An interview with street artist Francisco de Pajaro.
Francisco de Pajaro talks about the process of turning rubbish on the street into art, and why waste shouldn’t be wasted.
1. What inspired you to turn everyday rubbish into art?
I was inspired by the rage as well as the need to express myself freely against all the odds that were making me suffer. The art galleries in Barcelona were slamming their doors to my face, and the economic fraud in Spain forced me to work underpaid and precariously; most importantly, my frustration as an artist who did not know which path to create, to make a living from my art.
2. Tell us a little bit about your creative process. Do you plan your work in advance or does something stop you in the street and inspire you?
Anything I do in the streets is visceral and radically spontaneous. I never accommodate the rubbish to satisfy my interests. It is the placement given by the citizens that abandon it that inspires me to bring trash back to life.
3. What piece of work are you most proud of?
My initial installations, the ones I began with. They are the most precarious and raw. Nobody knew me. They felt even more real.
4. Have you ever gotten in trouble for using the streets as your canvas?
Indeed. To the extent that in Barcelona I have been forced not to have a bank account because of that.
5. Your work has been described variously as rude, funny, political; what do you have planned for Galway?
It is all improv. Impromptu work depending from the state of my soul. In Galway, you'll be able to see all the ingredients of Art is Trash. Salt and pepper
6. How do you think Galway will compare to some of the major cities you’ve worked in, such as London and Los Angeles?
Generally speaking, people are amused and surprised. Also, they wonder about the characters that emerge from the trash. I am sure it will be fun!
7. What message do you want the people of Galway to take away from your art?
I want them to know that museums and galleries only contain a fragment of the human artistic creation. Art can be found on any media and everywhere. Not everything needs to be academia. Art is intrinsic to human life. And humans are far from being perfect. Also, I like to make sure they take away my message about the disproportionate consumption and the fetichism surrounding the possession of anything at any price.
8. What is the biggest advantage/disadvantage about street art?
The advantage is that the message is delivered more rapidly for all kinds of audiences. There are no disadvantages.
Art is Trash runs from 13 - 17 July. Please note that the schedule below is provisional and subject to change. Due to the improvised and site-responsive nature of the artist’s way of working, we have allowed time each day for spontaneous works to be created at unspecified locations. The artist will work on various sites around town, dependant on the rubbish that has been discarded or left for collection at a particular place. Some of these will be created very quickly and may disappear equally quickly depending on rubbish collection times.
Keep an eye online and on social media for updates and locations. Follow Art is Trash online using the hashtag #ArtIsTrashGalway and #GIAF16. If you spot his work in the city, share it with us on social media!
Day 1`: Wednesday 13 July
9.30am - 2.30pm
Installation 1
Venue: Buttermilk Lane
Address: Off Middle Street, Galway.
Installation 2
Venue: Shop Street
Installation 3
Lynches Window - Lombard Street
Installation 4
Venue: Absolut Big Top
Address: Fisheries Field, Galway
Installation 5
Venue: Fairgreen Building. This will not be opened to the public, but art will be on display in the windows.
Address: Fairgreen rd, Galway
Day 2: Thursday 14 July
Installation 1
Venue: Spanish Parade, by Galway’s historic Spanish Arch
Address: Spanish Arch, Galway
Installation 2
Venue: Bier Haus
Address: Pump Lane, Galway
Installation 3
Venue: Small Crane, Galway’s old food market
Address: Sea Road, Galway
Installation 4
Venue: Entrance to the Claddagh basin , by the banks of river Corrib where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean
Address: Wolftone Bridge, Galway
Day 3: Friday 15 July
Installation 1
Venue: Town Hall Theatre
Address: CourtHouse Square, Galway
Installation 2
Venue: GIAF Information Kiosk
Address: Eyre Square, Galway
Installation 3
Venue: Train Station platform at the city centre train station just off Eyre Square
Address: Eyre Square
Installation 4
Venue: Galway International Arts Festival’s Box Office, located at the Galway Tourist Office just off Eyre Square
Address: Forster Street, Galway
Installation 5
Venue: Galway International Arts Festival Club
Address: Galway Rowing Club, Woodquay, Galway
Installation 6
Venue: Black Box Theatre
Address: Dyke Road, Galway
Day 4: Saturday 16 July
Installation 1
Venue: The Shed, Middle Pier.
Address: Galway Harbour, Galway
Installation 2
Venue: Main intersection in the pedestrian zone of the city
Address: High Street – Main Guard Street
Installation 3
Venue: Galway City Museum
Address: Spanish Arch, Galway
Installation 4
Venue: Where the old revenue office meets the Galway City Library
Address: Augustine Street, Galway
Day 5: Sunday 17 July
Installation 1
Venue: Bailey Allen Hall Entrance
Address: National University of Ireland, Galway
Installation 2
Venue: Seating Area, by the banks of the canal on the River Corrib
Address: Newtown Smith road, Galway
Installation 3
Venue: Druid Lane
Address: Druid Lane, Galway
Installation 4
Venue: Fountain & Browne Doorway
Address: Eyre Square
Installation 5
Venue: Salthill Promenade
Address: Eyre Square