All images used courtesy of BrianMViveros.com
It’s easy to drift into a world of abstract interpretations when eyeing the work of Brian M. Viveros; the stories flourish from the details that lie among the exposed breasts, lit cigarettes, battle scars and inescapable, intense eyes of the heroines he conceives.
Consider “Bull Fight Her:” A braid, a virtuous symbol of youth, gently pulling back a woman’s hair; a colorless tattoo of a rose, thorned — presumably(?), creeping up her neck, as if to scratch at the jugular; blood stains on her virgin-white shirt; the perfectly manicured brows above an undistinguishable stare; cigarette pressed, not between her fingers like a lady, but firmly between the soft tissue of her blood-red lips, steadfast like a man. One can’t help but wonder what has happened to this girl — to this woman wearing a bullfighter suit— and how her fate will unravel.
His paintings tell the tales of women who rose against, not without injury, but left to juggle the balance between exposure and shielding oneself. But these women aren’t to be confused as helpless victims. Viveros captures their strength in a sexy and sophisticated manner that drips of both femininity and strength.
The California native has garnered attention among hipster art circles and lovers of the erotic, his art featured in publications such as GQ International, Juxtapoz Magazine and The Art of Porn Exhibit in Switzerland. A fan of Brian M. Viveros’ work, I hit up the provocative artist for a glimpse on what brings his women to life.
by Melysa Martinez
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What led you to pursue a career in art?
My dream, my passion, my blood is Art. I suck at everything else.
You bypassed art school altogether. What steps did you take during the early stages of your career to polish your self-taught craft, and what advice do you have for those who are toying with the idea of whether or not to shell out big bucks to attend an art school?
I never really thought art school was an option for me because we didn’t have the money, so I stayed very focused, very driven, and worked really hard. Art became a drug to me — an addiction; the need to feed my brain with as much visual fix as possible.
As a kid I was filming fucked up splatter films with my friends and drawing comics, collecting dirty mags and smoking cigarettes. [I was] always into things that were a little more underground or what some would say a normal child shouldn’t be into. As I think back, even then I was operating my projects like it was some real serious shit that had to get done.
You have to want to create your own worlds; believe in them, believe in your dreams and make it happen. In doing so you sacrifice a lot. It takes a lot of disipline and sleepless nights over your art table. I still always feel like there is so much more to do and get done. Drives me maddd and I like it.
For those of you or people that have the oppurtunity to go to art school, I don’t think it’s a bad thing, but I am sure glad I don’t have that $90K loan to payback. So far my hard work and determination has gotten me this far without school.
Do you think your Latin background has influenced your work, and if so, how?
The elements I incorporate are definitely Latin inspired. I come from a Latin background, It seems like recently though they’ve been playing a stronger role in my paintings. Not to sure why that is, but it just feels right. Maybe it’s the goat that haunts me.
You seem to gravitate towards the erotic, your work having appeared in fetish and art publications, such as “Secret” and “Skin Two” magazines, along with having been exhibited at The Art of Porn exhibition in Switzerland. How would you describe your relationship with porn and the erotic?
People tend to categorize my work and label it as erotic but I just do what feels natural. My earlier stuff, I can see why, and was definitely much more hardcore…makes me smile, but I’m all growns up now and my style has shifted. Shifted to my Smoking Arm—me of me.
Off the top of your head: what’s your opinion on pornography?
I like it; [I am] proud of my collection
What was your first sexual encounter like?
Messy HA!
The women in your paintings are absolutely stunning– dark-haired beauties with powerful eyes, a spatter or two of blood on their topless bodies, bandaged or eye-patched and smoking a cigarette– what is your inspiration for such austere divinities?
It comes back to these woman of power. The inspiration comes from the idea that these woman have just been through a battle and are victorious and have time to take a second and pose for my camera eye. The pain is beauty, their pain is calling you in. They are the ones who can keep going and kick ass and enjoy a good smoke and a beer afterwards. They are my Arm—me.
Are their wounds and blood spatters the results of a battle won or a battle lost? Are your female subjects heroines or are they victims?
Always a battle won. We are the champions my friend and they’ll keep on fighting till the end.
