WHO ARE YOU? 

So my name is Matias Fidel Tapia. I was born here, but I grew up in Mexico. So when I was only six months old, I moved to Mexico.  Then I came back when I was 17 - like I was about to turn 18. Other than that I don't know, I do photography, painting, sculpture, and woodwork. Yeah, not much. That's it.

E: Not much? You just listed three different media. You guys can't see this right now, but the room is crazy.

C: He's humble. He's being humble.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO ART? 

C: Was it like when you're a very young kid you knew you were gonna get into it or did it develop later on in life?

I think I was always into making art. I think it's funny because sometimes I look back and my first memories are just related to making stuff. I have a particular memory, from when I was younger and  I was in this drawing class and the teacher really liked my work. It was one of those things where the class just kind of paid attention to it. So I think I always had it, you know, since I was a kid. There were definitely times in my life where I wasn’t working on art, I stopped when I was a teenager for a bit.  My dad was a painter, but he never took it too seriously. He did have a few paintings. He had a lot of art books while he was working here and I was in Mexico. So when I was a kid I didn't interact with him much but he left those books behind. So I was just looking at those books a lot, and they were a bunch of different art books.

E: Do you remember what type of books he had?

He had a big book on Picasso when I was a kid, that was the one book honestly. He had a lot of random shit, books about things like the universe, space and more scientific shit. But those were all in English and I didn't know English at that time so I just saw the drawings.

E: Yeah, that probably made it more powerful.

BALANCING MULTIPLE MEDIUMS? 

C: I was talking to Larry and he was saying that you're a photographer by the trade. Yeah you work at Supreme digital as a project manager. How's the act of balancing two different mediums of art? 

 I struggle with putting attention to specific things because I love photography. But at the same time I think I have the hardest time enjoying what I create out of photography. I think photography is inherently a social thing, or the type I like to create is and I don't think I have that social outgoingness. So when it comes to photography, it can feel a little awkward. 

It's more a grounding art form, I feel. last year, for one year straight I was only thinking of photography and just photography. Like I would have to focus on photography as a medium and that’s it. But I think now one of my things is about trying to find balance, being able to switch it up. Yeah, cuz I only have so much attention, I can’t give it all to my work. So I have to balance that out. Lately I've been thinking about it more like periods of time, I want to spend half a year working on one thing and half a year working on another. I do think different mediums influence each other, you know, photography is influencing a different kind of output in other work. For example, the physicality of a print kind of gets influenced by the physicality of a painting.  Whereas I can only do a photo as a file, but for me to feel like a photo is done it has to be a physical thing. I think that mindset was influenced by painting.

So yeah, I think at the end of the day, I'm trying to see it all as one thing which is like visual art. I Definitely have a hard time enjoying my photography Even though I like a lot of what I do. I don't think I'm where I want to be. I Have an easier time liking what I do when it comes to painting or sculpture stuff like that.

Yeah well, eah, I think it's good to have both though because photography burns me out a lot because I think I have a really hard time with it and it's more of a I Have to practice it because I'm not naturally good at it 

E: You're a man of many talents, do you have a favorite out of all the mediums you do?

No, it's so hard. I mean I love photography, photography is such a technical thing for me. Also, I feel like a lot of photographers are really good at feeling what's good but I think I lean more towards being technical in that aspect. Which is interesting because I think I'm not naturally a technical person. I lack the natural talent, so having to kind of learn the technicality is something I really enjoy. For painting I love the process more than the final product. But with photography I'm always like I could have done this differently, so I think I love them in different ways. But with wood work I like the process and the final product. I like them all.

TALENT VS. WORK ETHIC 

E: Yes earlier you mentioned you don't think you have a natural talent for photography. How important do you think talent is when creating art?

I don't think you need talent anymore. I used to think that that's what it was, but I think it's kind of detrimental to a lot of people to believe in talent. I don't think it's as much about talent as it is about polishing your craft. I think with a lot of things it is very obvious that you have to work on your craft to get better. For example with sports it is very obvious but with art it is not that obvious. I think the word talent is detrimental for a lot of creative people because I think you don't feel talented right away. It scares people from improving little by little.

