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MAJORCA DAILY BULLETIN

SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 2014

Interview This week Francisco Cortez talks with British born Majorca based artist Owen
Davies whose work is deeply inspired by his Buddhist beliefs and musical background.

From punk to monk: the life

journey of artist Owen Davies
The boy who became a
rock star, the rock star
who became a monk,
the monk who became
an artist.
Palma.That could, in a few
words, describe the life of
British born artist Owen
Davies. If not for the small
detail that he had always
been an artist from an early
age.
Some of the paintings by
the 36-year-old from Kent
are on display until
Wednesday at Zenitart gallery in Palma, but long was
the road that brought him
here.
Inspired by family members (his uncle was a fashion
designer and his cousin a
furniture designer) Owen
started to paint at an early
age. But it was another one
of his passions that set him
up on an incredible journey:
music.
During his university
years, Owen was in a rock
band, and a pretty successful one. They sold CDs and
were invited to play several
gigs. But the lifestyle of a
rock star can be as he described it a roller coaster of
emotions and in the end
prove to be too much for
some.
I was a singer and a guitarist in this band. And I enjoyed it. Its a lot of excitement and a thrill but you
are either on an up or on a
down constantly. Your
emotions are all over the
place depending on the day.
And it was around this time
that I started to take an interest in Buddhism and I became drawn to and inspired
by it.

Celibacy killed me
The philosophy behind
Buddhism is much more
balanced and peaceful and
there was a point when I
was playing in some gigs
and I remember thinking
Im just not that into to this
lifestyle anymore.
Thats when I decided to
really take up Buddhism
and I went to a Buddhist
centre in London where I
stayed for over two years. I

I prefer to look at them

(the paintings) at night because of the effect of the
lights but I tried to add the
lamps so they can illuminate the room and hence
have a double function.
This one here for example is called Crystal Skull
and its one of my favourites.
As we were speaking before it reflects the transfer
of consciousness after the
time of death. Im a believer
that our body is just a transport in life for our mind and
that its transferred to the
next world afterwards.

My muse

Owens work is on display at Zenitart in La Lonja, Palma. PHOTO: BULLETIN FILES

had to give up all my possessions, my art, musical instruments, clothes everything, even my name. I was

But Im still a Buddhist, I

try to meditate every day
still and I really feel it. Its
represented in all my paint-

tively, and try to show some

of the wrong there is out
there in our world.
In particular I am inter-

Some of Owens paintings including Warning flavour, Crystal skull, Waiting for the prince PHOTO: BULLETIN FILES

reborn and named Kelsang

Longku. The first name
given after my teacher, the
second meaning possessor
of the enjoyment body.
And of course celibacy,
which in the end was what
killed me, Owen explains
in amusement. I have lots
of respect for those who
manage to do it, but in the
end it was what broke me.
Its a powerful emotion, he
jokes.

ings. I try to reflect the

spirituality I take from it.
Everyone of my paintings
has a story.
This one for example, he
points, is called Waiting
for the prince which represents an Arabian Sultan and
in a way all the greediness of
a few in controlling and
dominating our world.
I try to portrait and illuminate the path we as a society need to change collec-

ested in the wisdom teachings which deal with the ultimate nature of reality,
emptiness. Everything we
experience is a mere reflection of our mind and thus
dependent upon it, he
adds.
Owens level paintings using plexiglass behind a collage are also characterized
by having lamps behind it,
which he explains, have a
certain functionality.

The artist explains that

apart from the Buddhist
teachings his work also continues to be influenced by
music and now most recently, by Majorcas natural
beauty.
I moved here two and a
half years ago. Im now
based in Alaro where I have
a beautiful studio, ideal for
inspiration. Moving here
was not initially in my
plans.A few years ago I got a
phone call from my best
friend saying he was getting
married here. My first
thought was I couldnt go as
I was due to go on a pilgrimage to the Himalayas in Nepal. But I managed to get a

refund and I decided to

come. I mean this guy is like
a brother to me. I couldnt
miss it.
Thats when I met my
soon-to-be
girlfriend
Raquel. She is British although she has lived here
since she was young. After
the wedding I came to visit
her a few times and I ended
up moving. She is like a
muse to me, Owen adds.
I took the TEFL exam
(Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and that is
actually what I do here for a
living. Times are hard and I
cant eat art you know?, he
explains.
But I have sold a few
paintings. Every exhibition
were my work was on display I managed to sell a few.
In the UK in Medway towns
Chatham, Gillingham,
Rochester and now since I
came to Majorca, in some
exhibitions in Andraitx and
now in Palma.
Teaching is how I make a
living but painting is a big
part of my life and it will always be, same as Buddhism.
Anyone interested in following Owens work can do
so until Wednesday at Zenitart art gallery in La Lonja in
Palma and by visiting his
webpage www.owendaviesart.com.