Oscar Murillo: Frequencies

Leyla Fakhr and Jamie Gourlay sat down with with Oscar Murillo in his studio to discuss Frequencies - a project 13 years in the making that cuts to the heart of his practice
Oscar reflects on his childhood in Colombia, moving to London at eleven, and how drawing became both a refuge and the foundation of his practice. He discusses finding his way into art, supporting his early experimentation through cleaning work, and navigating the relationship between creativity, institutions and the market.
Frequencies saw Oscar’s team place thousands of canvases on school desks around the world, and collected the drawings, marks and gestures made over time.
We explore how Frequencies connects to his paintings, how it comes alive through exhibitions, and his thoughts on recording the archive on Ethereum.
00:00 — Welcome to Oscar Murillo’s studio
01:35 — Childhood in Colombia and his family’s move to London
09:52 — Memories of home and the experience of displacement
14:04 — Drawing as a refuge
19:08 — Dyslexia, solitude and finding a creative language
33:57 — Frequencies at the heart of his practice
37:10 — Choosing art and the importance of a good teacher
42:44 — Studying at Westminster and discovering London’s art scene
51:26 — Cleaning work and sustaining an artistic practice
1:00:58 — The Royal College of Art and finding his own approach
1:05:05 — Early career, recognition and gallery relationships
1:31:09 — Navigating success and staying focused on experimentation
1:38:58 — The origins of Frequencies
1:46:10 — Bringing canvases into schools around the world
1:51:12 — Drawing, word paintings and the meaning of Frequencies
1:56:11 — Taking the archive into exhibitions
1:58:14 — Activating Frequencies at Castello di Rivoli
2:01:23 — Participation and mark-making at Tate
2:02:15 — Anonymity, participants and leaving outcomes open
2:06:35 — Why take Frequencies digital?
2:09:15 — Blockchain as a structure for distribution
2:13:39 — Shared ownership, networks and connection
2:16:01 — Art-world attitudes towards NFTs
2:19:35 — Disruptive Frequencies and the future of the archive

Frequencies: frequenciesproject.org
Oscar Murillo Instagram: @lacachepli (instagram.com/lacachepli)
David Zwirner website: davidzwirner.com
David Zwirner Instagram: @davidzwirner (instagram.com/davidzwirner)
Oscar’s artist page: Oscar Murillo at David Zwirner (davidzwirner.com/artists/oscar-murillo)