It’s been months and we’re still living with uncertainty. But life goes on, people adapt, and artistic individuals keep on creating. I interviewed some of my favorites, those visionaries who inspire me to keep on making beautiful things, imagining, and thinking about what’s next. I asked them to take a self-portrait as well, and though they protested with a very loud “Why?,” I insisted because they’re artists and need to be taken out of their comfort zones.
Nadia Escalante – Poet
Have you found a new source of inspiration or have you been inspired by what’s familiar?
Yes! I’ve delved deeper into astrology. I have been researching this topic for years and recently took the leap from theoretical study to practice. I’ve given a couple of talks on Instagram and I invited a few of my dearest friends to chat about poetry and astrology. I’ve also given formal consultations on birth charts and solar returns.
What have you been reading and listening to?
I’m very excited about various authors: Clarice Lispector, Alice Munro, and Joan Didion. Their introspective writing has shown me new paths that I’ve applied to my own work. For my thesis, I’ve read a lot of Eunice Odio, a writer who is almost unknown in México, but who loved this country and became Mexican in 1972. Regarding music, I’ve been listening to my favorite witches: PJ Harvey, Björk, Tori Amos, Rita Guerrero, and now, La Rosalía.
Describe your experience during the pandemic in a few words or sentences.
When we connect with our hearts and have music and poetry, no confinement is truly a confinement.
Glenny Vázquez – Fashion Stylist and Creative Director
What have you learned about yourself during lockdown?
To hold my inner demons close and to be conscious of them. Honestly…that I’m crazy, that I have many inner demons, and that a part of me was still asleep. So, during lockdown I’ve learned to love that craziness that stirs inside me, to take care of my demons, and to break down old barriers that have kept me in a constant state of unconsciousness.
What have you been working on?
Freelance, creative direction, and more than anything, just trying to stay sane during lockdown! To be honest, what I’ve been working on most are new ways for my clients to express the heart and soul of their products, without endangering others, as well as experimenting and being flexible during the creative process.
What have you been reading and listening to?
One of my favorite things I’ve read during these months has been a text about past lives and the energy load that surrounds them. I’ve also been re-reading “The Art of Seduction” by Robert Greene. And I discovered a love for Nordic music which makes me feel alive! I haven’t stopped listening to Sextile, New Order, Eivør, and Lp.
Melanie Garrido Robert – Designer and Art Enthusiast
What have you learned about yourself during the lockdown?
Being a person whose mind never sits still, I knew I wouldn’t feel at peace during quarantine if I didn’t invest my time in learning new things. I learned that I am capable of doing everything I set my mind to and, that if I truly want it, things happen. I also realized that the best ideas come out of nowhere and that we shouldn’t force things that aren’t meant to be.
Have you found a new source of inspiration or have you been inspired by what’s familiar?
I found a hidden affinity for old things. Well, not so hidden because I’ve always been very nostalgic. Mainly, I’ve been inspired by art. Minimalism (which I used to hate) has grown on me little by little, I really don’t know how that happened. I think that when you’re a designer or when you work in a creative field, your taste and inspiration are ever-changing.
What have you been reading and listening to?
It’s been a couple of years since I worked in fashion, so I’ve been reading books on today’s fashion to see what has changed since I graduated. I am finishing a couple of books on art that are mandatory guides to learn about this topic (The Art Spirit and What Are You Looking At?). German carnival music is my guilty pleasure.
Gallo Molina – Screenwriter
Have you found a new source of inspiration or have you been inspired by what’s familiar?
I haven’t discovered any new sources, but I took a writing workshop that inspired other ways of being creative that I wasn’t familiar with. The quarantine factor helped a lot in this sense because I was finally able to put what I learned to practice.
What have you been reading and listening to?
My reading is divided between two books on screenwriting which I am using to prepare a workshop I’ll be leading soon and “The Savage Detectives” by Roberto Bolaño. I’m trying to watch more movies because, until recently, I’d mostly been watching shows. In regard to what I’ve been listening to, it’s been lots of podcasts, way too many podcasts, every day, and all of them about sports.
Describe your experience during the pandemic in a few words or sentences.
At first, I did not take it that bad; I missed a concert and a few weddings, but I understood this wasn’t the end of the world and that many people were truly going through a terrible time. As long as I’m looking at the glass as half full, the lockdown has made me much more decisive when writing, publishing, and exploring my own creativity. I guess there are no more excuses.
Gibran Mafud – Publicist
What have you learned about yourself during lockdown?
It has taught me that things can turn out better if we focus on them instead of concentrating on the distractions we usually find to avoid doing what’s needed (many times in fear of them not turning out how we want). Also, that something as hectic as a global pandemic, can be the perfect opportunity to question how you run your business and say: “no, let’s change, let’s do it this way now.” But above all, that the quality of creative work comes from communicating effectively, giving yourself the time to create, and not taking your eyes off the ball.
What have you been working on?
I took a workshop on business management; from that, I’ve been planning and making structural and process changes at TEMA. Also, I’ve been flirting with the idea of food blogging more consistently. Those who follow me on Instagram know all about my “culinary spam.”
What have you been reading and listening to?
Sitcoms such as Modern Family and Brooklyn 99 have helped keep me sane during quarantine. Also, I watched the complete Avatar saga, both the original series |and the spin-off. A curiosity for the Buddhist lifestyle, history, and philosophy stemmed from there, and now I’m actually reading “Modern Buddhist,” so I can understand a bit more about this philosophy.
Editorial by Greta Garrett
Assistant Editor
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