Daniel de Jesús
Tell us about you and your work.
I am a multidisciplinary artist who works in visual arts and recorded music. I live and work in Philadelphia, PA, and often collaborate and work in NYC and other countries when the opportunity presents itself.
What inspires you?
Historical figures and other artists mostly inspire me. Much of my work is inspired by these artists. Surrealists like Leonor Fini, Remedios Varo, Leonora Carrington, Kay Sage, and Dorothea Tanning inspire my imagination and approach to the creative process and creative thinking. I feel like we speak the same visual language, and it bleeds into my music.
I am also inspired by mysticism and writings by Santa Teresa de Jesús (Theresa of Avila). I am also inspired by pre-raphaelite aesthetics and the history of the brotherhood. I feel like a long lost pre-raphaelite, American, Boricua, and very brown, lol!!!
What does community mean to you?
A community for me is the network of people who work to create an environment that lifts their culture, political influence, and economic stability. In that regard, I am thrilled to be part of the Latinx community here in Philadelphia, as it is a community where many rooted institutions were founded by Puerto Ricans, guided and informed by Latinx members from other countries.
Favorite film
Oof! I like too many. Mostly documentaries and foreign films like Shaw Brothers kung fu films, Ingmar Bergman (early films), and Almodóvar. Right now, my favorite film is The Red Shoes. I can watch that over and over, especially the ballet sequence. It is a surrealist painting come to life.
Favorite song
OMG! Don’t ask me this question because I cannot choose!!!! I can, however, give a list of the songs that have greatly influenced my music.
Baker Baker by Tori Amos
Pagan Poetry by Björk
Blue Bell Knoll by the Cocteau Twins
This Corrosion by Sisters of Mercy - ok, probably my favorite song, but an obvious one for any goth.
Favorite place
My favorite place is the studio. I am a hermit by nature, and I love creating and being in my space. In the studio, I get to travel internally and enjoy the process of painting, printmaking, recording, writing, research, all in my nerdy glory. LOL!!!