BARCELONA | SPAIN
Get to know Ernest Compta, an artist whose pieces infuse deep emotions and express the depth of the human experience through powerful portraits. His distinctive art, exclusively dedicated to human faces, traverses the globe, displayed on different continents. Through his artwork, the eyes lead us into the depths of the human soul, establishing a timeless connection between art and the human experience.
Before we delve into your artwork, could you introduce yourself to our audience? Tell us a little about yourself, your journey into the art world and what inspires you as an artist.
Well, there is little to say about me. Like many people of my generation, I studied architecture, but with the economic crisis of 2008, I had to rethink the profession. I don't consider myself an artist either. I neither claim to be nor have I ever felt anything like a ‘calling’ or great inspiration in my life.
How would you describe your style and expressive manner in painting, and what emotions or messages do you intend to convey through your art?
The style in my painting is not something sought after. There is no pretence in painting like this or that specific painter. It is, more than a starting point, a consequence of repetition. The paintings are related each other, but they do not respond to any aesthetic idea or theory that justifies them.
As for the message, I think there is not only one. Each painting expresses itself in its own words. Sometimes, this reflected in the title. But they are only the words they say to me, once they are finished. Someone else might hear a different message from them. Therefore the message depends on the observer.
Can you describe your process of creating artistic expression through faces?
My creative process is no mystery. I simply paint. Quite fast. Sometimes, I think too much. Lately, I paint in the afternoon and with little light. Almost always listening to music. I use paper, acrylics and few colors. I don't know why, maybe it's just laziness.
What feature of the human face intrigues you the most and why?
The eyes. People speak with their eyes. Sometimes a look is more powerful than anything someone is trying to express using language. Even with your eyes closed you can transmit many things.
Your art focuses exclusively on human faces. What attracts you to the expression of human emotions and how do you perceive the connection between art and the human spirit?
I believe that the expressions of human emotion are inexhaustible. Language, in general, does not seem to be sufficient to communicate feelings. Painting is one more attempt, perhaps a useless attempt, to understand each other.
Your works are exceptionally expressive and deep in terms of emotions. How do you achieve such intensity in the expression of your portraits?
I think the intensity in my paintings is the result of immediacy, because, at a given moment, I need to stand in front of the easel. I get bored of painting more than necessary. Normally the painting already says what it has to say with a few strokes. Then I finish it almost out of obligation, trying not to embellish or disguise what it expresses.
You have exhibited your work in different parts of the world. How do cultural diversities influence the way different audiences receive your art?
I think that, fortunately, culture has little influence on the viewer. I think that anyone can see one of my paintings and recognize an expression, a look, an emotion in someone they know or in themselves.
How do you imagine the future of art in the digital age? Do you think digital technology opens new doors to artistic expression or poses challenges to preserving the authenticity of artistic expression?
The digital age obviously opens new doors. It helps me make my work visible, but creativity will continue to be the basis of artistic work.
Finally, where can people see and buy your art?
You can see my work on Instagram, FB and on my website. You can contact me from any of these platforms.
Photographs: Artist's Archive