I think I was dealing with that for a long time. I think talent also makes people lazy, there’s less of an effort to get better. If anything, taste is more important than talent.Taste changes, and people have different tastes but it’s more important to have an understanding of taste. 

E: Yep, I agree. I feel like with more visual mediums such as photography and painting, taste plays a larger role. Whereas in more physical mediums such as sculpting and woodworking, talent plays a larger role. However, I do not fully believe taste is something that can be learned.

The funny thing too is that even taste can be practiced. Basically it's like you can put effort into getting a better taste of art but that's the thing, is it honest to your taste? I don't know, I think you could theoretically learn taste.

E: In my first year of college after moving here, one of my classes was focused on trend forecasting. However, I found most of what was taught useless. In terms of predicting trends, I honestly think you either have it or you don’t.

If you chase trends that are constantly changing then you won’t get anywhere. There's things that are so transcendental that they exist out of time. I want to focus on things that aren’t so focused on trends. I think in your work you want something where the bones are strong. They're so strong that they can transcend time.

C: I think that's like the best art right?

Yeah, yeah definitely. And that doesn’t mean your work can’t be inspired by trends, it can be so strong that you can build trends around it.  Whether it can be trendy or not, the bones are so strong they stand the test of time.

E: You can build a foundation.

C: Oh, yo, what's up Larry?

L (LARRY): Yo.

(THIS IS THE FIRST INTERVIEW LARRY HAS JOINED US FOR. HE WENT SO CRAZY WITH THE PHOTOS. WE LOVE UUUUU LARRY!)

HOW HAS YOUR ART CHANGED? 

C: Yeah, and since we're speaking about evolution through your art.  You did a show at zero art fair and you said “my art practices are ever evolving”  How would you say your art has evolved from where you started till now?

I think I used to work very much as by intuition or randomness when I was younger, especially in painting. I would draw or paint on a blank canvas, and I have some examples of work like that.  Naturally, my work was a little chaotic. I can start a project really quickly, but they usually don’t go anywhere. Sometimes my paintings are too random, or I start with randomness then stay with randomness because I don't have a proper angle.  So now I'm trying to think more of a process and finish something that I already have started or finish in my thinking. You know I mean? I want to finish something that I already have thought about.

C: So you're much more methodical with it now.

I'm trying to be, because otherwise my paintings would never finish.

I had one painting in the works for six years because I didn't have an end goal, and now I try to do the opposite. That's what I think about now, because I'm still trying to find my style. Rather than making my work have a style I'm trying to work a lot to naturally get there.

E: So what's a standard turnaround time for you in terms of a project?

It really changes a lot. I have this one big painting of the twin towers in the living room that I have been working on for the past like five months. But some I can get done within a day.

C: You mentioned yeah, so you're a full-time worker as well as an artist yeah, how is that balancing act ? You're still working in a creative field. 

I think it's hard because I think even if the job is creative-

C: It's still your job.

Yeah, I think when I started working there It was pretty fun learning,  I learned a lot from that place, I'm grateful for that. But I think I've learned almost all that I can learn from there, so now it's more of a job so it can be very draining. Which can take away from my art work at home, because you know when I get home I don't necessarily have the energy to keep working. However everytime I push myself to actually work in spite of my job it is always a more rewarding feeling than when I just rest. My job also makes me comfortable interacting with artists, as I meet a lot of them for work. It helped me feel more like an artist myself. They are less mystified now, they're just weird random people sometimes and some of them are really easy to talk to.

E: They are people just like us!

You know I feel there's a myth of being a genius when it comes to art. Like, all the established artists in the world are geniuses. But I think things like that are very bad for art. And working with artists professionally just helped me understand that these people are putting just as much time and effort into their work. It doesn’t necessarily come naturally.

IMPORTANCE OF SPACE 

E: So we pushed back this interview a couple weeks because you were getting your space set up. How important is space to you when you're creating art?

It's very important, I've worked in messy spaces before and it's just so unproductive for me. I've been getting really into Donald Judd. We went to his space in Manhattan, and we were talking to the worker and she said something that really stuck with me. It was basically like when you work in a dignified space that changes you on the inside as well. So like motivation wise I feel much more motivated when this space is more accessible to work in.

