Lym Moreno on Style, Pseudonyms, and Wheat Pasting - Ep 08
ON THIS EPISODE
This week on First Coat we have Lym Moreno. Born in Venezuela, Lym currently lives and works in Vienna. Also known as Mosta, she creates works in public space where she constantly experiences different contexts and formats. She combines a diversity of media and techniques such as collage, drawing, paper assemblage, and other print making techniques such as wood cut and serigraphy. Lym also runs courses and workshops for children and adults. I spoke with Lym about moving for love, pseudonyms, wheat pasting, and how she started doing work in public space.
This interview was recorded June, 2020.
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LINKS
Guest | Lym Moreno, Artist
Lym Moreno (Venezuela), currently lives and works in Vienna. She has a master’s degree in Fine Arts from Universidad Nacional Experimental de las Artes (UNEA), Caracas. Graphic arts and printmaking are her primary interest. Moreno combines a diversity of media and techniques such as collage, drawing, paper assemblage among other print making techniques as wood cut and serigraphy.
Follow Lym on Instagram (@lym_moreno, #lymmoreno) and check out her website. You can also find her on Facebook and YouTube.
Your Host | Stephanie Eche, CEO & Founder of Distill Creative
Stephanie Eche is an artist and art consultant based in Brooklyn, NYC.
Follow Stephanie on Instagram (@distillcreative or @stephanie_eche), Twitter (@stephanie_eche), YouTube (Distill Creative), LinkedIn, and check out her art website.
Support First Coat by backing us on our Patreon.
Learn more about Distill Creative’s services for real estate developers.
Are you an artist? Sign up for our Distill Directory and you’ll be considered for art commissions and future projects.
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Stephanie Eche 00:02
Welcome to First Coat. Where we explore public realm art, how it's made and why it matters. I'm your host Stephanie Eche, an artist and entrepreneur based in Brooklyn, New York. I run Distill Creative, where I curate and produce site specific art projects for real estate developers. I focus on creating more equitable and inclusive projects, and I want to get more exposure for the artists and developers doing this work. This week on First Coat, we have Lym Moreno. Born in Venezuela, Lym currently lives and works in Vienna. She combines a diversity of media and techniques such as drawing, collage, paper assemblage and printmaking. Also known as Mosta, she creates work in public space, where she constantly experiences different context and format. Lym also generates a space of interaction exchange and understanding of the creative process through her workshops and teaching. I spoke with Lym about moving for love, pseudonyms, sweet pasting and how she started doing work in public space. Here's our conversation.
Stephanie Eche 00:55
How have you been doing?
Lym Moreno 00:58
Yeah, good here in Vienna. I think, well, in general in Austria, I always say, it’s a wonderland. How I described how it was in France and here in Vienna, I think was riding a bicycle in a very flat path.
Stephanie Eche 01:16
Well, thank you so much for doing this interview. Could you tell us about who you are and what you do?
Lym Moreno 01:21
Oh, easy way. I’m an artist. I like to be a little bit more conceptual. I created my whole life to spread myself with pictures. You know, but in other words, yes, I choose to be an artist and then to be an illustrator and that is what I mostly do. But I also like to say before, when you are creating mind, then you also depending on your personality, then perhaps you don't attach on it to one thing, then that's okay. And the connection with the art and illustration then I teach it but not really like in school teach, like people can be from a different kind of place and recently in the last two or three years, something like that, I have started to work on, I don’t know how you call that in English, but you know, I just know the German word. I tried to translate and it’s like a couture management. You know, I try to organize events and employers are more behind like a conceptualization of many things. And which is interesting, because it's the other thing, and whatever's come that I find interesting and to be still in my field, which I find interesting and they can help me to keep going. Let's say I'm not just only artist.
Stephanie Eche 02:55
Where are you right now?
Lym Moreno 02:56
I'm in Vienna, in Austria. And right now, this is my, my studio. It’s 23 square metre. And it’s pretty cool, because it’s, see, this looks very high.
Lym Moreno 03:15
And then I’m going to show you a little bit of the window. Can you see it? Yeah, so I separate my time here because this used to be an old factory and then a school and then they square it and then for 32 or three years it’s like cultural house. I mean, they are different studios and workshops for culture places where you can rent for very low money and maybe we should have for theater or dance. There are two galleries, a photogallery and contemporary art gallery. There's, there are also a venue for forgive your tongue. And over here there's a building just for women. I don’t know, feminists and women, just only women can get into it. But also working another can, I mean people when also are kind of not necessary also art, also social fuel. You can rent a room here and knit major event, like workshop. So talks, the name of this place is WUK. Yes, w-u-k, and is based at the cultural house which made workshops and cultural house. And yes, a very symbolic place in the city of Vienna, because the architecture, it will break. I mean, you don't find this architecture anymore in the city, and yes, it's located more or less, some kind of Central? I mean, and it's a great location here. And yes, have this, this amphitheater here. And, but also I let in the years because when you get inside here, it's not like a cool place when you, wow, I mean, it's a cool place. I mean, but I mean like not so actual, and in the side you feel like, you get inside and you say okay, I think I’m in the 80s and early 90s I mean it's really fun from the people, also. Many of the colleagues, they are working here that works play our show, I like one of the jobs and I'm not young anymore. And yeah, I'm very like, this the case. So here's where's my studio, and I'm very happy to find, to have this pay. I got it since I arrived in Vienna, and this is a very lucky place to have in Vienna. Under the conditions that I had. I am very happy to have it.
Stephanie Eche 03:15
Oh wow.
Stephanie Eche 06:13
How long have you been in Vienna?
Lym Moreno 06:17
10 years this September.
Stephanie Eche 06:18
Wow.
Lym Moreno 06:19
Wow.
Stephanie Eche 06:21
What brought you there originally?
Lym Moreno 06:24
Originally? Love.
Stephanie Eche 06:27
Really?
