José Luis Torres

In my work, I attempt to stimulate the relationship between location, my pieces and the individual experiencing it. My artistic practice is mainly sculpture, installation and site-specific projects. It is propelled by the notion of appropriation of space and by the hijacking of meaning, through simple actions on materials from our daily surroundings. Space and place are very important in my work, both in the creative process in the work itself. Spontaneity and accumulation are recurrent in my practice, which is linked to the ideas of savings, survival, workforce and ready-made. In a playful way, my works are rooted into a reflection on the phenomenon of the coexistence with unplanned elements modifying one another to form environments in constant evolution. In my projects, my pieces are “staged” as to rethink the conventional exhibition standards for works of art, but also the idealized image of the artist. “Make do with” is a need of mine and one of the bases of my process. Through progressive constructions and “deconstructions”, I explore the ways we occupy space, using the rules of handicraft in a subversive manner.

In my recent projects, I tackle the question of the objects’ value as witnesses of history, and their paradoxical status, as they are both fundamental and incidental. Through multiple manipulations, I explore the mechanisms of the construction/deconstruction of their identity. In the last few years, I have created “installative” and short-lived works. These mostly large-scale pieces are integrated into the architecture or into their immediate surroundings. Such projects have allowed me to create autonomous works in the public space that act as “indicators” of contemporary art. These works settle in and relate to the sites with their large scale and their ability to take charge of the context they invest, whether it is a natural or urban setting. With a particular interest in the symbolic value of the object, I offer through each project a series of experiences where the architectural, cultural and social specificities of the site are intrinsically connected.