His car paintings have taken him all over the world. Manu Campa (Madrid, 1983) opened his first studio in Malasaña in 2012, after painting urban landscapes and portraits in his years as a student at the Faculty of Fine Arts. He then discovered the niche of classic bicycles, but after buying a ’53 Volkswagen Beetle, little by little he discovered the world of car painting.
Campa currently has a loyal community of followers on Instagram and a waiting list of six to eight months. He takes advantage of his trips to Tokyo, Mexico or Miami, where he exhibits his collections, to deliver orders from his large portfolio of clients abroad. From his studio in El Pardo, we spoke with him about the craft of art, the models that inspire him and his new professional projects.
You have hundreds of thousands of followers, but how did they help you early in your career?
I remember that when I was studying Fine Arts, I made an Instagram profile and the first thing I did was upload some paintings so that those closest to me knew what I did professionally. Before that there was only word of mouth and, even if I had 500 followers, social media helped me get assignments at first. I have always been in demand and that has helped me make my growth very organic. I have been making a living from painting for 15 years thanks to social networks. I would like not to depend so much on them, but it is what it is.
It will also have been thanks to your work and your talent.
Yes, but in my case I know that with 250,000 followers I can sell paintings in the long term with relative peace of mind. But there are very talented people who do not have followers because they do not know how to exploit these channels. The number of followers does not imply that things are well done either. I’m sorry that we get a little lost in the numbers.
In fact, a recent report reveals that two out of every three artists in Spain live below the poverty line.
I think this is a job that we all get into knowing what there is. Society prioritizes investing its money in cheap essential products over expensive cultural products. I don’t think that artists are poorly valued or that we should be victimized. Anyone who dedicates themselves to music, acting or the plastic arts should know that they are professions that carry a high risk.
You define your style as pop art and your canvases stand out for the predominance of color and realistic details. Is there any other technique you are interested in trying?
Maybe photography and the digital world. I use screens to help me compose images. But within car paint there are many aesthetics. I can make anything from a large-format expressionist work to a minimalist, hyper-realistic and highly precise piece. Depending on what I want to convey in each collection, I try to maintain a balance between realistic images and more pop, simpler paintings that work well aesthetically.
You have also shown a predilection for classic models. Will we see you painting any electric models?
A while ago I painted one for MINI and now I’m planning to paint one of their electric models. Not just portray it, but physically paint it. I collaborate a lot with MINI, which is a very avant-garde brand and with which I agree in many design aspects. We have something very fun on our hands.
What motivates you when accepting a job?
Although it sounds like a slogan, I try to improve myself with every painting I make. I have been painting car paintings exclusively for ten years and in the end I know how to solve each order. The difficult thing is finding the inspiration to explore a different line of work and give the aesthetic a twist, as I did for a collection of very dark and elegant Formula 1 paintings. Or another collection that I exhibited a year before at Art Basel in Miami with the paintings with the tape over them. They are series that I invent and they keep me motivated.
You have exhibited your works in cities such as Tokyo, Shanghai or New York. What percentage of your orders come from foreign clients?
Almost all, 75%. This is a profession that is better understood abroad, where I have clients with a passion for motors that accompanies them throughout their lives. In Spain it is not common to see people with 3 or 5 cars in the garage, who collect old caps, steering wheels and gloves, and who also decorate everything with paintings or prints made ad hoc.
Have you opened any new markets lately?
In the last six months I have made a couple of trips to Mexico and in October I will be at the Formula 1 Grand Prix to paint live. Then at the end of the year I will do an exhibition in Thailand for the first time, where I also have a lot of followers.
Car brands like Kia or watch brands like Tag Heuer have been interested in your work. You have also portrayed personalities from the motorsport world such as Marc Márquez. Have you received commissions from any other celebrities?
From Moto GP, Aleix Esgaró is also a client of mine. With Gelete and Pablo, Ángel Nieto’s children, we have done some very nice projects for his foundation.
What has the change been like from working in Malasaña to doing so in El Pardo?
It was very positive because it is increasingly uncomfortable to move around the center. My next project is to set up the studio of my dreams in which the paintings coexist with two or three classic cars in the same space. I hope to have it ready within 5 or 6 months.
Your passion for art runs in your family. In some way, do you try to instill it in your children?
Definitely. I love having them in the studio every now and then and participating in the exhibitions and trips that this work entails. It’s wonderful to be able to share it with them.
Your ’53 VW Beetle and your Porsche 911 have had a lot to do with your love of cars. What other model would you like to have?
Now I have a ’31 Ford that is a lot of fun. I really want a classic MINI, but, above all, I want the Porsche 356.