Lym Moreno 06:30
Yeah, I got, I was in love with an Austrian guy, in the story, so I came here. I got married, now I’m divorced. But, but yeah, this was the reason. Back in the time when I was still in Venezuela, I thought yeah, I would like to definitely live in Europe. But that time, I thought, well, you know, barely after ninth grade. And maybe it was an honor for me, so I never thought about Vienna. And that's the funny part because many people they will even hear all around the world. There are some specific cases, you know, but mostly we just, you know, just so that way, we never thought about Vienna. It’s a very nice and hidden place, I mean, because you see, the other cities are very famous now, but this city offers you a life quality that you can’t imagine and it's still like a secret in Europe. And, and it's a wonderful, very wonderful place where it can be offered you also a lot of things, you know. And yeah, that's the reason why I came here, I mean, I got to know Vienna since 2005, actually, when it was just the time I was seeing my boyfriend, and spent here all the summers until I decided, okay, I will move here. I mean, that time we decide to marry and so, and yeah, this was the reason why I came here. And I think I will die here, I don’t know.
Stephanie Eche 08:01
How did you meet?
Lym Moreno 08:02
How we both meet? Oh my God, this was a long time ago when before, there was a platform made in Brazil, the name is Fotolog, I don't know if you know.
Stephanie Eche 08:16
Fotolog?
Lym Moreno 08:16
Fotolog, yes. And that was at the time when, this was in the early 2000, yeah. And it was the time when we, where the street art was starting, it was just starting, and started commercializing on the internet in that way, and this platform we were a lot of artists, who were doing this street art and, and that builds that community, international community, so it was great to meet people to see first the work of other people around the world and what they were doing and also to get in contact. At that time, that was the platform design was important to get in touch, to really talk. So you were always you know, like a cat you always want to say something about the picture design. So that's how we met, we met each other through our work and then eventually, after share some, some words and so then we started to share emails and so, so we started to chat and then
Lym Moreno 08:42
And then you just met up in person?
Lym Moreno 09:29
Yeah, then he came to Venezuela to meet and then three months after that I came here and so then we were having this relationship for five years. Yeah.
Stephanie Eche 09:43
And then you just decided to stay?
Lym Moreno 09:45
Yeah, then we of course were married. I mean, after five years, long relationship was short and we, I mean, we were very much in love and we wanted to keep together. In one season was not sure in Venezuela, him for without me. The spirit here and then because that when I get married, I mean, I came here and start everything. It was good because I've finished university of 2008, years later I moved here so it was great and just taught and I was basically taught to my curiosity is here in Austria. Because when I left was just, well of course I was having some some worst app but no I in the past I haven't here and, and of course in the time, just arriving to a new city, learning a new, a new language, you know, and, and try to get your own concept because at the beginning when you're in such a situation you depend too much on your partner, and it was for me great to have this place. And when I could get to know two different, what not just because the place just to have a place where to, to work and I think it's very important. I understand sentence to sequence time, we don't have the possibility to have our own workspace. Then we do the best we can so we arrange everything, but I realized in all these years they will displace it to becoming this my, my holy temple, I mean, it’s here and in this year. Doesn't mean I can’t work another place, before I tried to work at home, this was nice. And then for a while, I feel we have a bigger world we gray now but I have small ones. And this is good also to have some movement, like a move from point B to C.
Stephanie Eche 11:46
Right. Not be in the same place all day. Not leave the house.
Lym Moreno 11:54
Exactly.
Stephanie Eche 11:55
Where are you from in Venezuela?
Lym Moreno 11:57
From Caracas, from the capital. But I haven't lived there, in a small city like 16, 16 kilometer another from Caracas, small, small village, high hills and yeah. And we should have another offer. But all my life when I'm instituting in the in Caracas and so very city girl. Yeah. On there, I am.
Stephanie Eche 12:27
Do you go back often?
Lym Moreno 12:29
Not really often, I mean, since I'm living, the last time I was there was four years ago. Yeah, right now, it's a difficult situation that when I left the country wasn't like this right now. And it wasn't my reason why I left the country, it was love, I always wanted to live in Europe, I don't care about Venezuela, and but right now, in the last years, the situation is getting bad, and my parents say no, better you stay there, you know. Could be dangerous, you're still worried about because the same it could be dangerous, I like to travel a lot in the country when I'm there to see my parents, I also like to travel a lot and they feel it could be dangerous for me. Which I still don't think so, but you know, and but just for the economic situations, you know, and then my parents are better to stay there and support us. Oh, yeah, eventually, of course want to I mean, it's the first time actually that the long time I haven’t seen my parents. I mean, I just have my parents and my brother there, my sister moved to Europe two years ago, my niece and her boyfriend. And but yeah, of course, sometimes really need that to have a close friend or family? But yeah, here, I have it so nice. That's why I think the reason why centers are so jealous I would die here because I have a family also here. I mean, my friend stayed in here and which without it, of course, I wouldn’t feel like I belong here. Okay, it's been in here for those years and, and of course, their senses, okay, I'm, I know where they're from here, but I do feel like I have some deep connection with this country. I mean, and, and yeah, and to this relationship, when those friends of course made me feel I'm home too, you know? So it’s nice.
Stephanie Eche 14:33
Do you have any ancestry that's European or have you looked into that, if there is any lineage there?
Lym Moreno 14:41
I think, yeah. Oh, yes. Yes. Yes. My grandparent, father. Yeah. The father of my grandpa from my mother's side. They were he was from the Canary Islands. And, yeah, but it's like, you know, two generations, no 3, but no I mean there was as far as, I mean, that's what, I mean according to family everybody knows, but no stray like okay my grandfather, my father of my mom. And my ex husband.
Stephanie Eche 15:22
Right.
Lym Moreno 15:27
Well, I don’t love him but he was a part of family.
Stephanie Eche 15:32
How are your friends there? Are they, are they more international or Austrian?
Lym Moreno 15:37
That’s a very nice question. At the beginning were all Austrian. Well, actually, my closest friends are Austrian and the last year, I don't know, to the situation, I don’t know, is getting a little bit mixer. But mostly, mostly where, are more Austrian, as I say most in the last year, two, one year, yes, please. And again coming to the, it was important for me in the first years to get without him because I couldn't remember the language but I don't know, the last year for some reason I’m so like, I don't want to speak Austrian, so I think I'm constantly looking for to have more international friends. So I could be more relaxed and I want to speak English, because when I speak German, because sometimes, you know, it’s another system you probably can hear my accent slightly as some German.
