Berenzain Amaya's Circle of Hell

Memento Tea
Mar 11, 2019
4 min read

Welcome to the new "Artist's Circle Of Hell" editorial: a journey through the eyes and thoughts of magnificent Dark Artists.

Today we are delightful to talk with Berenzain Amaya, talented tattoo artist and illustrator.

Born and raised in México city, Berenzain study the plastic artist in the Bellas Artes Insitute here in Mexico, and he was working in sculpture with alternativa materials like resin, fabrics, plastic foam. He create the first plush Art toy collection with his partner in Mexico in 2007 called KEBEKOS, inspired in Lucha Libre. Also, Berenzain was part of many group exhibitions at his country and around the world, like Spain, New York, Singapur, Italy, Japan, showing work of illustration, custom Art toys and digital work.

Actually, Berenzain own his tattoo Studio and travel to some tattoo expo, the most recent was the Amsterdam Tattoo Convention 2018 in Netherlands.

Berenzain is working on a serie of 20 illustrations, all in black ink with the coffin shape frames now, besides some other for future projects.

Enjoy the interview!

First circle - Limbo

How old is your soul? Do you have an inner child?

I feel is and old soul, but with a little brat child on it, i like to make my life like a game in most of the aspects in my dairy events

Second circle - Lust

Before you have reached your artistic path, have you ever instinctively tried different fields that did not appeal to you, just for the sake of it? Are you still in search for your art style?

Before you have reached your artistic path, have you ever instinctively tried different fields that did not appeal to you, just for the sake of it? Are you still in search for your art style? I have the luck to always be in the creative path, before i was in college i start soaking and learning in a workshop with a lot of talented people doing special fx make up , later i was doing illustration to some magazines, music records for some artist, art toys, etc. i think the personal style is the most difficult thing to find, but i find it one of the most joyful things in the business to do, it's like a child game in the park where you can go to a lot of fun games and experiment till you find what you like.

Third circle - Gluttony

How hungry are you for the art, for your passion? How much are you addicted and addicted to it, moving away from your perception of reality?

All days and nights of my life my art is around me, i don´t do drugs or go out to party to much so when i feel sad or angry or happy or whatever i just draw ... i have insomnia so all nights i can i spend it drawing or creating something, not all i do i feel good about it but it helps me to control my anxiety. I think it helps me to be a "functional part of this twisted society".

Fourth circle - Greed

Sometimes, do you feel greedy with your job? Do you think that a strong attachment to money can compromise your art? No intention to offend, but only to explore what goes beyond being a "starving artist".

When i was younger i feel like "damn i don't wanna this guy take my art with him, he don't appreciate it " or thing like that, but you get older and you understand that once you finish a piece (if that really happened) that piece don't belong to you anymore, it takes his own life, so it's good to the piece to go where it can, far away from home..

Fifth circle - Anger

How you see the Art World today? There are some stuff that make you uncomfortable?

We are millions of people doing a lot of stuff, some of it great stuff... I see great art and other not to much but i think it's a good time to be alive in a lot of aspects, the technology, the science and the art are in a struggle for who is the more faster stronger bigger, and that put you on perspective of what you are doing, if you feel uncomfortable with it this is not for you.

Sixth circle - Heresy

Have you ever done a project or commission totally different from your kind of art? (for example, as fairy art, erotic art, fantasy art or comic art)

Yes, i also work as a tattoo artist and many times you have to do tattoos you don't like it, in the field of illustration is the same thing, and i think it's a good thing because it gives you perspective of what you are doing besides you can see and learn a lot.

Seventh circle - Violence

Are you afraid to represent cruel stuff of the reality in your art? If not, it goes beyond the simple visual impact?

The art have the responsibility to talk about your environment, your reality, i don't want to see the same scene of what i can see on the streets, i wanna see your perspective, your vision of what you can see on your eyes. The art is a vision of your time, it's like a time machine for the future . If it's only a visual impact what you have there is an eye candy...

Eighth circle - Fraud

Without naming, have you ever been deceived by a false customer or company? What was your initial feeling? Do you want to give some advice to those who are new in this field? Don't worry if you do not want to answer.

Not necessary false on it but stupid people pretending to be smart ass and playing with your time and work, a lot of people don't take seriously about art and they think they can treat you like your time and work is not important, a really fast advice is that the more you respect yourself you give your work the same and those people will tear apart from you faster than you can see them.

Ninth circle - Treachery

Would you ever exchange your life as artist with a safer and quieter life? What would you do if you could not make art?

I think no, i will be frustrated and deeply sad, maybe till suicide... When i was a kid i want to be a butcher, hehehe!