”It’s possible that, because of my perception that the world is in chaos and that I can’t control anything, I find comfort in controlling pixels on the screen, and that way I feel a little less helpless and afraid.”
What drives you?
Any kind of deprivation or lack in life. And since my life circumstances are constantly changing, my drive goes through a continual process of recalibration. In winter, the mere thought of sunny, warm deserts or beaches motivates me; in summer, I long for skiing, snow, and mountains. If I spend too much time surrounded by people, it becomes necessary for me to retreat to my “cave,” where I won’t meet anyone except my cat, etc. Considering the current social distancing phase we are going through, my greatest drive is solidarity and shifting focus from the individual to the collective.
What else do you do?
At this moment, with the world at a standstill, I’ve discovered that I enjoy programming. It’s possible that, because of my perception that the world is in chaos and that I can’t control anything, I find comfort in controlling pixels on the screen, and that way I feel a little less helpless and afraid. In any case, programming gives me the opportunity to enter my flow, where nothing else in the world exists except the moment I am in.
What should an artist possess, in terms of qualities and skills?
I don’t believe there is a universal skill that every artist must have. On the other hand, an artist must be open, courageous, and willing to take risks that may not pay off. However, deep down, I believe that every effort and risk eventually returns in some way. An artist may not reach the destination they set out for, but along the way, they will encounter many unforeseen gains they could never have imagined—if only they are open and ready to recognize them.
Who is your superhero? Who are today’s superheroes?
I haven’t had a personal superhero for a long time, nor do I really believe in them. However, I must mention that, for me at this moment, the real superheroes are all the medical workers who have been on the front lines for months, performing their duties professionally despite constant exposure to an unknown virus and its risks. I hope that as a society we emerge from this experience valuing our medical professionals and giving them fair compensation for the extremely demanding and responsible work they perform every day.
What does isolation mean to you?
For me, isolation is responsibility and solidarity.
What good can come out of this situation?
We all have the opportunity to become aware of our vulnerability; bad things can happen to us, and it’s necessary to react in time, rather than escape into denial to avoid facing painful situations. I hope that in the future we will treat the issue of global warming (not to mention environmental destruction) as seriously as this virus, because it is clearly the greatest threat we currently face.
Book / Film?
For this situation, I recommend the book by Naomi Klein – The Shock Doctrine, which is a study of situations similar to what we are going through and examines the ways in which political, economic, and social systems transform through them—sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. The book makes it easy to see which factors contribute to the world emerging from a crisis as a better place to live, and it is up to us to educate ourselves and collectively contribute to creating such a future.
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