Stephanie Eche 16:36
Yeah, a little bit. Because you speak Spanish, right? So there's that, yeah, it's funny.
Lym Moreno 16:44
Yeah, because you have a way how to, how would you say like, oh, a way how to talk now, like a real and the way how you say certain things. And I added that so easily and when I have to speak in English it’s calm. And I got, also, a long time ago a friend told me, you speak English with your German accent.
Stephanie Eche 17:20
I mean, if you've been there for so long, it makes sense.
Lym Moreno 17:23
Yeah, when you constantly use it to talk but I have to say in the last year, I go like, I don't want to speak my German I want to speak, I forget the English and I can have my English and I want to speak English well, but of course this is a very international city as well. So you could have, I could have also made my way without German management, also that, but it really is important. So you know, so you get a lot from the cultural and a lot of job, well, some I would never get, but you know what I mean? It's, it's a personal decision. I think when you want to learn a language. It's not easy, by the way. It’s not an easy language, German.
Stephanie Eche 18:16
I know a tiny, tiny bit because I love Berlin. It's very different than English, I guess, but also similar in weird ways.
Lym Moreno 18:25
Yeah, some ways but and some others like a minus. Why do you make it so complicated. You can learn, you don't work with that. Why? Or when you want to bride I mean, whatever any, any, any any language has this difficulty, I always say okay, Spanish is easier. So I said to someone when you don't learn Spanish, I mean, come on.
Stephanie Eche 18:54
Yeah, Spanish is easier.
Lym Moreno 18:56
It's so easy to be a month talking with someone in Spanish. You're don’t need anything anymore. So various of course, there are some tricky and the rest is very easy.
Stephanie Eche 19:14
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Stephanie Eche 19:45
How do you think your art has changed over time since when you lived growing up in Venezuela and then moving to Austria, have you noticed a shift in your work? I mean, it is a large, long period of time, but I'm just curious if you've reflected on that and if it's changed based on where you are.
Lym Moreno 20:02
Well, the chance what would happen because I opened to it and I always, I'm afraid to get to a point where I just keep doing the same until I die. So, and I know this kind of work but I know my personality so in a way, of course, it has been changed but not just because I'm here in Austria, it's had changed because of what can, you know, house my creative process you know, and that's why it changed a lot and when I remember when, when I left Venezuela what I was doing back there and what I'm doing now, I didn't kick on, of course there is a line, always will be a line, but I didn’t keep for, for the interest they have the time because, I mean, could corporate a big decision and just go and more than that and but yes, oh which is going to be always something they are going to add or I want to improve. Yeah, and because it's my personality, I just say, I fear that, just do I want to do this, I mean, of course, it's difficult because in a way is gonna be the same you know aesthetically, maybe some things which change static can be colors, can be lines, but can a lot of change come in within the conception, you know? Interest that you have, and other time I was very very insecure and naive and I think I’m still naive, and a little bit insecure. Yeah true, parents also, I mean, this does come out. Yeah, I mean, but as parents were working, where are you? What's your interest? And now how'd you do to pro that. But at the beginning I think it was like again only to be insecure when I came here because there was not this pride of color so when I was comparing myself at the time when others artists to say okay, maybe my work would not like here because it's too much color. But no, I wanted it, the other way then this just one thing and I think this is one of the nice aspect. A lot of artists I know from Latin America, they work in color they have just in a natural way because how you perceive the colors that are so present in the culture, you know? And when I compare this for some years in Austria, and of course this is one of the, what's people first look, see my work, ah the colors. For then I get a lot of, you know, like, Okay, you really know how to work with the colors and yeah, I do. It’s my specialty. And yeah, the thing I think it's nice that I kept that, it's made a some kind of different station, I don't know but just see that. I mean, how when I see also what's this impression what some people tell me also for me like to kind of different, when some of them work in color, someone from Latin America worked in colors. I mean, they caught the palette of colors, right? We don't feel ashamed to just try that. That's it.
Stephanie Eche 23:49
Do you remember your, the first thing that you created, or the first piece of art, art that you made?
Lym Moreno 23:54
That's kind of, this is, this is interesting, because this is, when I was small and I hardly was doing drawings or painters or stuff. I was, I think that first art discipline that came to my life was music. And I was doing, I was performing a lot. Actually, I went to become a singer operator. So it was when I was, when I was little, I was very having a lot of imagination, like everyone but I was always wanted to do something like once I want to be doctor the online art you want to be singer, be operator. And then finally when I was like 12 or 13 I thought I want to be an architect. And my father told me ‘oh that’s great’. So, so then just start to build your houses and I grew up when the father of my mom had a printer shop. So when, I don't know if you know those old letter, letterpress print, well follow up with graphic elements and because when I was visiting my grandpa, you know what we were there and I was playing a lot with papers. Actually my favorite job to do there was organize the chat window and when the cars and detachable can thing, this was pretty nice job, whatever. So I started to collect papers and build my own house for my dolls. And I thought okay, I want to be architect, then so now I wanted to cinema. I want to do movies. But they wasn't ready on time, and I came to a good friend and he was telling graphic design and I said well, I like it a lot was very attractive. As I said before, I was hardly drawing things, doing visual work and selling it, but I was so attracted by the work he was doing so I tried and that's why I try to when I started properties time is really when can those products not I was really starting to do things even when I know that back there I was suffering a lot because I thought I wasn't good at drawing. But at that time I did for example, a small book you know, where I wrote the stories and illustrated by myself and very simple way. But yeah, I think that and then that house for my dolls, paper dolls, they had at the time. It was like a big fish. And that was the first thing. Well, besides all the songs that I was singing.
Stephanie Eche 27:00
And how did you start making art in public space?
