We were lucky to catch up with Ana Balcazar recently and have shared our conversation below.
Ana, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
The most meaningful project I have been working on right now is a mural in Lima streets, the main capital of my homeland, titled ” Suturar la herida con amor” (Stitch the wound with love). In the mural you can see a golden heart coming from a golden Peruvian map, being taken care of by many hands, surrounded by endangered Peruvian flowers and a hummingbird. I worked on the concept for a street art contest in which I got to choose to talk about the social and political problems Peruvians have been struggling with in the last years, the environment has been very heavy and the country is split into the good ones and the bad ones. I wanted to make people think about it but in a more hopeful way, I think as a social group we are hurt and we need messages like this. The response on the streets was powerful when I started many people were mad, I think the idea really touched some hot spots, but in the end most people really appreciated the message, during the process was interesting to talk with the ones that stopped to ask, and also I enjoyed not to really answered what they expected but let then tell me hat they see. And I think that is the most meaningful thing that can happen.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Hi, my name is Ana Balcazar Bartra. I am a Peruvian visual artist and educator. I paint murals and canvas, and currently, I am exploring ways of intervening in the space with drawing. I work in urban art and pieces for art exhibitions in gallery spaces. I work on art projects internationally, and my artwork has been exhibited in The USA and Europe. I recently returned to Peru to paint a mural as the winner of the first prize in ICPNA Street Art, at its first edition of a national contest organized by The North American Peruvian Cultural Institute (ICPNA). Currently, my work is on display at the Erie Art Museum, in Pennsylvania until May 19th 2024 at “Entre Plantas y Mujeres”, as a result of an art residency placed at the Museum throughout May-July 2023. This show contains thirty-three pieces I curated from The EAM Permanent Collection and six pieces I created in response.
This November I will be participating in the Women’s Biennale show at 1020 Collective in Erie, PA.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
People’s assumptions about artist, especially in societies where art appreciation has not developed in school, or neither encouraged in cultural life. Lots of people tend to think artists are all the same, or kind of gifted, and that from those magical skills they have genetically or miraculously, they can do art. They think we are super rich or super poor.
To be understood as an art professional and at the same time as some kind of professional that works creating new ideas, new images, and unexpected, or not required products. For example, I can not create in a bad state of mind, or if I am in body pain. I need to execute some rituals to enter in a “flow”, and flow is almost everything in art-making for me. I can research, I can develop skills and techniques but if I don’t get into that sweet spot I am not gonna enjoy doing the piece, I won’t experiment and the art process will be sterile.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The public response is the most rewarding feeling, even when few times can be aggressive because it means people are vulnerable to the piece, and also they challenge me. Talk with people about a show, a piece, or in the streets while painting gives more perspectives of what I am doing, and enriches my artistic process. Street art has the power in their freedom, it’s potent and it’s straightforward, it is in your face. Makes us confront society, people, and real feelings, I can not escape from being in people’s eyes and they can not escape from the fact I am working a piece there.
That´s why I like to be outside painting or spend as much time as I can at my gallery shows. When people approach me to let me know their thoughts about what I have created, what it means for them, or just to show appreciation because they connected with the piece or they found a deeper meaning, I feel all the effort put into creating that piece, on my artistic career is worth for one reason, to communicate or provoke someone, or a few, or many people to ask themselves about something I think is important, from language that is open to interpretation, most of the time without using words. They put the words and it´s fantastic.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.anabalcazarbartra.com
- Instagram: anabalcazarbartra
- Facebook: Ana Balcazar (Anizabel)
Image Credits
Images: courtesy of ICPNA