MTN Virtual Residency: Second week of work

It's time to check in on the two artists who were selected for the MTN Virtual Residency and see what they're working on. We asked Motomichi Nakamura and Nicolás Romero Ever a few questions about their projects, the initiative and the general context. Don't forget that you can find the rest of the interview at MTN-World.com 

https://www.mtn-world.com/en/blog/2020/08/28/mtn-virtual-residency-2nd-week/

What drives you to create? 

EVER: What drives me to create is the need to engage in dialogue in unconventional ways. 

MOTOMICHI NAKAMURA: Haha, that's a tough question! As an artist, you are supposed to create and that's what I do. Besides that...I think for me, simply creating something new makes me feel happy, full-filled, and look at things differently in daily life, and it makes me feel better in general. It's also kind of therapeutic, too.

How would you describe your work to someone who doesn’t know about art? 

E: I would tell them that my work deals with the relationships we have with things. That my work is based on the search for both your identity and mine in relation to our environment. 

M: Lots of monsters, some are scary, and some are "supposed to be" scary but may not seem like it.

What’s the first thing that you thought of when you saw that you had been selected? 

E: It made me very happy, because I’ve known the Montana brand for 15 years. And if I were to tell the Nico from 15 years ago that Montana would be supporting him in a project, he would never believe it. 

M: The first thought was "GREAT!", then I said to myself "I bet I am among many artists who were selected." Later I found out that only two were selected so I was really surprised and felt honored.

What do you think about Montana Colors coming up with this initiative? 

E: I think it's extremely important that brands like Montana Colors are supporting artists right now. Art in itself is a precarious thing and this is a time when the support of all cultural entities is needed, to work together. And it’s an honor that brands such as Montana, that have been accompanying creation for many years now, took the initiative. 

M: I think this is not only a great opportunity for artists like myself, but also a way for us to remember what's happening now, and how this very unusual and difficult time was for everyone when we look back in the future.

Have you participated in similar projects before? 

E: In my previous residence, the project was mutated precisely because of the pandemic, and I had to generate personal records of my works, so this also encouraged me to send in a proposal.  

M: Yes, I have participated in artist residency programs before and one of them was for projection mapping. But this is the first time that I have done "virtual" residency.

Which materials will you be needing? 

E: A lot of oil and Montana Water-based paint ;) 

M: Markers, portable projectors, portable batteries, tripods, cameras, paper, cardboard.