Lym Moreno 27:03
Well this was in beginning, it was 2002? 2002, yeah, because here's the thing. My city where the Boston graffiti is, and I was starting to see this community international as the center for this platform and I was so ready. Yeah, I was taught in a finished rocket science course I remember very well. But anyway, I was very attracted by that media, I mean I would like to explore in that way and put it on screen. It was cool, of course, not fitted to spray cans. Yeah. But it was kind of difficult to try. So I started around basic from 3D art which was pencil with paper and stickers of course and it did a lot my city and that gave me courage because in the beginning you okay, this silica, maybe I shouldn't do and you're not starting to feel comfortable. And that you know, and to also because the boys were the graffiti crew that were the boys. And to get started, get some perspective on the graffiti crews. And then the person that we were starting to do street art at that time in the city, and then slowly okay, from those that case starts paint worse. I mean, but very small thing. And at that time was interesting because I approached them in the way like a kid was, was very freestyle. Just go into a spot, see what is around, okay, and just figure out what you're going to paint. And this took me a lot of time, at that time I was starting, one who helped me a lot at the time was my ex, because he was also in painting. The thing, too for me also is a good way to start just freestyle. And it was very, very cool to do it that way. Yeah, this was to do some, too.
Stephanie Eche 29:14
So is there still work up in Caracas?
Lym Moreno 29:15
In Caracas, in the city where my parents live, yes. Actually a couple of days ago my mom told me like oh, some of my pieces are vanish I mean they've been, they crossed but there's still too, a few, nobody have crossed yet. I think they know exactly who you are and where you are right now and I said mom could be like this, this date? I don't know. They don't care.
Stephanie Eche 29:27
Do you have photos of them? Do you have them on your website or anything?
Lym Moreno 29:52
No more on my website. They are not because really old and some of those I did in cooperation with my ex, because we used to paint together I was called actions when we were in Venezuela and then looking because there was more relaxing at that time, you know, you just go to a spot and then you talk with honors either in the house or it was like a chalk wherever you talk and say hey, you know, I'm an art painter, is it possible I paint, and I have old paints with me and most of the people were okay you know and like okay but what would you want to paint you know, something political? No, okay, great. Oh, man, some people were having concerns I mean, like the tool okay, if you can please bring a message like I don't know take care of your, the war it’s like okay, I try. And it was easy in that way. I know some people were like one or they can put do I mean for what? You paint the whole painting and then you do this for free? I mean, what's the point? I was just, was people were asking, well, the point is just to paint and it was fine you know, because you were having the situation and when you have too many people and you have this interaction while this has nothing to paint for the score of actually you can get some more connection, hey, I know a friend of a friend that wants to paint in the world. This was cool because that's what you want to, you want to get more, I mean, I never thought at that time or even now to make money off of that thing. It was only a thing of possibility to spread myself another way, not all the way because I'm informality and general about art just in doubt thing in general my work is stay on the same, I haven't seen with those eyes like okay, I do that but how much money you have? Of course, in the last year being commissioned to those few things you know, I think because that broad background gave me like, okay, I don't want to earn money with that. I just want to to try with the scene or have fun, but it was how I kept just practicing another because for me it was hard because I'm not a painter. So I'm not a studio painter, you know? So the only way that paintings went on going on a wall a few times a year, so for me was like okay, let me try this, this, this experiment see if this works, if it doesn't work.
Stephanie Eche 32:39
And you were using- and do you use spray paint still?
Lym Moreno 32:43
No, I mean back then I was trying to because it was cool and sexy, you know. But then I felt okay to swipe his pencil you need for analysis so ecological, then it's easier to carry when paint and when you do and that thing is look more professional. I mean not professional, I say this to the world, I look, ah, when you holding a brush, you’re a painter, you’re art, but when you're holding a can, well, at least this was comparison in Venezuela and it's here now Austria, you're doing something with that, you're using a spray can, but if you have a brush you are artist now. For me it's worth, it's worth more now after so many go with the flow, go with the, with the brush and the roll and what else?
Stephanie Eche 33:48
And are you, are you using acrylic or house paint?
Lym Moreno 33:51
No, the house paint. Yeah, house paint for, yes, it's depends, of course, if either something is a nice color, they are just fine for acrylic, then of course I use it. I mean, it's also freezes. I mean, perhaps can lose a little bit brightness after the years. But painting with acrylic is way more expensive than painting with house.
Stephanie Eche 34:14
Right.
Lym Moreno 34:14
You know?
Stephanie Eche 34:18
Right. That's so interesting. I didn't know about your whole graffiti coming of age in Caracas.
Lym Moreno 34:25
And there's no more in my website design of Caracas, too old. And because at that time, you know, I was, I was painting was a girl. This was my character. I started my, I get to paint the character on their Mosta. And everybody knew okay, this is a Mosta character and it was a girl, I was always experimental but mostly it was a red hair. And mostly with makeup and yes was, was interesting, you know, but I think when I came here it was 2000. I think the last time I paint the character scene was 2009, yeah, after my two years here I decide I, you know, I get it. I mean, I don't want to paint more girl.
Stephanie Eche 35:13
Is that where your name comes from?
Lym Moreno 35:16
My name comes from, this is a very stupid campaign that is not you know, my name's, website is conmostaza. Mostaza, I just took that first four words and it's okay this one called mosta and I keep it in my whole life. There is nothing, I was, I was too young. But yes, the one I still keep them when I paint, I paint under that, and some people get confused, why, because you are Lym, why do you paint with that? That's, too, my synonym, so I would like to use it.
Stephanie Eche 35:58
Con Mostaza?
Lym Moreno 35:59
Yeah, just call me Mosta.
Stephanie Eche 36:01
Just Mosta, okay.
Lym Moreno 36:02
Yeah.
Stephanie Eche 36:02
Yeah, because I was confused too because I was like, I think this is her, but I don’t know.
Lym Moreno 36:06
Yes, yes.
Stephanie Eche 36:09
So you tag with Mosta?
Lym Moreno 36:10
Yes. Always. My painter was always Mosta. I never did as Lym, never. Oh, of course people know at this point who is, I mean, it's not more an issue because at that time for when I learned you know, you have to, you have to have a name in the street, no use your name. At that time, of course was, was I happen and now in the years of course, okay, it’s the same person, right. But I like to keep, to keep still to have that person.
