Henry Royales

 

Henry Royales: Sharing His Wild Side

Text by Hannah Jo Uy

Antlers and horns brought to life with magical strokes of vibrant colors; While many would be raise eyebrows at the rather strange combination of animal parts and art, the two have found its beautiful solace in the hands of artist Henry Royales. 

Fresh from his most recent exhibit which was unveiled to the public just last June 3, 2014 at the West Gallery, artist Henry Royales shares with us his muse, intimate inspirations and what keeps him going. 

Q. Tell us about your new show, what was your motivation for your latest collection?

H.R.: The title of my new show is “Perfect heart.” In a way I was still building on my last show “Lexicon obscene”, except I was showcasing a more positive twist in both the treatment of the artwork as well as its substance and conception. I had about eight pieces, which was similarly patterned after my first show which included ostrich eggs and snake skeletons. 

Q. When did you start incorporating animal parts in your art? And, why? 

H.R.: I was inspired to do that in 2010 when my friend and I were touring around Germany. That’s when I was really moved and encouraged to do something different, something unlike anything people uhas seen before. That is really what attracts people, when you travel you realize you really want to make something new. I thought about it, and since I had always loved animals and I enjoyed collecting skulls and bones of the animals that fascinated me, I just incorporated it into my artwork.  

The first work I ever did was this acrylic box that I pierced open, I placed an egg and the skull of a cat inside. I submitted it as part of a group show in West Gallery in 2010. It measured about a foot end the gallery owner liked it so much, he ended up buying it for himself. There were other collectors interested to buy it, but he had already gotten it. When they offered me a show last 2012, I accepted and I continued my work. My interest I taxidermy grew, and basically I continued to research. I’m always thinking of something new and fresh. That is what has always consumed my mind, what new style or subject I can explore. 

Q. What are the things that spark your creativity?

H.R. I’ve always liked antiques. Objects that have had an attachment to people have always interested me, and I’m currently experimenting with that. I love visiting old shops, and incorporating unlikely things like the feather of a bird or an old forgotten photograph. 

Q. Who are the artists that influenced you the most?

H.R. The artists I liked are the truly unique artists that changed history.  Among them are Paul Cezane, Vincent Van Gogh, and Andy Warhol. I also really liked Jean Michel Basquiat, he’s an African American artist who started at a young age, around 17 years old and he died young also, only at 27 I think. He wanted to show the people something new, and it wasn’t easy especially at that time because of the color of his skin .Then, the art scene was dominated by white people, and I was really amazed at his courage to challenge society. He pursued his art no matter that, and that’s what inspires me. There are many people who have really good techniques, and there are a lot of good artists out there, but only a few reach that level of commitment. 

Q. How is your creative process like? 

H.R.: I don’t really force myself to paint every day. I like spending time with my kids and having my alone time. I love going to bookstores and just looking through all kinds of books from pocket books, to science books, classic literature and 1930s issue of National Geographic. I like going through poems and stories, and sometimes in the process of going through them I come up with concepts and titles for my next work. I like painting about human life. 

Q. Where do you think your evolution as an artist will lead you?

I can already see that I’m not just going to stick with painting, I’m looking forward to doing installation works and sculptures, something more three dimensional, I really enjoy working with my hands.