Ramón Pérez, art as life path

His works are regularly displayed in museums and in cultural centres. He researches, paints, sculpts. He never stops. He can be found in the Old Town (Casco Viejo), in any art gallery or walking along the green ring (anillo verde).

Ramón Pérez lives and works in a big house in Zurbaran, Bilbao.

He shares both house and life with art historian Raquel Jorge and Greta, a sweet and enormous bull mastiff. he house holds within itself a workshop, a training centre, a warehouse and a gallery. The artist paints in a living room with large windows, does research in the studio, takes his easel out into the garden. He doesn’t stop.

At the moment the artist is developing a series in which he transforms used leather balls. “It is the bruised, wounded skin, the emptied sphere, without air, abandoned and forgotten despite having been the one who actually converted the goal; it is a good metaphor for the human nature” he explains.

Using leather that has been kicked a thousand times is an exception. “I’m very interested in the human figure: portraits, faces…” he says. And he clears up that he works on very small or very large formats. “I make no medium-sized pieces”, he highights.

In addition to being an artist, Ramón is a teacher, a judge in several competitions and has designed the structures of many art galleries.

Ramón and Raquel can be found in their studio, walking along the slopes of Monte Avril, or at Larrabasterra beach. They can also be found having a few “potes” in the Siete Calles. And at art-related events at Sarean, Vanguardia and Lumbreras galleries, as well as at the Fine Arts Museum and the Guggenheim.

A NEIGHBOURHOOD FULL OF ART

Zurbaran is well worth a visit. It is a group of about 70 single-family houses of four different models, but no two are alike. Ramón and Raquel’s house has a sundial, the only one that works currently in Bilbao. The houses were built by a cooperative of office workers a century ago. The architect was Tomás Bilbao.

A unique neighbourhood. Hidden by the towers that protect it from the great avenue. It bears gardens, fruit trees and flowerbeds in this very city. On top of that, this area is well connected by bus and Metro lines. It preserves the spirit of the 20s, which explains why there is a project to programme guided tours.

“In addition, plenty artists live in these houses, such as set designer Ricardo Padilla, painter Justo Sanfelices as well as gallery owner and painter Lumbreras. We have several neighbours related to the world of cinema, a watercolourist… Very diverse”, adds Raquel.