Stephanie Eche 36:48
Right, your street name.
Lym Moreno 36:50
It's my street name and I like to keep it like that and I never thought for maybe last two years, should I change it, no. I mean, let's start to sign as Lym Moreno, no, keep it. Mosta.
Stephanie Eche 37:08
What about with your wheat pasting? Is that still Mosta?
Lym Moreno 37:12
Yes. Yeah.
Stephanie Eche 37:13
So just anything in the street.
Lym Moreno 37:14
Anything in the street is Mosta, yeah. I mean, the people who know it, I mean, they identify okay, this is Mosta. The people who don't know me it's okay who is this person. I think it's Lym. Yeah, because she’s Mosta. Who, what? I know, but as I said, I mean, everything that was on the street, or when I paint it in the world, because some things have commissioned is not really on the street, but I paint them under Mosta.
Lym Moreno 37:14
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Stephanie Eche 37:58
Can you explain wheat pasting to someone who doesn't know what it is? How does that work?
Lym Moreno 38:04
Yeah, it’s a technique, yes. It's supposed to make posters, work on paper, mostly yeah, poster, whatever is the technique you use, could be printing, can be copy, could be painting on paper, but to pick up the other mystery and you must use wood paint, glue and that's what goes in it. But in this is also like a very, you get very mixed payment thing. You call it wood paste, you call and pick up because just straight up poster, you know? But if you do it with paste, I mean you do the original with paste, then it’s worth it.
Stephanie Eche 38:39
Are you making it yourself?
Lym Moreno 38:40
Yeah, it’s very easy and you pay a bunch of wheat, a bunch of water, and you put them together and then you cook your boiler and then you have this big glue. And then you work with that glue forever. And you add a little bit of sugar, you know, and yeah because can happen and you pass up a poster and then someone wants to take it or someone wants to take it off for personal collection or just because don't like. That another kingdom the seating or something like that and if you want to make sure that it’s forever, then you can add some sugar to this mix. And that's what wheat paste is and that's what I've been doing. I mean, like that way and still as since 2015, yeah. When I started to explore because it’s okay, you know, I do a lot of work in paper in my studio. Why did you decide to do and also put a string, so I started to collect posters from the street or events or kind of thing, posters which I find interesting either because they're graphic or they have colors and they're planning first. And with those, I collect them and bring them here and then maybe, I mean, those fears the space and then burning off again to just preventing pace.
Stephanie Eche 40:12
I feel like that's such an interesting, it's both like recycling in a weird way.
Lym Moreno 40:17
Yeah.
Stephanie Eche 40:18
And, and both recycling physical things and then cultural things, right, and mixing them together in different ways.
Lym Moreno 40:26
Yeah, of course. I have this also like behind, even when I mean, this, like, it's not, I don’t know how to say, like payment in my work, but I do live in a very in a kind of ecological responsible way. And but I do really feel more like a really minimalist and I try to, to be conscious about why I consume, even as art because I go to DC and this person told me, ‘you really are a minimalist person’, what are your, your equipment? I mean, what do we have all our things in this little box? What do you need? Yes. So the work of Cohen that in the industry is interesting, because of course, there's also the research where you can find materials, I mean, that is also also very attended, I learned back then in Venezuela, were you, you were in a place where sometimes you have to improvise. Student get the money for buy that material, and you have to improvise. So that's something to keep so still on my life. Because when I leave here I have you, I can have everything. But I say, well, let me improvise, I save money. And also adapt to an hour. So I keep in general, don't like to collect things, which is weird for an artists, I mean objects. Very weird. So I'm one of those. But in case of paper is like okay, it's very useful because okay, I just need to go to the street, collect the ones I feel interesting, and when they make a new artwork, we have a lot of graphic information now to put all those pieces together. And those graphic elements and one new one, now, and facing off the screen. And that way, of course, I know people say well, it's pretty ecological. Yeah, of course. There are plenty materials. And I think, well, maybe for people who work who like to work in their, in their media, I mean, industry is also, a you could also what is the possibility also, too, if it's possible to use some of the book to get materials from the contents from the environment, which may okay, because can I use two papers? Because I don't know how they're going to here in Vienna, I think the cost for flyers and books are very low and compound configuration when ownership isn't. So you find a lot of crappy print material flyers and posters, posters everywhere in the city. So, it’s interesting, of course and then I mean, for me, it's interesting to have that. At first collecting lighter later on, you know, I can then within here and then see what I can do and then replace them, you know?
Stephanie Eche 43:31
Yeah. And then does that inspire your painted work? The, the designs? Or do you think it's just a subconscious thing?
Lym Moreno 43:38
Hmm. What do you mean?
Stephanie Eche 43:40
Because you do have kind of a graphic style and you use a lot of patterns. And it looks like in your wheat paste, you're manipulating existing patterns, right or existing graphics in your painting. You're creating that you know, from nothing but I do, they do, there's like a language where they talk to each other and it's all these colors and things, even though they're completely different, you know?
Lym Moreno 44:01
Yeah. Yeah, actually yeah, of course. But it was the other way, I mean, from- because that's what I do. And also when I, when I work with colors in my studio, I used to I wasn't hardly, and I started to work in college, I was hardly using paper when, with the already printing graphic material. I have some in my collection because we're interested with how to use it. I was always interested in the paper colors and to use them as much as I can. I liked it too because I like the thing of powder and contrast of colors. I mean to me more wish aesthetic of my work. And then I started to do those on powder, painting them, whatever techniques are using first of all create those power. And of course, when I can't, when I started to do them when there's three parts is what I have, I should learn how to use already printed paper. Why not? Let me try. Because chance, I always focus on the kids. If he asked her to use already, already existing material if chance then the concept of my work, why do I use those? And I was feeling so okay, then everything changed and I had to rethink now. Even if people said, well, I just wanted to just flow messy, and I was telling, that’s why I was not sure, and but and they did it and it was okay. This is fun. But yes, it’s happened like that.
