(by Pablo Burgués)

 

Hi, my name is Ariel Gellida and I am an artistic painter.  

Who was Ariel Gellida before arriving in Ibiza? Before arriving to the island i was living in Buenos Aires. Were very difficult times for me because of the bad economic situation in Argentina and also because of some family problems. All this made me a very insecure teenager.

When did you come to the island for the first time and how did Ibiza receive you? I arrived in the 90´s and I fell in love from the first moment with this place. The island received me with open arms, I was Space's door manager for several years and then, along with a friend, I took the Km5. It was a golden period but in 2000 I decided that I needed to paint again, so I left everything and went to study in France.  

But then you came back! Will not you be one of those people who are always saying "next year I'm leaving Ibiza" and then they never leave? What's going on, I directly say that I never want to leave. In all these years I have only left the island to study or to do some work, but I have always known that it was temporary and that sooner or later I would return.

In what way has this island influenced your way of painting? Everything on this island inspires me and pushes me to paint. I think the fault is of light, the light of Ibiza is really magical.

One of your last work was a series of portraits of rock icons. Which artist would you like to give one of your paintings? Undoubtedly to Mick Jagger, whom I also know personally since I have met several times with him here in Ibiza. He is the great icon of rock, the great survivor.

I am one of those crazy ones that get up on Saturdays at 8 o'clock in the morning to go to the Sant Jordi racecourse. Is that a good market to sell art or is there only people looking for trinkets? I defend Sant Jordi market a lot, I think it's an amazing place because of its mix of people, especially in winter. For nothing, I think that only trinkets are sold there, I sell a lot of pictures and at a good price. Ibiza is Ibiza and any place is good for selling art.

Can you live well being a painter? Well, that depends on what it is for you to live well ... I do not complain and I consider that I live soooo good. I also really enjoy what I do.

How many times did your mother tell you about "son, look for a real job and stop doing the hippie"? The truth, never. I am the son of a painter and I was practically born in a painting workshop, so she always encouraged me to continue doing the hippie and continue painting.

What would you like to be when you grow up? I'm 56 years old so I think I'm an old man already. Hahaha! But hey, when I'm even older I'd like to continue being a painter.

Imagine that they give you one of those huge billboards that are at the exit of the airport, the first thing that tourists see when they arrive in Ibiza. What would you put on it? I would love to paint the portrait of the greatest island`s disc jockey. It would be a wonderful work.

Which character would you like me to interview next time? Alfredo Fiorito, the undisputed number one Dj of Ibiza.

 

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