Meet Cristian A.K.A “SOTER” Meneses | Visual Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cristian A.K.A “SOTER” Meneses and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cristian A.K.A “SOTER”, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
As a child I was curious about drawing, painting and the desire to create, so when I was a teenager I began to investigate graffiti and get influenced by it since I could do all of that. Thanks to the graffiti school I got to know art and wanted to dedicate my life to it, not as a hobby, but more as a job. At the beginning I had jobs that had nothing to do with art, but rather were just to have economic stability, but I was unhappy and I felt out of place, that’s why I started to study graphic design, to be able to learn from the world. digital, design and creativity. I also had the opportunity to work as an assistant for some leading Chilean artists, who helped me acquire the necessary tools to be able to carry out the works that I have today and have the conviction that if you can live from art, although it is not It is not easy at all, it is an arduous path that requires a lot of effort, daily study and dedication.
The other reason why I dedicated myself to art is to leave a mark in the world, in the hearts of people, to leave a legacy, to my daughter, to children and adolescents, and to show them that dreams can be achieved and lived. of them, to seek and do what makes us happy and not spend our lives regretting not having risked it.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My art and style is clearly based on graffiti and its deconstruction, the abstraction of my letters in the word “SOTER” which is my tag, the search for my own identity and to differentiate myself from other artists, doing a color study based on nature, its luminescence and fluorescence, studying animals and insects and their changes depending on their behavior towards the world. Thanks to this study and hard work to which I dedicated years, I was able to create my own visually attractive graphic line.
Today I am happy with the result of my work, it is what I always wanted, although the study is constant in order to be updated. Thanks to all this, I have learned that you have to be persevering and constant, that talent does not work without practice, this is about trial and error, being patient and enjoying the journey, without despairing of reaching your destination.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
For me, the best spot in the city of Santiago de Chile is the “Barrio Lastarria” and its surroundings, there are many activities to do, besides being one of the most recurring and tourist places in Santiago, it is one of the most beautiful. It has a happy, friendly and also familiar atmosphere, there are restaurants with excellent food and a variety for all tastes and lifestyles, good beers and cocktails, also museums, open-air art, there are people who dance, perform, sell their works , crafts and all kinds of creations. I would introduce him to my graffiti colleagues and we would go to another spot in Santiago to paint and share experiences.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
As I said before, the path of art has not been easy at all, I come from a humble family and very conventional lifestyles. First of all, I thank God for his goodness and for giving me the talent and strength to be able to fulfill myself as an artist and a person, as well as the unconditional love and support of my partner María Ignacia, who, despite any adversity, is always by my side on this journey of Being an artist, I would also like to thank my mother Viviana for her unconditional support, which is fundamental in my life and career, and a special greeting to my daughter Amalia, since she is the reason why I fight daily and continue on this path of art.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soter.38k/

Image Credits
Personal photo by “Nathaly Arancibia Vergara, Photography.