This question of bothering the system, turns out to have effects on around you, since you work in an small island, ends up having repercussions?
GM: No, because society in general still sees the artist as a crazy person. Give us some discount so to speak. There are certain works I've ever done as an artist that some people came to me to tell me I was right. Were skeptical of the picture or the message that wanted to achieve and today those same voices agree when I showed some work.
Can you give an example?
GM: It's a very simple example, a work that was envisioned for the regional department of tourism on the decline of the Catholic Church, of how it did not know how to adapt to what we experience today, so I made a strong piece that was jesus christ on a cross in a descending plane. What you see is not new, it is pedophilia and exploitation of the ignorance of the population, Fatima which is another absurd apparition, I ask myself why there were no more sightings? I think it's all a wild capitalism even by the church. What is curious is that some people who know my work and are even conservative Catholics condemned this work at the time and now have to say that I was right. I made this representation on a case that happened on the island, not to mention Father Frederick.
The various artistic forms where you move from photography, sculpture and painting, which one of them you feel is your natural environment?
GM: My natural environment is difficult to say, I do not see the means to achieve the ends at an artistic level. To me I do not care if it's painting, sculpture or drawing, whether they are words, my interest as an artist is that people have more sensitivity and think more in life. It's like a Catholic who prays every day, I had a different education where my parents spoke on daily bases on various issues, that is what I try to do in this society.
Speaking of your recent works of art, this time you develop a set of say pork pieces, how do you intend to contextualize them?
GM: Right now today we live in a pig society, I'm part of it, we all do. Also the pig has several interpretations, sometimes I laugh at these associations of animal protection, because they petty on dogs and cats, but they eat pork and beef, are animals that are often killed brutally and people tend to forget that. I consider it an hypocrisy the work of these institutions. Another of the aspects of this subject is the current political and social landscape in which we live in. Political entrepreneurs, monopolizing the system, they do what they want, in this island, in the rest of Portugal, wherever and even has a connotation European I use the Merkel pig. I also like to read, so I read animal farm by George Orwell and is also Bordallo Pinheiro, who was a man very close to caricature, that identifies the politics as the pig, in the end is the political pig . Then in the past I work with another abstract realism artist, is Spanish with works in New York, José Luís Cerzo, with whom I had a very deep learning with chemical raw materials, such as resins and silicones and so I started to pick up pigs' heads and transforms them into hyper-realism, I started picking up bodies of people and turns them into pigs.
At the same time you also develop a parallel project of ceramics.
GM: The artist at least in my head is always flowing in two 200,000 mile per hour, and what one sees today is that we are bombarded by charities asking artists' works to be auctioned, but the thing is what people do not understand is this one tiny thing, art is like any other profession, must be paid. So this European ceramics project, which we won through the Youth in Action program, and with some personal capital investment, therefore, aims to sell some of my pieces and other artists signed artworks to be sold in the market. This is because the artists have to make money like everyone else. It has to be sustainable. We all have expenses, we needed to eat like everyone else. Art is not a toy, it is a profession and has a very strong sense in people's lives. Do not mix the craft with art, but it has to be paid. People have to get used to paying the pieces. The problem in Madeira and outside the island, is that they were accustomed to access to free culture and we cannot have that anymore, the artist has to make money like everyone else.
Going back a little while ago, you mentioned that you have had partnerships with other artists, because it is essential for you to have this experience? You need a critical eye to what you do, or is it a sort of nurture, another type of perspective, or other looks?
GM: The artists have to coexist with each other. Of course I will not hang out with anyone who does not interest me. People think it's all very beautiful, we have to identify ourselves with the work of others, but what is happening is that there are people that work and others that play in the art world. I prefer to join with artists with whom I identify with those who work seriously, who possess an artistic view and advocate art as their own child. I have worked with many, since Cristina Ataíde, Miguel Palmas, or Marco Fagundes, who are respected in the art world and I learn a lot from them, moving into new materials, new concepts, but always with my political ideology, more satirical, or more poetic, or more abstract, or more realistically, all artists have an identity. This identity has to be found in the first years of your artistic journey is a lengthy process and difficult.
So what is your identity as an artist at the moment?
GM: Just to be more a revolutionary, not radical. People find it annoying sometimes ceases to be obvious, it becomes increasingly subtle. If carefully, my work bothers the soul.
Many of your works have organic elements, what attracts you in this kind of matter and bring it to your works?
GM: I use these materials because I love blood, can call me psycho.
But what attracts you is the color, or when rust has a certain tone?
GM: What attracts me is the reality. In the background is blood. In the past, artists used pigments from the earth, the organic, from the blood, the pigments in oils that fell apart and use them in their work. I think this is essential, I worked with an artist that at particular point said to me: Goncalo, art is easy, is us what complicate it. At this time I move for forward to this concept, try to be more crude. In the past I was looking over perfection, I identify with this notion of not complicated, but I always try to bring my water to the mill.
Is there an artist with whom thou didst not worked yet, but liked?
GM: There are several, to share experiences for some time. Enjoyed working with Ron Mueck, but do not share the same vision with it, however there are certain German artists who liked to work.
The island is limited or not?
GM: Yes, an artist who wants to have a career in the arts, of course, the island is limited, if you want to grow as name abroad. Must always travel from one side to another, from country to country, sitting in exhibitions and biennials, you has to leave. The island is small and the limited spaces worthy of exhibitions are very few and I been there in one form or another. Now, I present my works in disparate sites from the so call gallery, or arts centers.
You have a patent exhibition at this point, is two-speed, tell me a bit about it.
GM: Both speeds are partnered with Miguel Palma, who is an artist I admire. At the time, he needed another artist who refers to his working method, which used the same mechanisms and materials. And went to work with him in Lisbon and it all worked out. The art work Iceberg has a funny concept.
Two speeds, two artists with different visions is that it?
GM: No, two speeds have to do with a mix of contemporary art and Max Römer works. They went seeking all his works and in parallel were seeking artists of contemporary art.
