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Spanish artist Juan Fco. Casas deserves a mention apart. His work is unique. He is capable of portraying women’s deepest, most involved facets... WITH A BIRO PEN!!

Hailing from Andalusia, this 32 year-old artist, whose work is mainly composed of paintings, has already achieved considerable success in a meteoric career. He currently lives in Rome, on a grant awarded by the Spanish Academy and he is delighted to explain his works to all the readers of Wondering.

Wonders: Juan Fco. What was the inspiration behind you picking up your biro and creating these magnificent works?

Juan Fco.: First of all, they are not illustrations, since they are not conceived to accompany text or anything like that. In fact, quite the opposite. At times they cause confusion for the spectator since they lack any kind of narration of events which occur before or after the image. The ball pen is what I have at hand and it is so easy...

W: Women figure prominently in your illustrations. Which female features do you like to highlight?

JF: I draw and I paint what I see around me and what interests, fascinates and intrigues me and undoubtedly, women produce these effects in me. Perhaps I am telling my life story through them or perhaps, I want to describe as much as I can about them...perhaps a little of both things, or a lot.

W: Your work contains high doses of latent eroticism. How do you manage to transmit erotic sensations with something seemingly as cold and simple as a ball pen?

JF: The truth is that eroticism is part of all our lives (or it should be) and as such, considering that the idea behind my work is autobiographical, it is quite normal that this should be reflected.

W: The work we have seen from you might be classified as hyper-realist. Have you ever gone a step further and tried other styles or techniques?

JF: Right now I am researching the field of photography and video.

W: You currently live in Italy. Are you planning to make it a permanent move? Why Italy?

JF: I have been awarded a grant by the Spanish Royal Academy in Rome, where I am residing for the whole year. Italy is such a wonderful place that I would not mind staying.

W: Do you feel inspired or influenced by any artist in particular?

JF: Many, so many, that it is difficult to name just a few, Luc Tuymans, Wolfgang Tillmans, Peter Currin, Erwin Wurm...

W: What are your upcoming projects?

JF: Next year I am going to have a show in Los Angeles and at some Art Fairs in North and South America.

W: ¿De qué obras te sientes más orgulloso?

JF: Son todas. Aunque uno siempre quiere más a las últimas, el carácter personal de mi obra hace que algunas sean especiales por razones personales casi más que las intrínsicamente artísticas.