We recently caught up with Cayetano Sanz de Santamaria – whose selected artworks are currently on display at Cultural Comms client JGM Gallery in London's Battersea - to discover more about his artistic journey, how surrealism captured his imagination, and how his Colombian childhood continues to influence his work.
Where did your passion for painting begin?
I've always been interested in drawing - so much so that I had a hard time academically, because all I wanted to do in school was draw rather than taking notes. I’m not sure if it began as a passion, but it was certainly a compulsion to create images on any empty paper in front of me. Eventually, other fellow students started to appreciate what I was doing, and even teachers stopped giving me a hard time. I then realised this love for drawing could be used as a communication tool with others. That's when it developed into more of a passion, which was around middle school.
I had been polishing my drawing style up until two years ago when I felt the urge to start turning my visual narratives into large oil paintings, which has been an incredibly gratifying experience. My passion for painting goes hand in hand with my passion for drawing. I guess it's more of a passion for creating a visual narrative with my own hands, no matter what tool is being used.
What inspires you?
The natural world is one of my biggest inspirations. Growing up in Colombia, one of the most biodiverse countries in the world allowed me to be in constant contact with unique fauna and flora. Learning about biology, evolution, and how the natural world works is a spiritual experience that makes me believe in a higher force.
On top of that, I grew up visiting my father’s ranch every weekend where he raises bulls for bullfighting. These are animals we deeply love and respect. Spending my childhood surrounded by farm animals, as well as horse riding to move the cattle around, gave me a fascination with and understanding of animals. I see the relationship ancient humans had with animals - like many native South American tribes still have today - as a source of inspiration. and an example on how to approach the natural world. It’s important to study how our ancestors combined mythology with nature to tell a story for future generations to learn about life and traditions, teach what's wrong and what's right, and so much more. Animals had an important role in this kind of story, and humans used to consider other species their equal or be spiritually connected with them.
Apart from animals and nature, my country Colombia, its folklore, carnivals, and the old colonial city of Cartagena form part of my inspiration. The absurd, the carnivalesque, and the fantastical stories in mythology we humans have been telling ourselves for millennia is a bottomless pit of inspiration for my works of art.
And which artists or artworks sparked your interest in surrealism?
Surrealism was sort of my “first love” when I began creating more serious artworks during my undergraduate studies at Pratt. Salvador Dali and Rene Magritte, of course, are both giants that captivate anyone diving into surrealism. Then came Dorothea Tanning, Remedios Varo, Giorgio de Chirico, French illustrator Jean Giraud Moebius, Max Ernst, and Neo Rauch.
I currently see my work fitting more into the realm of the fantastical and the magical realism.
My all-time favourite painter is Francisco Goya; he has a perfect yet magical way of talking about reality. His dark painting series and the Caprichos etchings are works that I constantly study to get inspiration and allows me to learn from the best. Another painter and oil pastel expert who tells fantastical stories through her work is Paula Rego. She grew up under the Portuguese Dictatorship of Salazar and found a way to portray the atrocities and tragedies of her life and society in a seductive and beautiful way. I deeply admire the painters who find a way to make the grotesque and the horrific attractive through narrative and the fantastical.
You recently completed your MA in Painting at the Royal College of Art; what does a typical day look for you?
I graduated in September, and it was a blessing to attend the course and meet so many talented and motivated artists. I became good friends with four other painters on the course and we now share a studio in Battersea, where we support each to create our artworks.
A typical day for me (Monday through Saturday) is waking up around 7am to exercise and kickstart my day most positively. For me, exercise is crucial and one of the most important tools for both creativity and mental health. After I shower, get ready, and chase my two cats around the house, I take the tube to the studio.
I get to the studio, eat some breakfast, and get to work. I usually listen to podcasts, classic rock, and movie soundtracks. I paint until around 8pm. After that, I just want to go back home to be with the cats.
You’ve lived in many countries; what is your favourite place and why?
I’ve had unique experiences in each place, so I wonder if I could ever choose a favourite. I lived in Florence, Italy for two years after New York to learn etching, and that’s probably the best place to live. But I like to think that the place I am living in at any given moment is my favourite place. I do miss the food in Florence though!
Selected artwork by Cayetano Sanz de Santamaria is currently being shown as part of JGM Gallery's latest exhibition True Fiction, until 25 January 2025. Please click here for more information.
