Pedro Paricio

For Pedro Paricio (Tenerife, 1982), visiting ARCOmadrid, the largest international contemporary art fair that is held in Spain, “is the best way to enjoy art outside of museums and galleries.” The numbers don’t lie: more than 1,300 artists from 206 galleries flying in from 36 countries. This artist, who has just arrived from Barcelona—where he lives and has his studio—, was one of the first visitors of an event—sponsored by Iberia—which in recent years has brought together around 100,000 people. With the awareness that the amount of art gathered at ARCOmadrid is ungraspable, Pedro gives his first piece of advice: “Don’t try to see it all, because it’s practically impossible. Take your time and stop to take in the works that catch your attention the most.” As he revealed in a recent interview, Pedro has a blinding passion for art, and that passion seems to come over him along the fair’s endless hallways. With a spring in his step, he looks like a detective following clues until he finds a piece that invites him to stop.

When Pedro stops in front of a piece, time also seems to stand still. His restless and curious light aquamarine eyes—the same colour as the waters surrounding his homeland, the Canary Islands—rest on a painting, sculpture, or installation and everything around him seems to disappear. “You have to immerse yourself in a bubble and surrender to the piece with patience and kindness. I know it’s hard but try to set aside your worries and focus on it,” Pedro advises. This artist is used to spending 12 hours a day alone in his studio and admits that crowds make him feel increasingly uncomfortable, so this escape route seems like his best ally in such a busy environment. Despite this, Pedro enjoys the experience offered by ARCOmadrid, a place where passion for art is in the air. “Just think about what a great opportunity this is to get up close to the art and discover new artists,” he reminds us.

“You have to immerse yourself in a bubble and surrender to the piece with patience and kindness. I know it’s hard, but try to set aside your worries and focus on it”

Passion is an emotion and for Pedro it must be the driving force behind a visit to ARCOmadrid: “You can approach works of art in two ways: rationally, for which you will need some prior knowledge; and emotionally, where what matters is connecting to the piece. Let emotions take over rationality.” And he confesses a secret: “There’s not always something to understand.” If a piece arouses your curiosity, make a note, you can always do some research later. Many people feel distanced from contemporary art, which is closer to abstraction. For them, artists have a message: “What has been considered art over time has been conditioned by a set of rules, but now the possibilities are endless. Anything goes. Contemporary art simply means art that is made today.” Let go of prejudice and keep an open mind, Pedro seems to be telling us.

Pedro doesn’t stop; just last week, specifically on the 27^th of February, he was at the opening of the Sacred & Profane exhibition at the Halcyon gallery in London. There, his pieces share space—until the 20^th of April—with works by Andy Warhol, David LaChapelle, Dominic Harris, Graceland London, Mitch Griffiths, Robert Montgomery, or Santiago Montoya. Because Canarian art has been rubbing shoulders with that of other great international artists for years. In words of the gallery, Pedro’s paintings that are part of the exhibition “reimagine famous paintings with a vibrant pictorial approach featuring the kaleidoscopic motifs that his style is famous for.” More proof of the recognition that Spanish talent receives beyond our borders. Before saying goodbye and blending in with the crowd of art lovers at fair, Pedro admits that he’ll make the most of his trip to Madrid to enjoy its great artistic offering—including the Museo del Prado, the Museo Reina Sofía, or the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, museums which Iberia also collaborates with—. Others should enjoy this weekend at ARCOmadrid following the tips of a true expert.