The artist Secundino Herna?ndez in Venice, holding one of his preparatory studies for a larger palette painting
LUX Contributing Editor and photographer Maryam Eisler is entranced by Spanish artist Secundino Herna?ndez. Here, she visits and photographs him on his residency in Venice to discuss inspiration and physicality in painting and the organised chaos of the creative process
Maryam Eisler: It is intriguing to hear about your visceral/carnal take on Venice; its tones and its ?fleshiness?, as you call it.

Secundino Herna?ndez: It was a coincidence. I only noticed it when I came here. I never had these memories about Venice before; I never thought about the colour of the buildings looking like flesh. It suddenly became evident as I looked out the window of my studio. I walk the city streets inspired, and I now combine the flesh tones by mixing them in the studio. Maryam Eisler: What about the parallels with the work of L.S. Lowry"

Secundino Herna?ndez: Yes, the palette! It?s amazing how Lowry developed his whole career with only five colours! The challenge is not to imitate, but to be inspired by his process. I have done this before with watercolours, based on Cezanne?s 14 colours.
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Maryam Eisler: It?s interesting that you?re taking a figurative approach to painting in Venice. It seems to me that you are very much about this yin and yang, constantly meandering between lightness and heaviness; between monochromes and colour, t...