1 Where did the name NICA come from?

2 Is it really exclusive?

3 Can it be copied?

4 How can you ensure the customer and, in turn, the artist, that the pieces of art will not be mass produced?

5 How do you choose a piece of work and where do you look for it? 6 Is there a profle of the artist you choose?

7 Earlier NICA was referred to as a by-product of a work of art. What happens to the original piece?

8 So, NICA promotes its artists.

9 Single reproduction, single work, single format..., do these conditions ft in?

10 It appears that NICA cannot “dress” any and every space...

11 Are you considering broadening the services you offer?

12 You have spoken of NICA using the plural. How many people make up NICA?

13 When will the catalog be available, and when will it be possible to start buying from NICA?

14 A NICA piece? A NICA painting? Is that art?

15 Will NICA be following any particular trend?

16 Perhaps you could speak frankly and talk about trends without being institutionalized...

17 What have you got to say about the other companies in this sector that food the market with different pieces of art and countless formats?

18 How do you expect the consumer to react?

19 Coming form outside the art world, are you really the best person to be doing this job?

20 Do you feel independent enough to accept of refuse an artist for your catalog?

21 Finally, what do you think about the current fnancial crisis?

In 21 questions NICA's director reveals his business plan.

These are the most important issues raised by some

designers and artists when talking to Carles Gómez about

the possibility of becoming involved in the project.

www.isnica.com

here are cities and neighbourhoods where you can breathe art in the streets. “Creative people and middle-men are grouped together, providing services for the sector. There also exists today a mix of people from different social classes and different ethnic backgrounds, along with a middle-class with strong links to the art world. And knowledge of this world is growing.” This “contamination” our interviewee was affected by is called “El Carme” (Valencia, Spain). This neighbourhood in the historical centre of Valencia has, by turns, been his family, his training ground, social life, work, conscience, even his love! Today, Cales Gómez lives in an irreducible artistic enclave also in Valencia: Russafa ,moderninst, young ,(ةفاصر)multicultural and trendy.

Executive Personal Assistant, graphic designer, cultural events manager and head of communications are some of his former jobs. Even today, Carles lends a hand on his aunt's deli stall in Russafa market.

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As you'll see, a person like you, who didn't go crazy when he left his job and decided to create a company that acts in the business of fnal edition for the exploitation of an image released to its online catalog.

The result, NICA, a genuine piece of a exclusive catalog, capable of rescuing spaces and ideas thanks to its exceptional format.

Where did the name NICA come from?Nica has to do with Unique and Sychronic, another word that I like and that makes reference to the union between an image and the format we propose.Conceptually, it also has a postmodernist meaning, “the age of emptiness” or “sin crónica” (which in Spanish means “without content”). On this matter, there is a lot under “the surface”. NICA's format and the fact that it is the reproduction of an original work of art allies itself with artistic theories like “the simulacrum” or “the pastiche” and the social appetite to consume a world transformed into images.

Is it really exclusive?If a work has been selected for a catalog containing n individual proposals under the brand's identifying hallmark and in a different format from its original, then yes, if the frm complies with its commitment not to make more than one single reproduction.

Can it be copied?A NICA is a by-product of an original: the artist hands over

a high resolution image of their work which we edit in our format. If a customer purchases a NICA, that closes the circle and customer, work and brand become bonded. All three being individual entities. Yes, the NICA could be reproduced as far as format and brand is concerned, but the purchase receipt and the catalog itself identify who owns that piece.

INTERVIEW carles G

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Thus, if the customer chose to transfer the piece, the recipient would be able to get a certifcation from us.

How can you ensure the customer and, in turn, the artist, that the pieces of art will not be mass produced?

The artist and the frm sign an agreement and the customer gets their purchase receipt. The frm NICA catalog & exception presents itself as protector of the exceptional character of its works catalog. This confers brand value and, by extension, to its products.

Simply sooner or later lose value if you breach this commitment. "Le femme fatale" in reputational marketing, you will not believe!.

"The other day I found a wallpaper in one site. I liked music that had a link to the author of the image and that we will see if we can work together"

Carles next to the frst NICA of catalog #0 in his Russafa studio.

You formerly referred to NICA as a by-product of a work of art. What happens to the original work of art?Our policy is to value the transfer of an image from an original. This starting point is very interesting for the result. On the one hand, the artist accepts that their release has some specifc value that could be one ffth of the fnal price of the NICA. That means appropriate compensation to be complemented by other equally important compensations that involve access to their original work through our catalog. We would like customers to become interested in an artist and get them in touch.