Stephanie Eche 45:35
How do you balance your fine art practice with your public art practice and with teaching?
Lym Moreno 45:41
Well, life is about balancing. So if you're not doing that, right, I'm adding to my goal, right? In a way, of course. Yeah, it's complicated sometimes because there are many things which are perhaps no, the same final research. But in a way I connect and just because Socratic process in different way here, and each of them allow me out a way to spread myself. When I’m teaching it’s cool, because I do what I'm finally doing. When I’m here sitting on the studio, I interact with people. And when I, when people come to my workshop, they want to learn technique here. And I always say, okay, I don't want to disappoint you. You will learn something, of course, but it's not my focus, not, like you’ll learn how to cut that and how to make, you're gonna learn, of course, but it's more about you learn about ideas, which is that made that the media because make the thing more easy, you don't have spirit, or you are not good on drawing or whatever. But I want you to learn about the creative process. So in the end, I want you to start to think about what is that person on you to understand them, even if you're gonna leave this place, and you're never gonna do like that, anything like that, you know, are you interested in art or become an artist at all. And that is, that is interesting for me, because getting approached by this gives me more of a chance to this interaction and, and give more input and ideas and, and try to help them on that. And that moment, for that day, the thing of both, would go to things to normally get done, because they want to focus just in to the frame, nice, yeah? And I said, well, wherever I mean, maybe it's not gonna be nice, right? Just for today. If you really want to, then you have to be constant in that, and that's my spirit and why the authors, of course, I said before painting industry brings the possibility to explore and imagine that normally I don't do in my studio, and its format because it's another thing when I work small here my best when I speak their skill thing, you know, and I say I'm not a painter, and I'm still around and famous as a painter. And that's who I am, and also the prices illustrator, you know, which bring another, which are no my things with, that I represent, you know, it's my staff when other ideas to represent and picture and you know, and of course dependent of the personality. My personality is like I like to just don't keep doing one thing, I get more excitement and more challenging when I'm on different kind of freight. And each of them the time that this horrible thing. And yeah, balancing is a challenge. Because you say, well, maybe I should just focus on this one thing and making really grand, right, and then I need to worry anymore about anything. But then you said yeah, okay, but I do really need those two. So, yeah, sometimes, of course, I'm more in one specific project than another, you know, but I like that way. Because as I say, each of those bring me up possibilities there. And then given me more experience and more motivation to keep doing beautiful feedback. You know, when I get from the people when people say to me, you were inspire me, I feel like oh my god. This is so much responsibility right now. I like to say offense. Like I’m doing wrong.
Stephanie Eche 50:01
Related to that question, how do you make money? And how has this changed over time?
Lym Moreno 50:06
The relation with money is very interesting personally, because I have I guess as many, many issues with that. I had been when I made my student art I was in a contest when we were thinking more romantic way now there are gonna be commercial side, and we're talking about a contest where people really think more about commercial art because you need it. So we, I was in this university with was always this you know, oh, you work when you were sensitive, very, I mean, very commercial work. And it was for me like, okay, that's that. Shouldn’t look like that, I know. To do more and more complicated. So, so of course, I took me, I got a lot of struggle to find out you know, as they say, tell me right now to be active in many different things. Because, well, you get creative input in one direction but it also financial, you know, so there's this bright running off gray and but this other project, which is maybe nothing to do with that, which I have to warn maybe just writing a concept for whatever credit is okay, it's gonna be in six months but then you know now and I found, and because it's belong to my personality, the hours needed to be acting in any differences. Okay, nice tense to when I find financial research on all those priors and to keep doing what I’m doing. And also, of course, says good because when one gets stuck like that, okay, there's the other thing because of course you have to be very creative to find that you know, we know this hard but I think it's hard, it's cost me a lot of time to understand why it's hard to live as an artist. Because especially that thing, well, especially because education that got me no one taught me that you have to take that as a business and for me when I, when I was attending University and when and then when I came here and it was like a yeah, I can't, you have a talent, great. Can I get money? Yeah everybody do that, all people can do that, why I cannot do that. All those, how those skills, business skills, marketing skills, then then you have to learn how to do it and it's of course the paint where as you're moving, you know, I decide to not only be dependent, bright and prolific and money for me who made art which is of course our way, many people I know do that but it's very sad to me because you always have to be bright and appropriate and not always taken, taken, and you are less time working in your studio. You always have to apply for a grant or something or you, of course, the other way. Yeah, you go to galleries but I don't know, I don't have a gallery. Yeah, it's just like I think with the time and when you grow up and you get more mature understand the reality of that business and, of course depending of the country, because I will never compare Vienna with New York. Vienna has a specific market and specific need and they move slowly than in general, other countries. So I've tapped into also to that condition. Okay, I got it here slowly. Yes. Okay. But, yeah, is just like that.
Stephanie Eche 53:59
Are you still represented by Loveblood Creative agency?
Lym Moreno 54:02
Yeah, it's pretty new actually. It's like, a year? Yeah, a year.
Stephanie Eche 54:08
How does that work?
Lym Moreno 54:10
It's quite small and totally new agency. I can’t get any commission from the agency, but it's okay for me because I know, I mean, she's just talked and I mean a year ago and she has, well, we are over 20 artists here, so we have such a nice communication with each other, stuff both to us and so but I cannot complain to her, its like and they are general friends. If you don't get a job from her and it's okay when they I mean, it gets to get some from my market here in Austria, or in German speaking, so it's fine.
Stephanie Eche 54:49
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Stephanie Eche 55:02
And can you tell us about your upcoming exhibition?
