Born in Oviedo (Spain) Juan Díaz-Faes grew up drawing before studying Fine Arts at the University of Salamanca and, later, developing his career in graphic design, illustration, and muralism. Since 2017, cities such as Paris, Miami, Austin, Guangzhou (China), Punta del Este, Hamburg, Seoul, Madrid and Santander have had large-scale murals signed by this artist.

Juan Díaz-Faes has exhibited solo at the Point Éphémére center in Paris and at the Conde Duque Cultural Center in Madrid. His last group exhibition was at the Hyundai Museum (Seoul) and previously he has visited cities such as Barcelona, Madrid and Taipei.

The stories contained in Díaz-Faes’ bustling patterns are born in Le Cluf, the artist’s studio and creation space located in Castanedo, a small town in the province of Cantabria (Spain)

Hello Juan! First of all, how are you doing? We are so excited to finally launch the collab together!

I am also very happy that the collaboration is coming out. I already have the fin in my possession and it looks beautiful.

Could you explain us a bit more where you come from and which has being your path?

I am from Asturias (northern Spain) since I was little I always liked surfing and art. Although I was better at drawing than surfing haha. I studied Fine Arts in Salamanca, and since 2005 I have dedicated myself to drawing. I can’t even believe it. A few years ago, I moved away from the world of illustration a bit to focus more on personal projects and do more artistic work. Since 2017 or so, I have only done personal projects and I hardly take orders anymore.

Could you explain us your art style?

My artistic style comes from the world of comics, illustration, and advertising. I work with flat, not very pictorial colors. I am figurative by default, I always like to make characters. I am very interested in chromatic contrast, light/dark, and I always try to work with a single ink (not more).

How did you came up with the : | ?

For the fin, I used a fish pattern. Based on the mathematical patterns of M.C. Escher, I made my own one of white fish, which transform into black fish without the viewer realising it. In this case, since the pattern is marine, I thought it suited the fin very well.

How does surfing help you on your artistic process?

Surfing greatly influences my work; If there are waves, I don’t work haha. But regardless of what conditions my schedule (which luckily I don’t have) it also affects being patient, waiting for the good idea (wave), daring little by little to do something you haven’t done (surfing other places or bigger waves)… adding to the fact that surfing, as a general rule, has a young and risky tone that I think art also has to have, regardless of your actual age.

Taipei, Seoul, Paris,… how did you ended up showing your work in so many places?

YLuckily my work was liked a lot, and little by little people got to know it. Among them is the SOLO Collection, which has supported my work for years and helped me in many of the international projects that arise. Thanks to them, without a doubt, I reached all those crazy destinations. It’s incredible to see Spanish talent in some of the most iconic cities in the world. Could you tell us the next place you are going to be featured? Well, I’ve been exhibiting in Japan for a couple of months, I just landed (2 days ago) from Mexico, this week I open another Expo in Tokyo… the truth is that the pace is going crazy. Actually, couple of the fins from our collab will be present in Tokyo. If you are around Shibuya, you need to pass by 🙂.

Thank you so much for your time Juan! Looking forward to see you soon and make a small expo with our collab somewhere in the world. I’m sure we’ll see you soon. At the moment, the fin is already in Japan hehe !