Interviewer: Vassiliki V. Pappa

vpappa@cultmagz.com

Marco Jerez, who honored me with his friendship, is working in the fashion industry as an haute couture embroidery designer. His work as you will see is synonymous with beauty, elegance, harmony and balance. He is a remarkable artist who lives in the distant Santiago of Chile where he was born. He is also a sensitive human and deeply cultured. During his childhood, he experienced the military dictatorship. He studied stage design specialized in lighting, costumes and stage design at the University of Chile. He unwrapped a good time in the theater to Opera Santiago, but always on the side was interested in fashion, applying techniques and ancient figures in modern times. Slowly, he got interviews with famous designers of the time, who graciously gave him the opportunity to show his work. Nevertheless, obviously not everyone was as his clients, who had developed new techniques. 

He found some of the known techniques (as Luneville) and began to imagine and invent blends, colors, textures, different materials, being seduced by combining leather with silk, which at the time was difficult. Over time, he set up his own workshop, where he worked alone. Obviously profits fell, but his quality embroidery designer had better come to work with major fashion designers in Chile. His performance was anonymous for over twenty years, but not today. His work had traveled in the whole world, like Berlin, Stuttgart, England, Italy, Spain, Morocco... His dream was that one day the large embroidery creations such as Zuhair Murad Elie Saab, Paolo Sebastian, Michael Cinco, etc. will reach in Chile. To the hope!

Vassiliki V. Pappa: Marco, you have an important route to the theater (you have studied set design), the opera and now you have passed on the art of couture embroidery. What do you consider as your greatest achievement?

Marco Jerez: My greatest achievement has been and still is working for many years with the Opera de Santiago. Having the chance to show my work to many artists of international renown and to be seen by as many people both in Chile and abroad. Knowing that my work is even presented at some museums in Europe, it is almost a dream come true. Also, added to that monogram of the Opera of Santiago that is on the curtain, a piece of 3.5 x 3.5 meters completely embroidered in gold wire and beads.

Vassiliki V. Pappa: Since you were a young child did you feel that someday you would come to a point to do something different than the average?

Marco Jerez: Absolutely, I always felt different. Especially, in my generation and social political circumstances of Chile at that time. Personally, I think, being an artist in those years was very difficult and frowned upon because it was not a race to give financial support to home, especially when my family were all engineers or n military. I escaped from home at age 17 to pursue my goals.

Vassiliki V. Pappa: I would like you to tell me about the art of embroidery representing worthily in your country, Chile and beyond. How did you decide to follow this profession?

Marco Jerez: In Chile from its origins, embroidery never existed. It was something that came with the Spanish conquest and European colonization, which itself does not have a strong identity (speaking embroidery). My approach to embroidery had to do with my art classes at the University of Chile where I became fascinated with the history, materials, those famous people who I dressed up with the beautiful work done by craftsmen phew. It was love at first sight.

Vassiliki V. Pappa: Υοu collaborated with big designer names. Which of your cooperation is it considered to be your most valuable luggage for the future?

Marco Jerez: Far and undoubtedly with theatrical designers, as they are more sensitive to work, to better recognize the craftsmanship. My collaborations with haute couture designers translate what was learned in the theater with a more commercial perspective. My best memories are with my colleagues in the theater.

Vassiliki V. Pappa: Is embroidery art a shelter for you or a means to approach reality?

Marco Jerez: Undoubtedly it is a refuge, usually work from Sunday to Sunday. It is the only place where I can express who I am, how I feel and what I want. Clearly, it reflects my emotions, so each work I do is never equal to another. They all have recognizable differences according to my moods.

Vassiliki V. Pappa: Is your job lonely? Looking at your job gives me the impression that you are a man looking for himself constantly. Marco, why is it so hard the road to self-knowledge?

Marco Jerez: I do not think it's difficult, I just think that time (now in short supply), effort and perseverance is required. You have to accept with dignity the changes, adapt to revolutions. The secret is to be like a chameleon, it is sometimes frustrating, but luckily not so much ... The artist's life has many complications, the feel that one is never satisfied with what he does, keeps him in a constant search for another and you are not ever...

Vassiliki V. Pappa: Do you believe that someone is born ready for what is going to meet or mainly builds it pebble-pebble?

Marco Jerez: I definitely think people are born with talents in different areas (gifts) so at some point they will do, what they always wanted to do and be. Life conspires to prevent this from happening, sometimes, but if you have clear dreams and emotions that make the heart beat, you will certainly get it.

Vassiliki V. Pappa: Do you know any Greek or foreign designer who would you like to collaborate with?

Marco Jerez: I only know the work of Victoria Kyriakides, I know his work brides that I find quite interesting. There are some designers who have a line of similar design, I like to work with Zuhair Murad, Elie Saab, Michael Cinco and Paolo Sebastian.

Vassiliki V. Pappa: Which artwork has touched you the most? From a book to a movie, a sculpture, a painting?

Marco Jerez:: Caravaggio's paintings impress me, the way he worked lights and shadows was remarkable. He gave a unique atmosphere to each of his works. The most attractive is the detail that could especially textutas fabrics and folds.

Vassiliki V. Pappa: In closing, I would like you to tell me what is the biggest of your childhood dreams?

Marco Jerez: The truth, I never was a dreamer, I was always concrete, with specific goals that went fulfilling slowly with patience, effort and perseverance. If we talk about dreams and my job is.