An interview with: Tino Rodriguez
- Brandon Pestano
- Sep 2
- 6 min read
In conversation with Mexican-American painter @tinorodriguezartist
"Tino Rodriguez gained his first exposure to the art world in the Catholic churches of Mexico. In these mysterious, hushed interiors, images of saints and angels seduced him, the scent of candle wax and incense beguiled him. Angels in particular – androgynous, half animal- half human creatures – captivated Rodriguez with their allure. The legacy of this seduction is visible in Rodriguezʼ work. His fantastic paintings are present postmodern fairy tales. Their mythical qualities stem from childhood legacies. Rodriguez came of age surrounded by the Mexican tradition of oral story telling. His grandmother, family and friends passed on stories as diverse as La Llorna, Little Riding Hood, and tales of the Brothers Grimm, as well as Aztec & Mayan myths. In his paintings such different cultural influences now commingle with art historical references, Hindu deities and allusions to the contemporary world..." - 1-tino-rodriguez.pixels.com
Read on below for the full interview...
First of all how are you and how has 2025 been for you so far?
I think the world is in a terrible state of transition and transformation, complete chaos and that hasn't been easy on anyone! But my task is to create Art through all the chaos that exists in the world.
Are there any particular ideas or concepts captivating you recently that you would like to share?
Yes I have been painting along with my partner and longtime collaborator; Virgo Paraiso, a series of Goddesses that we titled the Genesis Goddess series. We feel that we need more Gaia/Feminine energy in the world right now. There's so much toxic masculine energy in the world and is so out of balance as a result and we think that we need more positive Nurturing, healing, Feminine energy!
What was your childhood like growing up in Mexico?
Like most children I had a very happy childhood tinged with sadness and melancholy. When I was little my favorite thing was to listen to fairy tales and horror stories both orally and on the radio. My grandmother was especially fabulous in telling scary tales of La Llorona (The weeping lady), La Mano Peluda (the hairy hand) La Lechuza (The owl lady) and also loved Hansel and Gretel, and all the Grimm fairy tales. My favorite was when all my siblings and I sat around the table and listened to fairy tales on the radio, so much fun. Better than TV I think lol. As a child you feel mostly invisible in the world of adults so you can infiltrate and watch with a detached eye the beautiful and horrible things that adults do to one another. Which often times makes no sense to a child. So like most childhoods it was full of joy and heartache.
What first inspired you to pursue a life of art?
Well painting and drawing has been part of my existence since I was little and for so long but what made me say I think: "I am going to dedicate my life to Art making" was a semester in Paris, France and Florence, Italy. I was so immersed in Art and culture and felt really connected to the energy of being creative. I think that was when I committed myself to 100% pursue Art as both a career and a philosophy.
What are some of the recurring themes or concepts you feel most inspired to weave into your paintings?
Definitely transformation. I have always been fascinated by the Metamorphosis stories by Ovid. And the connection to Nature. I love that a person can become a flower or an animal or the other way around. Simply Magical and Divine.
What lights the flame of passion and motivation within you as an artist?
That is a difficult thing to explain. But maybe if I use a metaphor I can. "The desire to paint what cannot be seen"
How much of an influence has surrealism played on your art?
Huge influence because as you know Andre Breton said when he first went to Mexico that he had gone there to talk about Surrealism but Mexico he said was Surrealism itself! So yes it is part of my culture. And some of my favorite painters from the 20th are The Surrealists specially Women painters!
How do you perceive the connection to your work with the realm of dreams and the imagination, in addition the rich tapestry of mythology that you are drawing upon?
My work deals with dreams, but my goal is not to depict or describe them. I find dreams an inspiring source of information because they represent enigmas. I connect the process of dreaming with irrationality; when we’re conscious, we rationalize everything by virtue of our intellect. I have always admired the bizarre, obscure, incongruous, unknown, and mysterious essence of dreams because these qualities are often associated with irrationality and because they represent fear and darkness. In our society, we tend to forget that the concept of light would not exist without the concept of darkness. Jean Genet said, “A man must dream a long time in order to act with grandeur, and dreaming is nursed in darkness". Mythology has always been a source of inspiration for me because I see it as a Collective Dream: Images that we as a World collective illustrate through the ages since time immemorial. I love cave paintings and such because they are so primordial and so direct yet so dreamlike and just fascinating!
Is there a particular Aztec or Mayan myth you feel has stuck with you throughout your life that you wish to share with us?
Yes I am very fond of the God Hutzilopochtli (The Hummingbird God) because he represents the sun and how the light conquers darkness. In this story tells of a fierce goddess, Coatlicue, being impregnated as she was sweeping by a ball of feathers on Mount Coatepec. Her other children, who were already fully grown, were the four hundred male Centzonuitznaua and the female deity Coyolxauhqui. These children, angered by the manner by which their mother became impregnated, conspired to kill her. Huitzilopochtli burst forth from his mother's womb in full armor and fully grown, or in other versions of the story, burst forth from the womb and immediately put on his gear. He attacked his older brothers and sister, defending his mother by beheading his sister and casting her body from the mountain top. He also chased after his brothers, who fled from him and became scattered all over the sky. Huitzilopochtli is seen as the sun in mythology, while his many male siblings are perceived as the stars and his sister as the moon. In the Aztec worldview, this is the reason why the Sun is constantly chasing the Moon and stars.
Are there any particular books, artists, movies or musicians that you hold close to your heart who played an important part in sculpting how you look at the world?
Anis Nin is a favorite of mine as well as Octavion Paz, Rebecca Solnit, Terry Tempest Williams, Jean Genet. Also many poets, especially symbolists like Arthur Rimbaud and Verlaine, Baudelaire, also love Shakespeare's Sonnets. Edgar Allan Poe. I am very inspired by Virgo Paraiso and Colette Calascione who are my best friends too! I love most of the Surrealist artists: Leonora Carrington, Leonor Fini, Remedios Varo, Meret Oppenheim, and Max Ernst, Magritte. The Symbolists like Gustave Moureau, Odilon Redon, Fernand Khnopff, Paul Delvaux, James Ensor. Also love Henri Rousseau and Frida Kahlo and Arcimboldo. I adore the Italians: Botticelli, Da Vinci, Fra Angelico, etc... Too many books to mention but have a wonderful library filled with alchemy books and Poetry, Artists Monographs and some nonfiction and very little fiction. Musically I am very inclined to listen to ambient music and nature sounds: Musicians like: Harold Budd, Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, Jorge Reyes and my dear friends Sussan Deyhim and Richard Horowitz, also Alio Die, Yungchen Lhamo, Hawaian legend Teresa Bright and Debussy and many more!
What does Spirituality mean to you?
My connection to Nature and the cosmic Universe. The Mysteries of Life and the joy of Flowers and Herbs! I think cooking a beautiful meal for your friends or yourself can be a very spiritual experience!
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- Astral Magazine
