What makes an artwork stand out? For Eduardo Enrique, it comes down to his unique approach that speaks to the current generation’s fascination with parody.
Hailed from Venezuela, the Singapore-based artist has made waves with his tongue-in-cheek designs that drew inspiration from his wellspring of great experience as a marketer and advertising creative. Merging cultural heritage and contemporary pop culture, the Venezuelan artist turns head with his unconventional yet coordinating collision of creative worlds — the worlds of consumerism and anachronism. Think about “Venus of Malta” with Nike golf ball as the head, Nike basketball encased in a censer-looking antique and “Cosmic Buddha” equipped with Nike chest protector.
Your artwork took inspiration from contemporary art, surrealism and neo-expressionism. What’s interesting about these art movements?
I guess they all found their birth through a deep sense of discomfort — I believe the point of art is always to make one.
The “Lost Sanctuary” exhibition and Else are a match made in heaven as both of you blend anachronism and modernity in your works. What brings both of you together?
A series of intentions —It felt like a perfect fit from the start.
What is the inspiration behind the works you have selected for this exhibition?
The “intellectual answer” would be the way cultural exchange and consumer culture intersect in the modern world, but if you need to explain it to a 6-year-old would be the beautiful ways in which different things can belong together.
How have Malaysians perceived your works so far?
Thankfully, I’ve received a mix of reactions, and honestly that’s always the goal. As one of my mentors used to say “if nobody hates it (the work), no one will like it”. Dispute is the ultimate driver of culture; I would have been very concerned if the feedback was purely positive or negative.
You have been a fan of antiques and big brands. Is there a brand or a collectable that you haven’t featured yet but want to?
I have a plethora of religious objects, some dating back thousands of years, that I’m still figuring out how to work with. The dilemma is that I have nothing against religion, and the least I want to do is suggest the opposite — religions play a very important role in society. But I have faith that an idea will come as my work continues to evolve.
If you were given a chance to recreate an artwork, which would that be and why?
I’ve always wanted to put a Nike sports bra on Michelangelo’s David. I think young people would love to see that.
Last but not least, what is your most favourite thing about Malaysia?
The chaos —I’m South-American after all.