Lym Moreno 55:06
Oh yeah, this one's gonna be 22, no 21, 22. It’s just a two day show exhibition together with three our friends and colleagues artists. We're still gonna do it but it's gonna be here in this area and, and yeah, we are going to, I think most are going to show you works that they have been working in the last year and the last month so it's interesting now we put together because what joined us together is the fact that we are mostly graphic and colorful and different ways some work more abstract, very expressive some others are very geometrics and others are very like, how to describe, sparring joints like I can be related to indigenous drawing, sell it as we like. And it can turn on and off we all together and conscious but with that point of color and graphic and I am working in studio work which are collage, of course. And with those who are the first time I work in collage in a big format, because I wanted to do in small and there are most, more big as usual and we’re exploring, also some aesthetic and some new palette of color and texture. But behind also was like a big theme. I guess when I started to work in last year was still the issue of the restrictions on the clientteen and you know, then pandemic twice. Like, okay, and I hold that serializes survivors of pandemic, which are just mostly faces of fictional characters, which are completely off with a mask. It's mask wearing and yeah, fly in that direction that's going to be next.
Stephanie Eche 57:05
And what about the book you, you mentioned? What's the book project you're working on?
Lym Moreno 57:10
I'm working on that idea. This is my interest in topics. Quality. I mean, it's a personal interest in and when I mean personal, it’s like I, I read, I educate myself on issues. I really like because I think, in my opinion, we have a lack of sexual education and esoteric topics have been always present in my work but not constantly. Wait, I mean, yeah, constantly or something but this issue was present in my work. But I know because sometimes you feel maybe change or whatever, I'm not feel sure if they should do a new series of work in that we shall say before is have been a topic which I personally like so much and interesting and make my own investigation. So this one is certain to do a series of drawings and one which is, drawing is one of my favorite mediums, but I hardly show them a percent and but I am all the time drawing. So thinking about I say okay, it's a very nice connection when I'm sitting here and start to draw something in my sketchbook. So yeah, it's okay. This is suddenly you constantly doing let's try with that topic, so I'm making those drawings. Yeah, that's the thing is to figure out I mean, it's gonna be a book, but I still don't know how to approach like in an education way or more like a fiction story about those characters that are in this visual story. And if that thing I mostly were like, hey, I do first major drawings and then after it has a certain thing I'd say okay, I gotta write a story about it, and kind of improvise based on the illness you know, because I try the other way. And it was kind of hard, you know, because cost me a lot of like, okay, first you have to create the story and then putting on the pictures, so I got a lot of stress. So I said, okay, keep it coming, relax yourself in that and I'm doing it the other way. And yeah, it's gonna be a small publisher book, which I figure out late this summer, which technique class I'm gonna use to print it and but it's gonna be definitely limited edition, and small windows, erotic drawings based on fictional people. I guess it's fun because sometimes when I post something like, I don't post on my feed, I post on my stories, some erotic drawings. And I get some friends who started to ask, is this real? Is this real happened here now or does this exist?
Stephanie Eche 57:25
Did we miss something?
Lym Moreno 58:46
Yeah, it’s all fictional. But it's a way I like to attract attention on the topic. Because in my, in my fantasy job, I do sexual education. But still figure out how to put that together with my artist practice, like how to do that. But right now, I just want to do that. And I'm very excited for the drawings to come out and, and how that's gonna look.
Stephanie Eche 1:00:52
What do you think is the role of an artist?
Lym Moreno 1:00:56
It's a very, I mean, I don't know, if you ask yourself about it. Specifically myself in the last time during the quarantine, I was upset on that question. Because we're a lot of things going on outside and also in my mind, and then so if it makes sense, and that moment was for me, like made sense. I go to my studio and keep doing the same as let anything happen. I was very confident with myself. Then I figure out like, you know, you don't need to stress yourself so much. Because I was asking my friends around and they were also chilling, I know, I'm taking my time I'm doing this new series of work, I scanning my work, I'm doing this course, it was crazy and I had to answer that question, you know, because sometimes, I find myself in the things where I want to be useful for the society in terms like, okay, I'm here to help you right now, and how to, to do that through my arts work. So, of course, it's a thing like the wall as an artist is wanting to find a cake to suppress about the reality that we have. And that reality you can join on your ways. The maybes focus on different my case is like I've never been political active artist, but I do have a political opinions and about issues that happen. And but I never wanted to bring it on my work, but somehow they are, because these are social issues. And then, you know, I followed this is, yeah, this is to all of the artists we communicate our ideas on those different media's to create empathy and connection, you know, sometimes that empathy and that connection is very clear for the viewers, sometimes not, sometimes you have to introduce to that, to maybe to a whole experience that you create to them, but it's important to have that connection, and you finally, mostly to the emotions, and you made that empathy. And then you can perhaps, bring the message that you wanted to bring whatever it is, and of course, I think I have also important thing, I'm going to something static, you know, because also it is important for me and to those very catch moments when someone sees some of my pictures, you know, and somehow just catch it, okay, the color sector, you know, but then when they look closely, you know, and start to get their own interpretation, then there's the connection, you know, and think, ah, there’s the empathy. You are closely but it’s okay. And that is, you know, we have the tools to, to suppress perhaps things, they're very complex, and many things, and we keep to certain media with matters that, you made that in a form and whatever is using a form that you can hear it because it's music or is in a form that you can see because it's a visual art, but you can also be very happy can flow when your whole sense. That's the role of the artist and then you decide for your connecting with some stray statement to be political or whatever. Yeah, that's and since I, I found the answer, I feel more relaxed.
Stephanie Eche 1:04:47
I really like that answer. I have the same struggles. I mean, I'm still kind of struggling with it, but have come to a similar conclusion in that. And also with the podcast, like for me, it's really important to share more artists so people know that artists like you and other artists are out there because I think it's easy to get obviously overlooked or just not really understand the depth and the meaning behind things. And the time and the true desire to change, right, like to create a better world for everyone, but there are specific ways that different people are doing it. And it's, it gets confusing when, like right now we have all the protests going on, right? And it's like, should I just be making protest signs every day? Maybe? Or, I was going to start to do some work in the street and then it's like, is this really the best work for the moment, right? So I think just having that it's so important to be constantly questioning that and, and rethinking why you might be making something, but without preventing you from making anything. Right, without like, blocking yourself, because otherwise, we would just, I don't know.
