Inside the Studio: Exclusive Interview with Emerging Artist, Alex R Plaza

THE ORIGINS OF THE PRACTICE

When did you first realise you wanted to make art, and what memory of that moment still matters?

I recall being around three years old and already drawing. That impulse stayed with me throughout my early years; however, because neither my parents nor anyone in our circle were artists, I never imagined that making a living through art was possible. I came to believe that the closest path to creativity, and one that could provide stability, was architecture. 

That journey only clarified my need for complete creative freedom, leading to a decisive moment when I knew I had to commit fully. Without a doubt in my mind, I embraced that path, and I am grateful that I did.

 

Plaza in his studio

"The central concept that unites all of my work across different series is the search for freedom."  - Alex R Plaza

STUDIO LIFE AND HABIT

What does a “productive” day in your studio look like, and what do you guard?

I start the day with a short surf session, then head to my studio. I begin by checking and responding to emails before moving straight into my main work. If I’m in the development phase of a canvas, I pick up where I left off the day before - usually sketching - having already organised the process in advance. 

When I am painting, I prefer long, uninterrupted sessions. I tend to struggle with concentration at first, and the first half hour can feel challenging. Once I enter a state of flow, however, it’s amazing, and I need at least five to six hours for a proper session. I usually close out the day by planning ahead for the following day, and sometimes designing  social media posts or taking photos and videos.

What are the tools, books, or objects in your studio you cannot do without?

The most essential tools for me are white paper and pencil. Without these, I am lost.

How do you structure long projects versus short impulsive works?

I spend a great deal of time thinking about what I am going to do. Planning is essential to my process, I work best that way. I like to allow myself at least two to three days to analyse previous works and reflect on any mistakes, then strategise how to resolve them in the next piece. I research artists I admire, not necessarily their entire body of work, but rather specific elements - the texture of one piece, the composition of another - which I may then carry into a new work. 

I usually allow myself around two hours for the main sketch or study, where I establish all my references. From there, I move into the long project phase, which typically takes ten to fifteen days. I prefer working on three to four pieces simultaneously, which extends the overall timeline, but allows for greater depth and perspective.

 

Essentials

THEMES, PSYCHOLOGY, AND MEANING

How would you describe the through line, the single idea or concept that runs through your work from early on until present?

The central concept that unites all of my work across different series is the search for freedom. I develop this idea in stages. In the Topographies series, for example, I explore freedom in relation to society. The hands I paint, which have become my signature,  represent the human desire to escape the rigid societal structures imposed upon us from birth. 

In another series, Inhabit, I shift this inquiry inward, toward the individual. Here, I examine the complexity of the human mind and inner life. Faces are absent; instead, the body becomes a kind of suit - a vessel through which we move in the world, carrying everything that unfolds within us. 

The Synthetic Visions series extends this investigation into the realm of technological advancement, particularly artificial intelligence. Rather than presenting AI as something ominous, I approach it from a purely artistic perspective, exploring how ideas of freedom might exist within, or alongside, these rapid developments.

I am deeply drawn to humanity’s psychological search for freedom. I believe my background in architecture shaped this way of thinking. It is why I work with such depth and introspection.

If somebody looked at your work without any label, what observations would you hope they make?

Above all, I want viewers to recognise my technical ability; to feel that they are encountering an artist who is professional and rigorous in his practice. Equally important to me is that they sense the element of risk within each work. If you look closely, you will see that I constantly push beyond comfort, experimenting with materials, techniques, and unfamiliar territory. 

I want people to feel a personal connection with the work. I want them to pause, to sit with the painting, and to think deeply about what unfolds in the space between the canvas and themselves.

 

Exploration and risk-taking

 

PROCESS, MATERIALS, AND TECHNIQUE

Which material decision felt like a discovery, and how did it change the work?

I love the idea of combining many different materials within a single work and exploring the possibilities of layering. Each medium behaves differently - oils, for instance, have a completely different drying time and texture to charcoal, crayons, or soft pastels. It is this process of mixing that I truly enjoy. I don’t favour one material over another; rather, I focus on how they can interact, merge, and ultimately become cohesive within the overall composition. 

This approach demands a high level of technical control at each stage of the painting. I begin with dry materials such as charcoal and soft pastels, then apply a specific fixative that allows me to move into oils. At times, the process can become almost too “clean,” which I consciously resist. I try to retain a sense of looseness and openness, a freedom that reflects the central concept of my work.

Have you ever had to undo or destroy a piece in order to make something better? What did that teach you?