Thus, NICA promotes its artists.As I said earlier it would be compensation added to copyrights. It's one more reason to join us and strengthens our relationship. But the message for creators, recognized or not, is that they can beneft from our promotion, from our internationalisation operations, fairs, events, retail outlets and our online catalog. A NICA contains their name and the title of the work, on the catalog that is completed with a personal note, the link for contact and some information about the original work (technique, format); and a picture, of course. If we don't look after it and value it, how can we expand our frm through them?

“I like to think that I work with people who are in fact giants to me because of their sensitivity”

Single reproduction, single work, single format..., do these conditions ft in?It is a matter of saving money and focus on the product. But one creator can provide different work for another catalog. Regarding the commercialization format, it is 100x70 cm and above, also in square. And we have gone further still, the format responds to the magnifcation of the image at the expense of some proposals and their location. However, there have been occasions in which we have agreed to include some collaborator's work in the format, just selecting a partial area of the work. Most often, if images are discarded the reason is incompatibility with our format. In any case, the chosen format responds to the product's personality.

It seems that a NICA cannot “dress” any space... True, the format conditions and calls for an idea or solution that the customer needs to recognize. The power that the

How do you select the works, where do you look for them?The works contained in the catalog and which will be marketed are my competence. .... works are examined by reference. You see something in a magazine, an exhibition and you search for the author's work to check that you are convinced. There are other times when you have artists, companies or professionals in mind and you believe they can contribute things and then you contact them. The other day I found a wallpaper that I liked on a music site. It had a link to the author of the image and we are negotiating to see if we can work together. That wallpaper took me to her work and I selected another image which was not the same I had seen on the site.

Is there a profile of the artist you choose?The creators we are trying to get to are usually young people, not well-known artistically speaking, who are motivated by the contact itself. We are starting, but surely other more established artists will not be so accessible. Anyhow, both amateur and professional artists deserve my attention and respect. I like to think that I work with people that are in fact giants to me because of their sensitivity.

INTERVIEW carles G

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image manifests is an important asset for its purchase and fnal location. We'd like to take part in the choice; wouldn't you? We can help here, if we are required, to conceive that location. Nevertheless, in our promotions there are suggestions, as you explained, as to how to “dress” those private or semi-public spaces. In my opinion, we guarantee our customers an experience of acceptance as casual spectators.

Are you considering broadening the services you offer?We are just back from discussing customer counselling, which in the case of a corporation would translate into a project.

Also, mediation through an agency would be possible, and to be able to explore new product lines with their own design. I can't quite remember the rest of the dream, but dreaming is free... (he smiles). Logically, the fnancial sustainability of the frm is one thing and its broadening would depend on it. I would be both personally and professionally very pleased to be able to diversify NICA in the future, because I believe in personal growth and achievement.

You have spoken of NICA using the plural. How many people make up NICA?Actually, just myself. But this project is under construction so I expect to get help as soon as

possible. After the creation of the catalog and promotions, operations must be started leading to the internationalization of the frm. That involves other necessary collaborators in other countries. I understand that the contacted artists I call collaborators will be an expansion tool for the frm and so it is happening when an artist offers other contacts to gather work or spaces for its promotion.

When will the catalog be available, and when will it be possible to start buying from NICA?We are completing our collection for NICA's catalog #0, looking for investors for promotional edition.

Trends refer to the market and, by extension, to its consumers and it is these who are the lead characters. The fact that our customers can experiment amazement and emotion through a NICA is indeed another of our goals. By the way, the smile that appears in our logo recreates that emotion.

Perhaps you could speak frankly and talk about trends without being institutionalized... You say that because we are starting? Yes, just to see what someone new says (he smiles)And so I have the time to remember what I said... I think it's great.I would highlight a movement rather than a trend: urban art. Mural painting, graffti, interventions… I am personally touched by that decontextualization: characters, slogans, formats in your city. Perhaps already institutionalized, the “space invaders” is only “half complete” and many artists rank high in galleries. But this type of democratized art is still signifcant. If I may say so, interaction with the audience is great, its regeneration and the dismissal of the artist’s reference is “avant-garde”.

What have you got to say about the other companies in this sector that food the market with different pieces of art and countless formats?I’ll tell you a secret. My reservations are if we will manage to get to the demanding, capable audience we target and if our work will meet their expectations and excite them.

