The artist Moi Berlanga (Ibiza, 1977) has been living in the North American city of Miami for a long time. There, he has made his way and has become a highly recognized artist who has just been selected to participate in a group exhibition with painters from around the world at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Before, Berlanga, who had felt the call of art since childhood, was one of the pioneers in publishing his images on Instagram, which opened the doors and houses of personalities from around the world such as Oscar Jaenada, Nacho Cano, Ricardo Darín , Jordi Mollà, Lucas Vidal, Alex González, Antonio Hidalgo, Rubén Tejerina or the Rahola Matutes family. In addition, and if that were not enough, he is currently the artistic and environment director of the TATEL restaurant chain in Madrid and Ibiza.
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"How did it end up in the United States?"
—In 2012. Thanks to the musician Nacho Cano who was living in Miami at the time. He was the one who told me that someone like me had to measure up to America. He introduced me to entrepreneurs who hired me and applied for my work visa.
"What is he really doing there?"
—I paint and present my latest collection in my own space in the Wynwood neighborhood, in the Art District of Miami. Also, there I have two huge murals with artists of the level of Kobra or Tomoka Zumatsuyama.
—How did collaborating in the United Nations collective exhibition come about?
—Thanks to the fact that a friend uploaded a video of my works to Instagram at the opening of my gallery. A member of the Scholas Foundation liked my work and suggested that I collaborate with this idea of Pope Francis to create schools. It's great. They asked me to go to the United Nations headquarters in New York and there I presented my work together with great painters such as Mr. Brainwash or Alec Monopoly. Also, in March Pope Francis will receive us at the Vatican.
—How is his day to day in the United States?
—I paint in my studio and I enjoy the Miami lifestyle and my friends doing sports. I try to be as happy and free as possible to create good things.
"Do you travel a lot or are you based there?"
—Miami is my headquarters two months a year, from October 15 to December 15, since that is when Art Basel is held, the most important art fair in the United States. In addition, around it there are about 20 more fairs, galleries and small shows. It is magnificent because all of Miami is a gallery for a week arriving thousands of buyers from all over the world. And there you have to be yes or yes.
—In the United States, is the name of Spanish artists recognized or is it difficult to break through?
—Nationality does not open doors for you, only your talent, your attitude and your contacts. But being from Ibiza creates sympathy.
"Is it the land of opportunity?"
—It is a huge continent and everything is multiplying, both the opportunities and the difficulties. It is a country that has thousands of immigrants in its DNA who arrive loaded with dreams that can be achieved with hard work. Americans are very amused by a definition I created about the American dream. "You are sleepy all day because you work so hard that you hardly even sleep." [Laughs]
- Has your way of understanding art and expressing it changed since you live there?
-Totally. Traveling and knowing gives you tools and understanding to think in a more global way. I paint with a very personal style, but with people in mind. And these experiences are reflected in my evolution.
—How do you define yourself as an artist? He is a painter, muralist ... Is it the same?
—I define my style as Moiseimo because it is personal and difficult to pigeonhole. It is a joyful, colorful and healing painting. I consider myself an artist who paints, and although I have murals in the neighborhood most coveted by muralists, I am not. I only put my works on the wall from time to time. I have great respect for them.
—He started painting when he was little, but he became known on Instagram years ago. Does he consider himself a pioneer?
—I consider myself a worker and someone who listens to himself. I take art as seriously as other jobs I have done before. I started painting at home like any child, but after a while I got that feeling back. I felt it and I paid attention to it.
—Sure that art can improve our quality of life, why?
—As an artist I can fail 99 times, but if I succeed only one, I will have the hearts of people who fall in love with my works. The freedom with which an artist expresses himself can infect a person's day-to-day life and help them. Just as a song can change a mood, a flamingo playing golf with another flamingo can brighten up a morning.
"He ensures that he is guided by the sensation of smiling and not criticizing." Is that possible today?
—The key to success is to smile, work and not criticize. Smiling opens doors for you and creates a good atmosphere and without work there is no future. It is the vehicle