I have certainly felt  uncomfortable with works in progress, although I have never destroyed a piece. I have complete faith in myself, and when something feels unresolved, I know it just needs time. 

Recently, I was working on a diptych. The first painting developed well, but while working on the second, the first became scratched. I questioned whether I should discard it, but instead chose to analyse what wasn’t working. Approaching the problem as I would in architecture, I realised I did not need to demolish the entire structure, I could preserve certain essential elements and rebuild from there. 

I allowed myself the time to rework it. A month later, the two paintings sold, and I was extremely happy with that.

 

When you feel stuck, what strategies do you use to move forward? 

The more I paint, the further I move away from that feeling. My difficulty arises when I stop, whether to attend to other obligations or to take a longer break, such as a vacation. Returning to the brush and canvas can feel strangely cold, which often delays the moment of beginning again. 

This is why I prefer to work on several projects simultaneously. It allows me to maintain continuity and momentum; if I complete one piece, another is already midway, ensuring that I never fully stop. I am very fortunate that I have never struggled with inspiration.

 

"I have complete faith in myself, and when something feels unresolved, I know it just needs time."  - Alex R Plaza

 

 

'Bondi Beach Still Life' (2024)

 

RAPID-FIRE QUESTIONS

Favourite material?

Oils with a very big brush.

 

Biggest studio pet peeve?

To clean the brushes.

 

INFLUENCES and REFERENCES

Has an unexpected influence recently altered your practice? How?

I dedicate part of each day to social media, saving images that evoke emotion or spark curiosity. Sometimes it is an idea that resonates, sometimes a composition, and at other times simply the dialogue between two colours ignites something within me.

A book you really love and keep returning to?

I sometimes struggle to  concentrate when reading, so I gravitate toward visual books, particularly those on art. At the moment, I am deeply immersed in the work of George Condo.

 

STUDIO REFLECTIONS

What should collectors understand about your work/before buying a work from you?

I would love for viewers to understand the central concept of each work and to sense what I was thinking during its creation, whilst also forming their own interpretations and comparisons. This takes time, and that is what allows the work to keep giving. 

What ideas am I trying to explore? Why did I choose a particular colour? These are the kinds of questions I hope the work invites. I enjoy when people truly engage with my paintings.

What would you like your work to be doing in the world in ten years?

I aspire to work on a much larger scale and to see my work enter institutional collections like museums and public spaces that allow it to be experienced by a wider audience. This is a powerful motivation for me: to reach a point where my art exists not only in private collections, but also in places where it can be shared, encountered, and enjoyed by all.

Which of your own works would you save in an emergency if you had to save one and why?

‘The Unreachable’ (2025). I chose this work because, with every new piece, I try to preserve the most valuable elements of all I did previously. In this painting, all of those elements converge - depth of concept, technical precision, and a sense of living, breathing paint. 

The hand, like the human spirit, reaches toward the red sphere, the central presence within the composition. For me, this gesture embodies longing, and the perpetual search for something just beyond our grasp. All these qualities hold deep significance for me at this moment, and I will use this piece as a foundation from which future works will grow.

 

'The Unreachable' (2025)

 

What question would you most like an interviewer to ask that never gets asked?

Are you an artist by choice, or did art choose you? I feel that art chose me, I had no choice. 

LOOKING AHEAD

What’s next?

At this stage, I am focused on consolidating a clearer and more recognisable visual language, deepening my exploration of the relationship between body, consciousness, and structure. 

On a practical level, my focus is on developing new works within my current series and advancing toward  exhibition and institutional contexts where the work can be experienced with time and depth. 

I am developing new works where the body becomes less described and more suggested, almost as a territory in transition. I am interested in exploring how identity fragments, reorganises, and constantly adapts.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

Alex R Plaza (born in Madrid, 1992) is a Spanish Australian visual artist based in Sydney. Trained as an architect, Plaza’s work blends architectural precision with the influences of the urban art scene resulting in a distinctive pictorial style. His work fuses modern cubism, surrealism, and neo-figuration, known for its strong symbolism, vibrant use of colour, and compositional complexity. 

Plaza was a Finalist in the National Emerging Art Prize, 2025, with his work, ‘The Weight of the Gaze II’, one part of a triptych.

WORKS AVAILABLE

Visit https://thepoetsmadness.com/collections/alex-r-plaza to explore our curated collection of original fine art by Alex R Plaza.

To read our previous Blogs, visit blog

REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING

1. Title image, ‘The Unreachable' (2025) by Alex R Plaza