Standard e-commerce in our sector is based on the on-line experience, but since in the end, “one can do everything by oneself”, the fnal edition that one gets sent home is often disheartening.. Our proposition does not lead to error as far as expectations is concerned, it is based on another type of experiences that only a product of a certain quality like NICA can provide.

How do you expect the consumer to react?A strategy based on consumer behaviour on the Internet is a great mystery. Analysts claim that something that works fne in the street could go unnoticed on the Net. Therefore, considering our frm is so “handcrafted”, we have to take the product out to the street and make use of the segment of other products, complementing them.NICA’s customer’s experience must be “total”. In order to achieve that, we’ll take some selections and catalogs to traditional points of sale (interior decoration shops and galleries). So the online shop will be a launch platform and we hope that it will be at the point of sale where the customer will recognize the personality of the product.

Frankly, it might still take a few months. Once we get started, we still need to work on internationalisation, search for other markets and to start with the new catalog... Work!

A NICA piece? A NICA painting? Is that art?Of course! The same as a silk screen print, the artist makes its motive and presents it on a screen, and from the screen it gets transferred to a surface. But without serial numbering, which grants its exceptional character. The screen would be the image fle that is released to us for edition and our catalog is the sum of an exclusive collection of works. Hence, our slogan: catalog & exception.

Will NICA be following any particular trend?If the frm and its line of products were to be tagged I would refer to it as “Recreational art”. It has its ornamental and iconoclastic side, that magnifcation of image, the value enhancement as opposed to the original.

“...The online store provides a launch platform and we expect the point of sale to be the place where our customers recognize the personality of the product”

ENTREVISTA carles G

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Standard e-commerce in our sector is based on the on-line experience, but since in the end, “one can do everything by oneself”, the fnal edition that one gets sent home is often disheartening.. Our proposition does not lead to error as far as expectations is concerned, it is based on another type of experiences that only a product of a certain quality like NICA can provide.

How do you expect the consumer to react?A strategy based on consumer behaviour on the Internet is a great mystery. Analysts claim that something that works fne in the street could go unnoticed on the Net. Therefore, considering our frm is so “handcrafted”, we have to take the product out to the street and make use of the segment of other products, complementing them.NICA’s customer’s experience must be “total”. In order to achieve that, we’ll take some selections and catalogs to traditional points of sale (interior decoration shops and galleries). So the online shop will be a launch platform and we hope that it will be at the point of sale where the customer will recognize the personality of the product.

Coming form outside the art world, are you really the best person to be doing this job?Let’s say I am still learning. In my former job there was some time when I was responsible for a relentless trickle-down of cultural activities, some of which were complex to schedule and many related to artistic representations.This responsibility brought me here, my studies in applied arts and my brief work granted me a moderate confdence as far as my function in NICA is concerned. That's why I keep learning.

Do you feel independent enough to accept of refuse an artist for your catalog?There have been quite a few times when I had to hold frm against the demands of some or other collaborator, but not just here, but also in other functions and labour relations. We need to work and pursue an idea to achieve balance in the selection of works that make up NICA's catalog. It's a strategic issue that deserves my full attention.

References

⁕ J. Rius Uldemollins. “"The artistic neighborhoods as local base of global culture”, Revista Internacional de Sociología LXVI: 180-205 (2008). Fuente: SINC

⁕ Russafa Art

⁕ BLOGLOX blog personal de carles G

⁕ MURCIA SERRANO, Inmaculada. Copiar o crear: Aisthesis [online]. 2009, n.45 [citado 2011-02-28], pp. 103-121 .

⁕ Pastiche

⁕ Marketing reputacional

⁕ Vadanic, Arte Urbano

⁕ Street Art – Barri del Carme

⁕ Sustainable, Creative, this is not a crisis, is a historic change

⁕ AGREEMENT: The partners agree to a deal with the artistic director of NICA serving as intermediary.

Media: Kodak Glossy Paper 250g/m2

Inks: Epson Ultrachrome HDR Pigmented Inks

Mounting: colourless methacrylate xt 4m/m

Forex 1m/m (rear)

Frame: anodized aluminium

Finally, what do you think about the current fnancial crisis?I am sensitive to the diffculties my fellow citizens are facing. It depresses me and I suffer like many others. The other day I saw an interview with a guy who made urban art and summarized this matter in a simple way. He said that he does not remember his life without a crisis, and that to him the only difference is that today people lost their jobs and went home head bowed, allowing macroeconomic adjustments to gamble with their future. I believe in the new economy that bases innovation on digital tools and global recognition.