EXCLUSIVE PRINT EDITORIAL ‘INSIDE THE INNER WORLDS OF PEDRO HOZ’ BY JORGE FOLEY
interview by ELIANA CASA
“I’ve been a dreamer since I was a kid: persistent and a little stubborn.” PEDRO HOZ introduced himself with these words. Together we unveiled and explored the (many) inner worlds of the Spanish artist, almost as if we were foreigners in a new country. Pedro was drawn to art not by choice, but by an undeniable attraction — one that you can hardly escape from. Since he was a child, his school books were covered in drawings; little did he know that this would become a vital part of his life. Painting is for him a way to disappear from reality, escape conversations and avoid unwanted interactions. We entered his imaginative universe, and honestly, we didn’t want to leave it at all.
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You once said, “Every painting I create leads me to the next one.” What did you mean by that?
Before a piece of art is born, it’s already lived in the mind. I have a clear vision and sense of direction. But in terms of my creative process, I allow each piece to reveal itself fully before moving on to the next. My paintings are like ancient relics, and I’m just an explorer slowly unearthing them and making sense of them as I go along. Sometimes I feel more like a spectator than the creator. The works appear almost foreign to me, as if guided by a higher force.
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In your exhibition Undivining Divinity, your pieces were translated into sculptures by artist JON BENET. How did you bring your two worlds together?
I met Jon a few years ago, right when I started painting the way I do now. We followed each other on social media and had mutual admiration. He was one of the first 3D designers I came in contact with, and I was amazed by his ability to shape and animate ideas through a computer at home. One day, my manager POL ARREGI went to Barcelona to pick him up and brought him to Málaga as a surprise. He arrived with a sculpture of one of my paintings as a gift. That moment marked the beginning of our creative collaboration. Jon started to visit Málaga more often, and we’d sit in my studio and develop ideas together. He gave volume and perspective to my existing works. His role has been key, especially because I like to create works with presence — pieces that extend from the wall.
jacket SANDRO PARIS
trousers CALAFAT
NUDE PROJECT recently opened a store in Amsterdam, and you painted on the walls of the new space. What inspired that artwork, and how long did it take to complete it?
As with most of my projects, I like to let the space speak to me in the moment. The curved ceiling reminded me of a chapel, like the ones I’d seen during Easter processions in Málaga as a child. Once I was there, I began drawing lines of symmetry: three vertical, three horizontal, and three spheres that filled the ceiling. From there, I let my hand guide me. What emerged was a composition inspired by sacred art — images of love, death, transcendence — accompanied by overlapping feminine silhouettes in highly saturated colours. I created the mural with my assistant, ILDEFONSO MENDOZA, in just 16 days. We worked 15-hour days, dressed like construction workers. It was a real challenge, both physically and mentally, but it triggered a spiritual awakening for me at the beginning of the year.
READ THE WHOLE INTERVIEW IN OUR PRINT ISSUE #13
left:
full look CALAFAT
right:
full look CALAFAT
vest TEZENIS
jacket CALAFAT
vest TEZENIS
TEAM CREDITS:
models NOEMI CALVENTE, SOFÍA PAREDES and AGNIESZKA MŁOKOSIEWICZ
photography JORGE FOLEY
styling ALVARO CALAFAT and ANA PONF
makeup and hair DANIELA VERA and MARISA ANILLO
production PEDRO HOZ and POL ARREGI
editor TIMOTEJ LETONJA
interview ELIANA CASA
