I chatted with de Nieves ahead of his upcoming talk this Tuesday at the Baltimore School For the Arts through the Contemporary's CoHosts series, in which the artist is selected by Terrault Contemporary. We touched on process, the idea of "preciousness," growing up Catholic, and more.
City Paper: So what can we expect from your presentation through The Contemporary?
CP: Well you have a background as a performer, right?
CP: In a weird way, I sense a performative nature to your visual work as well. It's so process-based and labor-intensive that the objects almost feel like the index of an extended performance. Which is interesting, because usually very craft-oriented objects evoke the idea of "the introverted artist" slaving away alone in a studio. But your sculptures feel so gregarious and outgoing.
CP: Wait, are your shoe sculptures [often towering, crystal-like accumulations of beads] actually wearable?
CP: I often think about your sculpture "Days(Ves) of Wonder," in PS1's "Greater New York" exhibition. It was installed in that weird "hall of figuration" gallery and really stood out against all the other pieces. I think I read somewhere that you spent seven years making that?
CP: I love that about your work. You're able to transform these sort of mundane objects (craft store beads, old shoes, etc…) into something that feels very precious. It's a strange alchemy. I've only seen a handful of your sculptures in real life, but they have this aura you seem to have instilled in them through sheer caring. Does that make sense?
CP: Ha! I take it you grew up Catholic too?
CP: I see that in your work—a desire to imbue objects or a place with some kind of non-disposable "specialness." That's perhaps less central to so much contemporary art? I think the dominant trend is to resist the notion of preciousness.
Raúl de Nieves will be speaking at the Baltimore School for the Arts (712 Cathedral Street) from 7-9 p.m. on Tuesday, May 30th. Free tickets are available here, and doors close at 6:45 p.m.