Oh, if it were only possible for Tatu to entirely transform our world – then it would be as beautiful as his photographic artwork! While trolling for new artists to follow on Instagram a while ago, I luckily stumbled upon the gallery of Ricard, whose nickname is Tatu and username on Instagram and EyeEm is @Tatulee. There was something different about his images – they had the richness of an old world oil painting, but there was something else. I couldn’t put my finger on the word to describe what I was feeling until I read the words on his profile “Transforming an imperfect world ~ Every single image is taken & edited on iPhone 4 with the passion it deserves.” PASSION! That was the word and that is the feeling that his work evokes!
Look at my little bird (above)
I am so thankful to Tatu who’s native language isn’t English but nonetheless agreed to answer my questions.
Geri: What is your name and where do you live?
Tatu: My real name is Ricard, but since I was a child everybody called me Tatu. I live in Figueres, Catalunya, Spain - a beautiful place!
Harmonious Solitude (above)
Treeth (above)
Geri: Your bio lists you as a musician and painter, so you are truly a Renaissance man! What instruments do you play and what medium do you paint with?
Tatu: Ha ha! I love this (Renaissance man)! I admit my philosophy is quite hippie! Well, as a musician I play drums for more than 25 years. I have played in several local bands in my life and right now I play in 3 bands, each with different styles. As a painter, I'm quite new. I paint houses as a job, so I decided to try the smallest pencil 5 years ago when I came back from Australia. There I saw aboriginal communities do this strange kind of art and it fascinated me! So I decided to use a similar technique applied with a European vision. But... I'm still painting houses..! Ha!
The Grabber (above)
Common Rural People (above)
Geri: How long have you been creating art with your iPhone?
Tatu: I started 3 years ago with an iPhone 3, and quickly was hooked!
Geri: What or who inspires you?
Tatu: Basically nature, and people who put all the passion doing the things they love to have a "perfect" life!
Wake me up, when I die (above)
Living in the Distortion (above)
Orchestrating Bubbles (above)
Geri: Do you start with a specific creation in mind or do you develop a piece as you continue to edit?
Tatu: I've been passionate about photography for a long time, so I started to take photos with my iPhone like it was a normal camera. All changed when I discovered all the apps. They opened my mind and vision of this world. Now, when I see the thing I want to shoot I imagine how they will be with filters, textures and masks! But, I have to admit that sometimes these apps surprise me and then the picture takes another direction. That´s the magic!
Part of Surrealist series (above)
Winter Tree Brain (above)
Geri: What are some of your favorite apps? Please tell me a bit about your process?
Tatu: I never use the same technique or apps. I believe every single image is different and deserves a different process depending on what you want to express, but I have some basic apps that I always use. These are Filterstorm, essential for processing. Image Blender to get the best of two images. Superimpose (in my case) or Juxtaposer to work with masks, BlurFX for blurring specific parts of the image and ScratchCam Fx to define tones and textures! Then you have other common and good ones like Snapseed, PicFX or Modern Grunge. And finally the most modern ones that I love and I use a lot to create something different like Decim8, Glaze or Percolator.
de village (above)
Intruders (above)
Geri: Have you ever exhibited your work? If not, do you have any plans to do so?
Tatu: I just printed some images on a 30 x 30 canvas format and exhibited in my parent's restaurant just to see get feedback from people. At the moment I have no plans for anything else. But I'd like to do more in the future.
Geri’s Note – I certainly hope so – Tatu’s work definitely belongs in a gallery!
Corominas Rural House Door (above)
Geri: How do you view the future concerning mobile artistry?
Tatu: I believe in this kind of photography! I don't think it's a transient fashion and I don't agree with classic photographers that think this is not real photography. Photography is a way to express art. It doesn't matter what you are using to express it. I can really imagine mobile artistry as a job, like painting or sculpture, in fact there are a lot of people making it already. That is simple as you can shoot photos all the time, everywhere you are, in all conditions. After that you can immediately edit them with all of the amazing apps and transform them into whatever you want. That's pure art, that makes your creativity grow day by day!
Clouds (above)
All I See It’s Me Looking at You (above)
Geri: Anything else you'd like to add?
Tatu: I really want to thank all the people I've met during this time…amazing artists who contacted me, appreciated my work and inspired me to continue expressing the little art that lives inside us! Also, thank people like Geri from iARTCHRONiCLES to give me the chance to talk about something I love. Oh, and so sorry for my rude English that sometimes doesn't allow me to express my feelings as I want to.
Geri’s note: Tatu’s English is excellent and quite frankly his work speaks volumes without him even saying a word!
Curves (above)
Our Velocity (above)
You can follow Tatu on Instagram @Tatulee or EyeEm @Tatulee.
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