It’s interesting to me, that with all the signs of warfare they show, they are made even more vulnerable in their breasts fully exposed? Any reason in particular why most of them are topless?
To clothed them is to take away, meaning it hides the flesh tones. The clothing would play to much of a part in the painting where I like seeing smooth flesh tone that takes your eyes on a little ride. From the face, the jawline taking you down through the neck’s smooth blend down to the shoulders — I like it. There is a curtain power from a woman’s neck down to her shoulders, I try not to interrupt that, maybe with just a settle splash of red (the blood ), or I mainly focus on helmets as the strong element — or and a band or strap. Nothing too busy to take away from the female form. Less is more. Less is more
Much of your work features your female subjects smoking cigarettes. What role do the cigarettes have in painting the bigger picture?
The smoking thing is a part of me so in the year 2000 is when I started putting the smoke in all my paintings. I haven’t quit so the girls haven’t quit yet either. Naughty, naughty.
Any reason why they have jet-black hair, as opposed to painting blondes, brunettes, or redheads?
I like brunettes — my little devil is a brunette — but nothing against blondes or redheads. I just don’t think about those colors when I paint when it comes to hair.
Several of the women in your paintings have Mickey Mouse ears, often while wearing some sort of combat gear, such as bullets or a military helmet. What lead you to blend such paradoxical elements together?
I always thought what a great concept this military helmet with the Mickey ears would be and this whole army of them marching and smoking to the Darth Vader theme song. I came up with the DIRTYLAND series to make this world complete. So whenever you see one of these style of paintings with the ears/helmet they are part of the DirtyLand series and represent the Dislandic Arm—Me.
What’s the significance of the “tramp stamps” inked across the bellies of some of the women in your paintings, such as “Cochina,” which translates as “sow,” or more colloquially speaking, “filthy pig”?
I always remember it as a kid as being dirty, so it seemed to fit nicely across her stomach. I always thought it was funny when my cousins would get yelled at “Your being cochina,” so to those that may think I’m degrading woman, I’m not. It’s just a part of me and my childhood I wanted to include in the painting.
The women in your paintings, can you hear their thoughts and feel what they feel? That is to say, do you personify them?
I mean there is a lot of emotion I try to express in what they would be feeling, it’s a weird thing ya know, I hear them but it’s more me telling them I’m gonna make you strong and you’ll always look good no matter what. Blood splatters, bandages, helmets, bullets, pain, strength, sexy, smokin, surreal — it’s all part of my world that I try to get out in each painting and hope that someone will take her home.
Is there any one band or musician who you’ve fantasized about doing an album cover for?
Yeah, Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I’d like to paint her, smoking of course, but she would be great. I’m probably going to do it for myself next year and try and show her.
What bands or musicians are you currently all about?
I like weird shit , I like everything really with some sort of noise or any kind of sound. It calms me down and makes me think about scenes for future films, pictures to paint or words to write. My friends burn me a lot of underground noise and trippy shit. I like John Lennon, Elliott Smith, Hope Sandoval, God Speed You Black Emperor, Sigur Rós, The Swans, Devendra Banhart, Fela Kuti, Kurt Kobain… the list goes on and on and on and on. Must have music going all the time in my studio and films playing.
What book(s) are you currently reading?
Nothing right now, no time to read.
You recently collaborated with Dan Quintana, another artist with a love for female subjects. How was it working with him and what can the world expect?
DESENSITIZE!DESENSITIZE!DESENSITIZE! Quintana is Awesome and my homie. You’re all in for a treat
What projects other are you currently working on that fans should be on the lookout for?
My new short for my upcoming*January exhibition entitled DESENSITIZED. It will play at the opening on January 16th at Copro Gallery in Santa Monica. For more info about the exhibition and original Art that will be available for the Desensitized Exhibition please contact Copro Gallery at :
www.copronason.com
(310) 829 – 2156
Thank you for this opportunity, and to all the readers — I thank you. For Limited Edition Giclee Prints please visit Brian’s SHOP at: www.brianmviveros.com for info about films please visit www.dislandia.com.
*interview published post-gallery showing
