We had a conversation with the artist Marta Lapeña, whose art is naturally influenced by her daily life experiences, the people she meets, the behaviors she witnesses and the social issues that concern her, about her work and production practice.
Who is Marta Lapeña? Can you briefly tell us about yourself?
I am an artist and muralist. After graduating in Interior Architecture from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, I decided to dedicate myself to painting and the exploration of different techniques by profession, and then I focused on the design and development of artistic, social and personal projects.
My work lies between painting and mural painting, sometimes embodied in specific projects and sometimes in more experimental proposals. My work is inherently influenced by her daily life experiences, the people she meets, the environment that surrounds her and the social issues that concern her.
Can you talk about your transition from Arquitectura de Interiores to art? What inspired this transformation into the art world?
After years immersed in the world of interior architecture, surrounded by blueprints and monitors in a Madrid studio, I came to the conclusion that my true passion lay in the vibrant colors and expressive freedom of painting. Although I had diligently trained in the field of architecture, the call of brushes and canvas became stronger and stronger.
The transition was not simply changing professions, but finding my true voice on the canvas. Each brushstroke became an expression of my identity and emotions, freeing me from the geometric restrictions of my architectural past. Now, as I fully immerse myself in painting, I discover a unique satisfaction beyond anything else I have ever experienced.
My journey from interior architecture to painting represents not only a career change, but a passionate search for authenticity and personal fulfillment. In each work, I find the freedom to create a world of my own, where colors dance and emotions overflow on a blank canvas. The decision to follow my artistic vocation has been the key to unlock a new dimension of my being, where painting becomes my purest form of expression and realization.
“I visualized my life between layers of colors and strokes, far from the rigid structures of architecture. It was a radical change, but the vocation for painting became the driving force that led me to make the bold decision to leave behind the world of blueprints to embrace limitless creativity.”
We can see your work on dusty street walls and in white and sterile exhibition halls. How do you balance working in a studio environment and participating in outdoor mural projects? Which environment gives you more freedom or challenges?
In my life as an artist, I try to find the balance between two contrasting worlds that I love equally. On the one hand, I immerse myself in the creative silence of my studio, where each brushstroke on the canvas becomes an intimate and personal exploration. It is a space where I build my own artistic universe, far from external distractions. On the other hand, the street becomes my largest canvas, where art blends with everyday life. As a muralist, I paint in the streets, interacting with people passing by and feeling the vibrant energy of the city. This balance between the isolation of the studio and the connection to the street becomes the perfect dance for my artistic expression, where I find inspiration in the solitude of the studio and vitality in the interaction with the urban community.
Color plays an important role in your work. What emotional and symbolic meanings do you aim to express in your color choices?
In my artwork, color becomes the vibrant language that brings my creations to life. The choice of vibrant and saturated tones is not only aesthetic, but represents my interpretation of the joy and positivity intrinsic to life. Each brushstroke becomes a meticulous dance, a technical challenge with which I seek to surpass my precision. Cleaning and refining color through the brushstroke has become my obsession, a constant search for the sharpest and brightest expression. Thus, in each work, color is not only a visual element, but a manifestation of my dedication and connection to the vitality and beauty I find in the world around me.
Which of your works has excited you the most regarding the design process and the final product?
The satisfaction of painting a large-scale mural is incomparable, an experience that goes beyond the conventional limits of artistic creation. Facing a canvas of monumental dimensions not only implies challenging physical proportions, but also surpassing myself with each stroke. The sensation of conquering space and transforming a wall into a visual narrative is an achievement that is accompanied by deep gratification. Choosing muralism as a challenge means not only working with challenging proportions, but also exploring new creative limits and discovering the emotional intensity that only an expansive canvas can offer. Each mural thus becomes an opportunity to transcend, leaving a bold and lasting mark on the urban landscape.
Can you tell us a bit about the sources of inspiration behind your work? Who are the names you follow with curiosity in this field or other disciplines?
I love to look at artists that have nothing to do with painting. Obviously I also follow a lot of classical and contemporary painters but I prefer to be inspired by other disciplines. Artists such as Olafur Eliasson, Edoardo Tresoldi, Joshua Vermillion, Tomislav Topic, Shail Patel, Christo and Jeanne-Claude… As you can see my inspiration for architecture is evident, I have a lot of influence from architecture.
Are you excited for the future, and what are your plans?
I believe that if I didn't have a constant illusion I wouldn't dedicate myself to painting and generating artistic projects. This lifestyle means uncertainty. So yes, I am excited about the future and I am anxious to see how I evolve. My plans are to keep working hard, be inspired and evolve. To end up making great art installations all over the world!
