the pieces I’m presenting to you this time, I’d say they look digital very much. However, within that finish, I try to show a will for human, 'dirty' expression. It’s hard to explain... Digital Expressionism, maybe? Lol

AS YOU HAVE RETURNED TO JOIN 4BYSIX’S INITIATIVE, WE ARE EXCITED TO SEE THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR STYLE SINCE YOUR LAST WORK IN 2024. PLEASE CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE FOUR PIECES YOU HAVE MADE? ARE THEY TO BE VIEWED AS A SERIES OR SEPARATE, ISOLATED NARRATIVES?

For these four pieces, I’ve spent time experimenting with new ways of painting, such as squashing the paint, mimicking the effect of stamping or printing by pressing paint onto the surface. I had to experiment also because the material you provided, the plastic panel, is very rigid, thick, and has a very smooth surface. This made it impossible to use an actual engraving press, which was my initial idea. Instead, I discovered I could squash the paint using a PVC sheet and applying pressure with my hands. It’s been a lot of fun to experiment, and I’m very happy with the result. These four ‘portraits’ are a small series, but of course, they are independent paintings. This experience has opened a new path for me, and I’ll continue working on others using these techniques, which are new to me.

IN SOME WORKS YOU EMBED THE VISUAL LANGUAGE OF CRUDE TOURISM AND MASS CONSUMPTION SO PROMINENTLY IN YOUR WORK. HOW DO YOU SEE CONSUMERISM SHAPING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE ARTS TODAY, AND DO YOU VIEW YOUR USE OF KITSCH AS A CRITIQUE OF THAT CYCLE OR AS A REFLECTION OF HOW DEEPLY IT HAS BECOME EMBEDDED IN OUR CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC PRODUCTION?

I have always said that my work does not arise as a critique, and this hasn't changed over the years. To be honest, I see my work as 'superficial' in a way, purely aesthetic. I don't aim for social or political critique. For me, it’s more about reflecting aesthetics and realities that move something in me, sometimes love, sometimes hate, and sometimes both.

LASTLY, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT 2026? CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT ANY UPCOMING PROJECTS YOU ARE EXCITED TO SEE INTO FRUITION?

The most exciting thing about 2026 is that I’m starting to work with tools I have never used before. Right now, I’m producing a series on paper, which consists of monotypes made with an engraving press. I’m really enjoying the process and I can't wait for the opportunity to show the entire series in an exhibition.

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