Mercedes Camacho is a Spanish multidisciplinary illustrator.  As a result of an early interest in drawing, she trained at the Pedro Almodóvar Art School in C. Real. After working as an Animator and later Deputy Director of Socio-Cultural Activities in France, the time came to retrain and begin a new stage as an Illustrator and Designer. Specializing in vector illustration and corporate design. She has participated in projects of various kinds and in a range of fields as broad as advertising, editorial, social and/or textile illustration. Specialized in social design, she has made guides for ICU, campaigns against femicides and social awareness.

What’s your artistic background?

Pedro Almodóvar Art School in Ciudad Real, a dream come true.

What’s integral to the work of an artist?

Finding the essential in the concept of the thing. This is not necessarily only a cognitive action. How uninhibitedly they create from emotion. Art makes us more human.

What role does the artist have in society?

I think that when I worked on femicides in Mexico, my vision on design changed, from that moment I realized that it is very important to inform and raise awareness and try to make us more human. Graphic has the power to tell stories, to make us feel something, to move us and, art can be used as a way of connecting with ourselves and with each other, and provoke thought. Art is an expression of the human experience, and its value lies in its ability to bring people together. Art can be an incredibly powerful tool in helping us to manage our mental health and well-being.

A illustration is a powerful tool for communication, has the potential to bring our stories to life in a way that words simply cannot do. The visual representation of art helps us to develop skills such as analyzing information, forming arguments, and making connections. The illustrations can be used to bring attention to injustices, advocate for different perspectives, and to create positive cultural shifts.

What art do you most identify with?

Digital Illustration

What themes do you pursue?

I invite you to read “The First Things First 2000 manifesto”; from my humble point of view, designers must have a responsibility and an ethical position. I like to collaborate on social projects like feminism, prevention of violence in adolescents, climate change, terrorism, immigration, drug policy, public health, and poverty, among others.

What’s your favourite art work?

Arts & Grafts (Willian Morris), Constructivism (Ladislav Sutnar, el Lissitzky), The New York School (Paul Rand, Saul Bass, Leo Lionni). I also love Gerd Arntz, Charley Harper. I often consult the Comic Strip of: Quino, Perich Match, Riki Blanco, Saul Steinberg, Christoph Niemann, Pablo Amargo and hundreds of thousands more.

Describe a real-life situation that inspired you?

A lot, the daily life inspires my illustrations: motherhood, menstruation, tinder dates, starting Monday, the pleasure of having a coffee, etc.The last project has been about raising awareness of the use of condoms. I was recently detected with human papillomavirus. I realized the great taboo of talking about it. Social scrutiny, buying condoms at your neighborhood pharmacy, convincing people to use condoms in sexual relations, etc.

What jobs have you done other than being an artist?

I worked with children (3 to 6 years old) Educational assistant in a school and Assistant director in sociocultural activities in France.

Why art?

Art is the tool that allows me to communicate with the outside world

What is an artistic outlook on life?

Create a testimony of life and its circumstances.

What memorable responses have you had to your work?

I received a message on Instagram that said: “I shared your reel and finally my lover has changed his mind about using the condom ”What happiness!

What food, drink, song inspires you?

I am addicted to coffee, so I choose this drink and the moments of calm and reflection that accompany it. Regarding food, until now I have represented the situations that accompany eating. For example, dinner on a Tinder date. Music is another tool in my work, in Instagram reels the lyrics of the song accompany the story of the illustration. The lyrics of the song explain the illustration.

Is the artistic life lonely? What do you do to counteract it?

Let’s look at the positive side, we can listen to our favorite podcasts without interference.

What do you dislike about the art world?

The rise of social media, together with a particularly convulsive political situation, has fostered the spread of fake news and other information disorders. I hate that the design is used with hoaxes and misinforms the population.

What do you dislike about your work?

The commercial part such as searching for clients and accounting.

What do you like about your work?

Bringing an idea to life starting with reasoning, assumptions and decision making, often intuitive.

Should art be funded?

This would help pay our mortgages and our shopping cart.

What role does arts funding have?

Creating solid projects, having time and budget helps to do good work.

What is your dream project?

Collaborate with lawyers, psychologists, doctors to create guides, magazines or books on climate change, terrorism, immigration, drug policy, public health, urban planning and poverty, among others.

Name three artists you’d like to be compared to.

flavita Banana, Javirroyo, Luci Gutièrrez

Favourite or most inspirational place ?

The bed.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

My father and my daughter’s grandmother, they have instilled in me an unforgettable lesson of integrity, example and the good sense of obedience, explaining what was commanded, giving in when I could and not doing when I shouldn’t. They have praised my achievements, leaving a wide margin for creativity, personal initiative and autonomy and, what is very important, the possibility of making mistakes and knowing how to rectify them. People without prejudices, who have not disrespected anyone for their beliefs but who knew how to stand firm in theirs.Their advice has given me great security.

Professionally, what’s your goal?

To have clients with interesting projects and be able to pay mortgages.