Para cualquier consulta, encargo, o pedido

lunaportnoi@hotmail.com

buenas vibras!

Luna Portnoi – Artist Profile

Emerging Argentine Artist Luna Portnoi has been developing her practice in Buenos Aires for over five years. Her work is deeply connected to themes of color, nature, astronomy, childhood, magic, ancient civilizations, openness, collaboration and the passions, openness and emotions we experience as children that are often left behind in adulthood. Already well known in Buenos Aires, the Artist has also received international press coverage and has been compared to that of Yayoi Kusama and Koralie.

Luna’s work is characterized by bright provocative colors, repeated motifs and intricate patterns which spread playfully across canvases, walls and found objects. Through her work, Luna aims to challenge the viewer to feel strong emotions and to smile. Luna’s work is known for energetic, charismatic, explosions of color that demand attention and provoke immediate, visceral and emotional response in the viewer. Through the use of color, Luna aims to elicit emotions of joy and love and challenge the viewer to reconnect with his or her inner child, to laugh, to smile and to question the routines, behaviors and feelings expected of us as adults.

Meanwhile Luna’s use of complex repeated patterns and motifs speak to our often forgotten connection to ancient cultures and tribes in a manner reminiscence of Carl Yung’s theory of the collective unconscious. Meanwhile Luna’s use of found objects and public and private spaces juxtaposes the magical, unconscious or dreamlike with the real and mundane. This offers a glimpse into the magical parallel universe of Luna-world where the everyday is magical. Luna uses domestic and familiar objects and surfaces as her canvas, painting on shoes, cars, bicycles, clocks, stairs, vegetables, furniture, clothing and more, plus, of course, canvases, paper and interior and exterior walls.

Collaboration is at the heart of Luna’s work, whether it’s collaborating with artists, designers and creatives, with the public or through the emotional interplay between artist and viewer that it integral to her work. Collaboration even informed Luna’s name. The Artist says, “Luna means Moon in Spanish. The moon reflects the light of others, like a mirror. When I see people I feel their natural skills and talents and I try to be a mirror for them, to show them the light that they have. That is why I am called Luna.”

Luna has been able to explore themes of Luna-world and collaboration most fully with her larger scale works and site-specific projects, most notably her work with the Algun Lado project with Vero Gatti in Buenos Aires. Here more than 200 artists worked together with members of the public to transform buildings and public and private spaces scheduled for demolition. Working together and in consultation the public they turned these forgotten, disused places into inspirational temporary houses of art for the public to enjoy, experience and reassess. Luna also runs regular artistic workshops where she opens up her artistic practice, teaching her techniques to the public, sharing her vision and drawing out their inner artistic talent either to create personal pieces or to co-create in Buenos Aires, teaching people graffiti and mural techniques and painting live murals.

Already well known in Buenos Aires, Luna’s work is now becoming internationally recognized for its use of color, emotion and ability to force us to reassess found objects and public spaces. It has been featured in national and international press, including ** Nación (Argentina), Clarín (Argentina), The Telegraph (UK), Living (International), Rolling Stone (International), Revista Jardín (Argentina), Oh la la (Argentina), Para ti (Argentina), 90 + 10 (Argentina), Dada Mini (Argentina), AY MAG (Argentina), DMAG (Argentina), De Punta Magazine (Uruguay),

Revista La Nación (Argentina), Revista Luz (Argentina), Harper’s Bazar (International), Revista Vanidades (Argentina) on countless blogs and websites and on TV stations Canal 7 and Telefe.

Luna’s work has also appeared in several group shows including, Movistar Arte Joven, at Centro Cultural Borges, Inspiration Fest at Konex, Street Arte BA at Faena´s Center and Oxygena, Puro Diseño at La Rural, GetArt at Fábrica de Bananas, Puma Urban Art at Centro Cultural Recoleta, Código País at Hipódromo Bs. AS, Galería Braga Menendez and Arte 2 de Corazones. The artist is currently prepared her debut solo show Magic.

Luna has also worked with private clients on commissions for artwork and art events. Private clients include Heineken, Lycra, Posca, Fiat, Camel, Warsteiner, Movistar, Converse, Buenos Aires Fashion Week, Mariana Dappiano, Tecnópolis, Olmo Bikes, Adidas and Puma.

When not practicing art, Luna, who is already fluent in Spanish and English, spends her time learning Japanese, walking her dog Glitter and traveling to discover new places, people, ideas and experiences to incorporate into her art.

Luna pinta cada segundo de mil colores. La inspiración es algo constante en ella, algo que fluye casi como respirar. Su vida es el arte y el arte es su vida, la forma de expresar lo que hay en su alma y en su corazón.

Luna necesita convertir en formas coloridas todo lo que le pasa por dentro. Quiere plasmar en algo concreto lo que siente, compartirlo, hacerlo luz. No importa el soporte, nada la limita. Todo puede transformarse si le dan unas pinturas y un par de horas. Un papel, una tela, una zapatilla, una pared. Cualquier superficie, grande o pequeña, dura o blanda, lisa o irregular, puede reflejar el arte de Luna. Es que ella siempre tiene disponibilidad para jugar, en cualquier lugar y en cualquier situación.

Sobre papel, puede crear ilustraciones con un gran nivel de detalle. Explora en los rincones, investiga texturas. Sobre tela, busca relieves, aplica diferentes materiales, mezcla colores. Allí su arte se hace más abstracto, orgánico y expresivo. Al pintar zapatillas, las formas se hacen funcionales, y son cada vez más los que quieren tener un modelo único y llevar colores en sus pies.

Pero más allá de su versatilidad, actualmente Luna está en pleno romance con los murales. Las grandes dimensiones le permiten poner en juego todo su cuerpo, y entonces el pintar se transforma prácticamente en una hermosa danza que deja en la pared las consecuencias de sus movimientos. Luna busca espacios cada vez más grandes e irregulares. Quiere pintar autobuses, aviones, edificios enteros o la muralla china, si fuera posible. Ella no hace bocetos antes de empezar. Simplemente se para frente a la pared, la mira, entabla una relación con ella, y así se inspira. No hay un plan concreto, sólo alguna idea disparadora y a partir de allí, improvisación. A medida que va surgiendo un contacto, cada vez más íntimo, entre la artista y el espacio, las formas se generan sin esfuerzo. Y para Luna, este espacio es más valioso cuanto menos convencional sea. Ella no quiere paredes cuadradas. Prefiere largos pasillos o escaleras. Espacios que inviten a un recorrido, que no permitan al observador quedarse quieto, que generen alguna interacción, que modifiquen la experiencia de pasar por un lugar.

Luna no recorre sola su camino de formas y colores. A veces sí, por supuesto. Pero también el trabajo colectivo la ha enriquecido mucho. Pintar en grupo es algo que le enseña y que le permite intercambiar experiencias con otros artistas.

Para Luna, las formas y los colores trascienden su persona. La conectan con el universo entero. Si se permite jugar, fluyen, forman mensajes. Porque el motor que genera todo el arte es su corazón. Ahí está la semilla de todo, la esencia de la Luna.

x diego feierstein