A chat with artist Coco Capitán

I met Coco Capitán during the turmoil of Milano Salone del Mobile, which was the occasion to unveil her latest collaboration with Camper – one of the several projects she already worked on in the fashion field. Through themes such as her several international trips and experiences, her job and perception of today’s usage of medias, she reveled herself to be a creative young woman, artistically polyhedric and conscious of the dynamics of the Millenials’ world.
CP

You have already collaborated with several fashion brands, such as A.P.C., Gucci and Paco Rabanne. What about this fresh project with Camper? How did it develop?
CC

Camper has always been a very relevant brand for me, since it’s Spanish. It was born in Mallorca and I lived there for quite a few years, so I thought that it would have been really interesting to collaborate, having a similar map of connections. I was contacted by the company who offered the possibility to do a collaboration and – considering the whole identity of the brand and the things that they are doing now – I thought that it could have been a good match. So I said yes and this was basically the beginning of the project.
CP

How did you came up with this sailor concept and how is it linked to the installation?
CC

I wanted to talk about the most beautiful experiences I had in Mallorca, like the time spent sailing there, and the way they influenced me artistically. I wanted to put it in the capsule. I guess that with the installation I wanted to bring a bit of the sea into the Camper store, by letting the people see the shoes through the water. That’s the connection. I also wanted to keep it really simple and functional, as the shoes are. As you see, there isn’t any addition or outstanding detail on them. I just wanted the style to be quite essential, the same for the installation.

CP

You were born in Seville and then moved to Cadice, studied in London and travelled to China several times, not to mention all the business and pleasure trips… How do all these international experiences influence your artistic approach?
CC

Well, they just really made me the person I am. I like to have this flexibility to go to a place and be able to look at new things or connect with the people who are around me. I guess it’s the same thing with my work. I like to go here and there, take a little bit of everything I see and make new experiences – I don’t think I could live in the same city all my life, I’m not that kind of person. So it feels really natural, it’s not like I take a decision. There’s a sort of natural disposition that somehow take me to all these places, and I just keep going with it.
CP

You work between writing, graphics and photography. It must be challenging to interface with different medias. Do these languages somehow interact with each other in your creations?
CC

Always! I like all the elements not necessarily to speak about the same thing, but to follow the same path. I want everything I do to look like it was obviously made by me and not by an other person. That’s very important. And a theme begins to exist in your ideas and in what you like. It’s a good thing.
CP

Nowadays social medias play a major role in our everyday lives, even when it comes to art. Do you think the digital dimension can actually be that impactful and powerful or books and printed paper still preserve their value?
CC

I hope they keep their power. I definitely continue to read and I have printed some photographic books – actually, a book with my writings will be also launched very soon (ed. If you’ve seen it all close your eyes has been published on April 19th). I think that social medias are a good tool, but they should not replace the traditional ones. It’s something else. It’s not the same experience at all, to look at someone’s Instagram and to read a book or a newspaper. It involves you emotionally. Initially, social medias were making everything more democratic, but now, with all the advertising and the way in which people become an advertisement of themselves. The idea of freedom that they were about at the beginning is getting destroyed. Everyone is watching what we’re doing on Instagram and that’s why I cannot really post about my personal life. I’m very conscious that many people have access to it, so I don’t want it to get too personal.
CP

Do you have a favourite dish?
CP

It’s very difficult for me to choose a favorite one, I love all food. I want to go to Sardinia just to eat because I love fish! But I choose Parmesan cheese, as an ingredient – real Parmesan cheese. It makes everything taste better!