Lym Moreno 1:05:48
Yeah, but you're right. I mean, we can be very confused right now. Especially right now, because we have very many information and ideological directions, you know, which can make us very confused in a way. Okay, do I do the right thing now, should I stay home, should I go to the- how should be active in this society as artists and surely more political work, because it's like, it makes sense. And but no, that's not my thing. You know, and I should ignore that, you know, because I don't want you know, and, and it's difficult when you have those things, because you end up confused, but I think that's the point. I also like to keep authentic, you know, and that thing, what you’re doing. Sometimes, of course, you don't know exactly one hundred percent, why are you doing what you're doing. To feel sometimes I know, many artists, like something that you feel I know, sounds very romantic. Do you wake up and you just feel the thing? Just started, do you know? Not really like that, you know, but sometimes you have a need, you know, and there's, so in the psyche, I have that idea. I don't know how to, but I'm very upset, very upset with that, though, you know, and made me question and about and around and say, okay, 200, that's fine. That's great, when that happens. And when you use that, also, that energy when there's so they also help you to, you know, I just kind of try and both together may in the end a meaning of why you're doing it. And maybe because I not happen, if you just start to do things because you feel just the thing you feel to do that in a moment, you know, and maybe in the moment, no conscious, you don't have a no clear idea. But in the way you were doing it, just hard to put those ideas together, and may see the statement, then the meaning of that will determine more, more useful or whatever, you know, like, ah, yes, no? But I think it's important now for many, keeping authentic, and try to keep in a very central very balancing, because There are many things who just try us and make us think, things that maybe aren't to the width thing because we constantly listen it because we don't question yourself. We just keep going. Just one perspective. And at that time, if you keep just and one, listen, just one side of the story, listen, just one perspective, I think you're losing too much. You know, too much knowledge, you know, it's a beautiful time to, to even when all the things that happen which are very stressful, of course, and make you feel like okay, there's future. Where are we going now? I mean, this is crazy. But it's there is I mean, you decide how and you have to be very balancing and that you know, to don't lose yourself so easily and so many of those ideological things, you know, and question only I think this is very important of time. Even when, why because you don't understand you have to ask because you don't understand. And they all have because yes, I do understand but it's really what it is. So don’t keep just one perspective. I mean, you grow more that's my opinion, intellectual, emotionally and always when you absorb magic and they know everything because does not mean that you have to know everything and understand everything you know, it's just be open. You know, there's just not one thing you're never going to be, there are many and it's okay if you don't like all those you like, choose one it’s okay, but understand, try to understand the others man's possibilities. Accept them like okay, you are there possible. And yeah, but keep authentic and honest with yourself. It's difficult and this time I know.
Stephanie Eche 1:09:56
What have you read or listened to that's inspired you recently?
Lym Moreno 1:09:59
I don't know. So a very interesting book, I'm very interested in psychology issues, because how many to understand, I’m very interested in human behavior, because this is all about we encourage each other, and our emotions play an important role in all of our decisions. And just we are not aware of them anyways, person pretty much in psychology, core and philosophy, this come sometimes specific issues. And two weeks ago, I was very interested to understand how the algorithms work on their intelligence. And how it's manipulating our decisions. I mean, I mean, in terms of the internet, but right now, it's just again to keep on the psychology. And I'm reading a book to try to understand the psychology of man's. It's a very interesting book, because it’s written by a psychologist, a German psychologist, and mainly how would be the psychology of the man. And it's like, oh, can you talk more for ones that we have?
Stephanie Eche 1:11:30
Can you send me the title later?
Lym Moreno 1:11:33
Sure, it’s in German. I mean, maybe there’s an English version, I don't know. I just read it in German. And it's great. It's interesting because for me, like, in terms of ozone, gas, many things that we always talk about there things might be changed in our society. I think it's hard to do champions just like this. You have to make people conscious about it. And optimum size, where they have a chance of behaviors when you want and relationship and they're interesting all these behaviors women and men. And what happens something we don't get each other on our relationships. And so yeah, that's why I read that book. And it's like, oh, my god. Very interesting. Yeah.
Stephanie Eche 1:12:24
Thank you so much for chatting today. Where can our listeners find you?
Lym Moreno 1:12:28
I’m mostly in my studio or in my home.
Stephanie Eche 1:12:29
Online, sorry, where can our listeners find you online?
Lym Moreno 1:12:34
Online, yes. I'm online, of course. On my website is www.conmostaza.com and my Instagram, lym_moreno, I think I’m the only one, Lym Moreno, I don’t know. Also on Facebook under Lym Moreno as well. Yeah, that's all, you could text me on my private telephone number, but I do use WhatsApp.
Stephanie Eche 1:13:06
We’ll definitely link to you so people can find you. And thank you so much. It was so nice to hear more about your work and I have so many more questions now, but maybe we can, we can chat again.
Lym Moreno 1:13:20
Yeah, sure. Totally. I tell you, I like to talk. I'm really happy for the invitation to tape our two points, keep you and send you the best energy to keep going, you are really doing something nice and cool. And I believe for yourself. I mean, beside the point that you have asked for your various fire not to get in touch with other artists and to listen to them. keep doing it, I think is a nice way to also, of course, to get a connection and and but also to check those ethical see whatever we can build together.
Stephanie Eche 1:13:59
Like a virtual studio visit.
Lym Moreno 1:14:01
Yeah!
Stephanie Eche 1:14:01
I've just tried virtual studio, so. It's really cool. It's such a nice thing to do right now, because I'm not seeing really anyone besides, you know. Thank you and stay in touch and maybe we can meet up in person at some point.
Lym Moreno 1:14:18
Oh, yeah, sure. If you like to come to Vienna will be nice.
Stephanie Eche 1:14:21
I’d love that.
Lym Moreno 1:14:23
It's very nice, really. Thank you. Thank you. Bye.
Stephanie Eche 1:14:35
Bye.
Stephanie Eche 1:14:40
Thanks for listening to this episode of First Coat. If you liked this podcast, please leave a review. Make sure to subscribe to the First Coat podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. And follow us on Instagram @firstcoatpodcast or @distillcreative. First Coat is aproduction of my company, Distill Creative. Check us out at distillcreative.com.