From Canvas to Sculpture
1. Who is Victor Castillo? How would you describe yourself in a few words?
Im a self-taught artist with formal art studies, born in an earthquake-prone Chile and raised under the shadow of a third-world dictatorship, Disney, and Hollywood. Nowadays, he wanders between Europe and Chile with his work, searching for that perfect place that doesn’t exist.
2. If you were someone else and they asked about you, what would you like them to say?
That he’s a restless guy, always busy painting in his studio or traveling, and that he’s a great dancer when the music is good.
3. What was your first artistic job, and at what age did you do it?
I did the illustration for the cover of a book about the history of the Catholic Church in Chile. I was around 13 years old.
4. When did you start in the art world? Do you remember any specific moment when you realized you were an artist?
When I was a child, I couldn’t stay calm unless I obsessively drew. I made thousands of drawings during my childhood while others played outside. I was always the odd one out. Once, when I was about 10, I burned a big pile of drawings because of a mean comment—maybe that was a very “artist” moment.
5. What inspires you when creating? Do you have a preferred time of day to work? Have you ever experienced creative blocks? How do you overcome them?
Everything inspires me, yet nothing does when I’m tired. The creative process doesn’t follow a schedule—it’s just a matter of paying attention to what’s around you and to dreams, where the most delirious visions come from. Anger and love are my main driving forces.
6.In your work, eyes and noses take center stage. What do they represent for you?
They represent lies, ignorance, blindness, cruelty, and also humor and irony. My characters wear a tragicomic mask, reflecting contemporary context—restless, wild kids.
7.Which of your creations are you most proud of and why?
There’s not one specific piece I feel the most proud of, but I would highlight the mural Futuro Esplendor that I painted in 2015 at the Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center (GAM) in downtown Santiago. I took the title from the national anthem, and the painting represents a group of students protesting against a system that devours everything. It was a premonition of the 2019 social uprising, with Plaza Italia—symbolically at its center—just a few blocks away. Today, the mural still serves as a backdrop for young people who gather there to dance and engage in other cultural activities.
8. If you could choose any artist or person to have one of your works hanging in their home, who would it be and why?
Mike Patton, because it would be an honor.
9. Do you have any painting or drawing where you intended to convey a message, but people often interpret it differently? Which work is it, and what do they typically interpret?
That happens with almost all my work, haha. I like to think my work has many more interpretations than even I give it.
10. What has been your biggest artistic challenge so far?
Getting up early to paint.
11.Who are your artistic influences? Is there someone in particular who has influenced your style?
There are so many artists and so much music that my influences change constantly. Right now, I’m obsessed with listening to Suicide, and last night I stayed up late painting while listening to La Floripondio, a local 90s punk-rock band. So much fiery anger with direct and brutal lyrics! I also just bought a book by Claire Partington and another by Wallace Wood.
12. Tell us about your latest creation: “Tic Tac Boy.” Who is he, and what does he represent?
Tic Tac Boy is a kid that came out of one of my paintings, and in turn, came from an old soda advertisement. He’s a good boy, very neat with his clean clothes and well-polished shoes. He likes to drink wine and play with bombs.
13. How did you feel about taking “Tic Tac Boy” from canvas to a 4D dimension by turning him into a sculpture?
It’s a pleasure to translate the work into other mediums and dimensions because it gains a tremendous strength and presence.
14.Do you have works by other artists in your home? If so, whose?
I have a piece by Ferocius, a Chilean illustrator who worked for Spanish comic magazines. Val Kilmer, the actor, and a bunch of works and reproductions from friends and fellow artists. I collect everything. Someday I’ll put it all together in one place.
15.How has the process and experience of working with 6Forest to create “Tic Tac Boy” been?
A pleasure, of course. The attention to detail and quality makes all the difference.
16.Besides painting and sculpture, is there any other artistic medium you’d like to explore in the future?
Definitely animation! I’m also currently experimenting with sound compositions or soundscapes. I’ve always wanted to be a musician.