I think it's very important, I think that the older I get the more I realize how important it is to have a space for me to create. Usually I like to work big - like I'm trying to get bigger stuff done, the bigger the work the more space I need. Or if I want to work in sculpture or woodwork or whatever I need space. It also gives me a sense of motivation when I know where everything exists, like my watercolor paints are in this basket right here or this is where the canvases are. Which is that those little things do add up, the less resistance to doing what you want to do the better. You have to use your space to trick your own brain into making your art more accessible.

C: Yeah so you enter this room and you know it's time to lock in.

Yeah so I don't have to clean the living room after I'm done and then use that same space to cook and then clean it all up. All those things get in the way, especially when I have a job. Right when I come home, if I have to work in the same space that I'm cooking or whatever it's gonna be more difficult as opposed to just coming home to a designated space to create art. It is like the space is made for this.

E: Is this your first interview, Matias?

Yeah

C: Were you nervous or nah were super chill with it ?

I do this thing when there is something that could make me nervous, I just don't think about it until the day of. 

L: Matias you should talk about how long you've been shooting polaroids. He has a really impressive polaroid collection.

E: Is there something about Polaroids that draws you to that specific format of photography?

When I was a kid I was really into Wes Anderson, so the Polaroids just made sense at the time. I didn't really understand it, but then I learned a lot about the history of the format, from the technique, to the chemistry, to the founder. I also just love the look, if you can get a good Polaroid I think it's kind of timeless. It’s instant too, you don’t have to deal with developing or anything.

C: Yeah, the physical aspect of your art immediately. It is really cool to have it right then and there.

E: I get what you mean about the timeless feel. It's like you can look at a Polaroid and it could literally be from like any year.

I think the guy who invented the Polaroid was a genius too. He was kinda like the Steve Jobs of that time. Whenever you find a good polaroid, even if you didn’t shoot it there’s like a whole story encapsulated in it. I have this SX70 Polaroid camera I can show you. Design wise It's like you don't get this anymore, this type of timeless design. This is from an old era, people just want fast plastic things now. It’s kind of like a Porsche in that sense, it’s a beautiful thing. Film cameras are like having a watch, it’s an accessory that makes you feel good. Just like the right space dignifies you, I feel like this does too.

ARTIST COMMUNITY 

I think it's super important. For example when I met Brayan, who is pretty giving when it comes to the community especially with advice and teaching. I heard back in the day there were circles of artists that would get together and they would debate each other. There used to be like schools of artists in New York that would be unified beneath one ideology. I think we kind of miss that, with this age of art. Mostly because of the internet I guess.

E: I feel like the artistic culture is a lot more polarizing now because of the accessibility of it. Before, New York City was one of the epicenters of the art world. Although that is still true to this day, the culture is a lot more global than it was before. Art exists digitally & is far more accessible than it has ever been before.

I think we need more of a grassroots community. Keeping things local, groups of people that get together in person and do stuff together or debate and disagree with each other. I think that will drive a lot of people into being more creative.

C: What are you listening to right now? Music wise?

I was big on Addison Rae, I was listening to her a lot for like a week. Now I'm listening to Nourish by Time. The thing I do though is like I listen to one or two albums for like months sometimes and I put that on repeat. I did check out the Kanye West & Diddy album to see what that was about.

E: This is kinda crazy no? Is this controversial?

C: You gotta be informed though.

 Yeah it wasn’t about supporting them or not, I was just trying to see what they were saying there.

E: And did they make any points or not?

They just doubled down on being creeps. They had this song and it was just so sexual. I just don’t know if this is the right time for Diddy’s son to be like super sexual in songs. I just needed to know is all. I do think hip-hop drama videos are kind of like a pacifier of some sorts. Something I can put on in the background. So I think that's why I was listening to that but I don't necessarily like it, or support it. 

C: I mean it's on the record. 

E: We talked a lot about taste today. How important do you think it is that people consume bad media? 

I think bad media can lead you to a good place.  It’s kinda like fast food, I compare art to food a lot of the time. For example, a lot of McDonald's even just french fries from McDonald's can be really good from time to time but if you eat it everyday it's unhealthy. It can make you sluggish, which is the same with trash media. Too much of it, and it can make you sluggish creatively .So I think it's like it's good to dabble sometimes but you have to realize you’re having fast food.

