With vibrant energy, satirical drawings, and a color palette that leaps off the pages, Pepo Moreno creates art that tells stories. His work captures the essence of what it means to be an outsider in a world that often celebrates conformity.
Born in Tortosa, Pepo grew up facing the challenges of being a young gay man in a conservative community, experiences that profoundly shaped both his personal life and his artistic work.
His travels have taken him from New York to Berlin and eventually to Paris, where he settled. In Paris, his works began to gain recognition for their boldness and ability to tackle complex themes with a humorous and accessible approach. Pieces like “Tot Is Gay” not only challenge social norms but also celebrate diversity and authenticity.
Today, Pepo Moreno continues to explore new frontiers while maintaining a deep connection to his roots and personal experiences. In this interview, we will explore his influences, challenges, and vision for the future, not just as an artist, but as someone deeply passionate about life and experiences.
Pepo, as I always say, humor holds a power that should be more appreciated. One of the most attractive qualities in your work is the use of satire to reflect on social context and identity rights. Do we underestimate humor as a tool to address serious issues?
I think that humor has always served this purpose in one way or another, and I don’t believe it has ever been underestimated. It’s actually people who underestimate humor who have the most trouble understanding that reality is complex, fragmented, and full of grays between the blacks and whites.
Nowadays, do you think there are influences on a childhood as a gay kid that would have been experienced more strongly in conservative areas?
Of course, yes. We view everything from an urban and modern perspective, but even in big cities, there are microworlds where life and thinking are like in 1945. I don’t take anything for granted. In fact, now is the time when we need to be more alert than ever.
Unique and distinctive, I’d like to know about the references that have inspired you to create your highly recognizable style. Have they influenced your work?
I have no idea how much they have influenced me. I never studied art. I don’t have a great knowledge of art. I mean, I know more than the average person, but I’m not someone who knows who’s who nowadays. I like Philip Guston because I think he is in fashion now, Mariscal, or any tacky graffiti. I’d love to tell you more, but I think that’s actually a virtue.
Given your activist profile, I propose you imagine you can choose a time and place, a decade, to enjoy your youth. Which one would it be? What aspects of that period attract or inspire you? Do you think it would have conditioned your art and perspective on life?
I don’t know if I’m an activist or just a gay man with Instagram. You see, that was a game I used to play with a friend, deciding in which city we would live according to the decade of the 20th century. I think New York in the ’70s is pretty cool with its pins, its homophobia, its short shorts, Studio 54, its sexuality without prejudice. All that pre-HIV period was a blast, coinciding with a sexual revolution and the fight for social and women’s rights. A great pre-Reagan moment. And the men were very handsome too.
A globetrotter of big cities like New York, Berlin, or Paris. What experiences would you highlight from your time in each of these places, and how do you think the LGTBQIA+ community is perceived and respected?
Wow, I love that you’re presenting me as Willy Fog but gay. Better Willy Fag. I now live in Paris but I go to Berlin a lot because my boyfriend lives there. In New York, I learned to be truly free. Berlin, I moved there at a very young age, taught me to relax a bit. From Paris, the gay anxiety.
Change is never complete, but have we become a society that cries more willingly? “It’s OK To Cry” not only brings us beauty but also knowledge. Where do you find our vulnerability in these last years?
I have no idea. But I think crying, complaining, and making a fuss is liberating. I spent many years trying to go unnoticed, which only led to feeling unhappy. Then, I just wanted to draw a little attention and not make anyone angry. I was afraid to express myself because I knew I was effeminate, sensitive, and crying, of course, is for girls. That situation leads to being a mess and self-loathing. I support the liberating power of crying and making a fuss.
Following up on humor, do you think the fashion industry has enriched your artistic vision? Has your experience in this industry managed to transform your creative challenges?
I don’t think fashion has enriched my artistic vision, but it has helped me broaden my horizons and realize that I am capable of doing things beyond four little drawings at home. It has given me a huge platform.
With a recent trend toward the digital world, more and more brands and companies are getting involved in playful ironic projects. But this is not new to you. Irony is a key component in your work. How do you balance irony with sincerity in your works, and what’s your “flirtation” with this new AI revolution?
I’m in total denial about AI because I think we’re going to misuse it. I’m glad I never got into NFTs, which I found a bad joke from the start. Sorry. I believe I’m being 100% sincere when I’m ironic; otherwise, it wouldn’t be funny. I don’t have a measured approach; I go all out.
I want to ask you about the future, as someone who is deeply involved in culture and activism. What do you think could be the purpose that drives new generations in the fight for equality and human rights?
I think there are people who deserve the title of activist much more than I do. It’s not false modesty but I think of those who deserve more recognition than I do, who do activism from home. Courage is being on the front lines, working with LGBTQIA+ refugees, or being vocal in countries where not being heterosexual is punished by death or discrimination or marginalization. And I think the new generations are a bit lobotomized in general, not just about LGBTQ+ rights, but all kinds of social rights, and I don’t like that very much. All of this will affect us without realizing it, and when we do, it will be too late to react.
I want to ask you about the future, as someone deeply involved in culture and activism. What do you think could be the driving purpose for new generations in the fight for equality and human rights?
I think there are people who deserve the title of activist much more than I do. It’s not false modesty, but I think of those who deserve more recognition, who do activism from home. Courage is being on the front lines, working with LGBTQIA+ refugees, or being vocal in countries where not being heterosexual is punished by death, discrimination, or marginalization. I think the new generations are somewhat desensitized in general, not just regarding LGBTQIA+ rights, but all kinds of social rights, and I don’t like that very much. All of this will affect us without realizing it, and when we do, it will be too late to react.
Every creative person is recommended to step out of theircomfort zoneas a technique to invoke their muses. I’m curious to ask you, what has taken you out of your comfort zone incase you use this method?
I found myself in Paris in the middle of a pandemic unable to leave my house. I got fired from my job. I had no choice but to start doing things, and before I started crying, which I also did, I started painting.
Finally, Pepo, could you share with us a song that has inspired you recently and a movie or a series that you are enjoying at the moment? And what about your next destination?
I’m going to say something super gay, but Charlie XCX’s latest album is great. There’s a song called “I think about it all the time” that makes me terribly sad and speaks to me a lot right now. Then, I’m rewatching The Office, and that means I’m depressed again. Not good. I’m going to Formentera tomorrow to swim and sunbathe, and then straight to Berlin to get some cold in July. But I’ll meet my dog and my boyfriend, and that’s great. Then more trips, and more beaches, and more planes.
Photographs by César Segarra
