You see, Nicoläs and The Standard go way back to last year's opening of
The Standard, Ibiza, where he painted a
frisky mural. We reconnected at Art Basel in December (where he painted
another one at
The Standard Spa, Miami Beach) and now—at last—our mutual attraction has turned into a shoppable collection. We sat down with Nicoläs (also known as
Äcondieresis—more on that below) to chat art, Ibiza and fantasy dinner parties.
Your connection to The Standard started in Ibiza. Describe your perfect day on Isla Blanca.
It’s easy to have a great day in Ibiza. First a quick run at La Marina, then breakfast at The Standard and quick swim in the rooftop pool. Have lunch at Jondal and spend the rest of the day at the beach till the sun goes down…after that, the night is young and finish-less, whatever you do you will have fun.
Together we’ve translated your frisky figural art into swim pieces: trunks, a towel, a bucket hat. It begs the question—do you prefer beach or pool?
It’s not an easy question, nevertheless I have to confess that a could spend the whole day in a good pool, with good music, good cocktails and good company…at the beach I usually get tired after two or three hours.
How did you choose the color scheme for these pieces?
Originally I chose this color palette for the mural in Ibiza: deep green for the nature and vegetation of the island, the color pink reminded me of the color of the sky right after the sunset. And finally black, I was looking for a bold contrast with the other colors, something elegant to draw the human figures, and black is always the best option for me. It was such a success that we decided to stick to the same scheme for the whole collection, it is indeed a perfect palette for the summer.
What was the most memorable moment during your trip to paint the mural at The Standard Spa, Miami Beach?
The first day, when I started painting. It was really early in the morning, around at 6, I was alone and it looked like the whole hotel was for me, like my own private studio, the light was so soft but still bright and the birds were singing… it was magic!
Your work is playful and provocative at the same time. How do you strike that balance?
I believe it’s the mixture between the human bodies, the nudity, the intimicy and the naïf side of the drawings. In the other hand, as my drawings are not a hundred percent figurative, the dashed lines can be ambiguous and play with your mind making the painting very engaging; each person can have its own personal interpretation
If you could host a dinner party with three artists (living or dead) who would you choose, and what’s on the menu?
I would definitely invite four: Pablo Picasso, Henry Matisse, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. The menu would be: oysters, lobster roll, gazpacho con Gambón rojo, jamón de bellota, spaghetti vongole, and lubina salvaje al horno.