E: But now we gotta know your favorite fast food. 

My favorite fast food is probably McDonald's. What is your favorite fast food?

E: That's so vanilla though…

Because I'm not big on fast food. Like I'm not a fast food person so that's like the only one that I'm like oh the fries are good enough for me to crave it from time to time. I like Xi'an famous foods. Does that count as fast food?

C: It's a chain. I count it.

I think that's my favorite but then I always get a tummy ache after. So I am careful not to have it too often. 

E: I like Popeyes and In N Out.

C: Popeyes is my favorite one. 

I don't like Popeyes because in Mexico we only have KFC. 

E: You'd rather have KFC over Popeyes? 

It's just like a nostalgic thing, KFC is huge in Mexico.

E: Larry tap in on this. What do you think? Popeyes or KFC?

L: Popeyes easily  

I like the hot sauce.

L: Lucy loves KFC though 

It's crazy how much bigger KFC is outside the United States.

E: That is true, I've seen KFC does like crazy shit in Asia

C:  In Japan they do crazy shit.

They're like THE fried chicken place outside the United States. Which is really interesting because Popeyes, I didn't even know that existed till I came here.

E:  Popeyes has it on lock here.

C: Yea, they only got the American market, that's the problem 

They started to creep into Mexico, growing up there where basically only two fast food places in Mexico. KFC and McDonalds.

E: Oh actually I wanted to ask you about this, how was the transition? Because you said you lived in Mexico until you were 17. How was it coming back?

The first 4 years were really lonely, because I was learning the language.

E: Did you come here by yourself?

 I moved with my sister but she literally lasted only one year so she moved back. Other than that I was with some cousins, some uncles. I was like 18 which is such a formative time for a person. Those years from 18-22 were rough.

C: How old are you now?

I'm 28. I was born in 1997.

E: 1997 was before 9/11.

C: MAN OKAY?  That's just a statement .

I'm 28. It was just a little lonely. I think those times in your early twenties are really important too. It became a little more enjoyable during COVID times but I still wasn’t having the best time. To be honest though, I wasn’t having a good time in Mexico either. So I essentially sacrificed time with family and comfort to stay here and I am glad I did.

C: Who are some of your inspirations either artist wise?

Right now I love Donald Judd. I just love his spaces and his mentality, he created in a very intentional way. I love his way of making a house and I would love to make a house one day as well. Jack Whitten, the abstract painter. I don’t know, my inspirations change a lot. I don’t have a designated GOAT. 

C: You don't got a Lebron?

I don't think so. I feel like I change my mind a lot about things. Like when I was younger I hated things that I ended up liking years later.

WHATS NEXT? 

Just work more intentionally. I wanna use more watercolors, but I used to hate watercolors. From here until winter I am going to focus more on painting, and then in the winter I am going to pivot into photography. Working in the darkroom and having more of a commitment to specific things tied to seasons. That way I can move from one project to the next, instead of being all over the place.

C: Lastly, any shoutouts to anyone? 

Family, friends, shoutout to Annabella. She's very very helpful. Both of my sisters, my younger sister grounds me a lot because she's super critical I think and has a better understanding of things that younger people like. If she doesn’t like something I do she will tell me. My older sister, she's super hardworking, giving and very inspirational when it comes to getting my shit together. My parents. Shout out to Larry, Lucy, Brayan, you guys. Everyone making beautiful things.

MATIAS GOT SO MUCH TALENT. BIG THANK YOU TO HIM FOR LETTING US INTO HIS BEAUTIFUL STUDIO AND GIVING US A BEHIND THE SCENES ON HIS WORK. GO BUY A PAINTING OR TWO.

SUBJECT/BRAND : MATIAS FIEDEL TAPIA @unofficial_faanpage

PHOTOGRAPHER : LARRY PUMAREJO @yung.larry

MODEL : MATIAS FIDEL TAPIA @unofficial_faanpage

EDITOR : E&C* @acediastudios

TEXT : E&C* @acediastudios