Rad-io
I grew up in a family of engineers, so naturally my artistic drive was re-directed towards more "serious" work.
I spent more than three decades as a design professional, leading global projects and training future designers, and I'm now certain that art is often more serious, so I'm finally re-focusing my energy on art.
Why do I go by Rad-io?
When I was a kid my mom’s friend called me Radio for my endless chatter (and the letters in my name), plus I have always loved radio, as a medium, then I learned that all of reality is literally made of electromagnetic waves (AKA “Radio waves”).
Too many things were pointing to that name to ignore it.
The "dashed" spelling is simply a rad way to make it mine.
Photo by Michael Santos - 2025
In my art I combine the formal simplicity of highly abstracted and stylized forms with the complexity of textures, layers and patterns, to create a visual dance that can be experienced at different depths.
When working on design projects everything has to be planned, controlled and structured, in contrast when I paint I tend to explore languages that are more raw and expressive, scratching paint, smearing, pouring...
As much as I enjoy painting I'm also naturally drawn to three-dimensional work, which often creates opportunities for collaborative projects and/or interactive pieces
Distressed Moai #2 - Acrylic on canvas - 2025
BlackBeoard - Chalkboard paint on plywood sculpture - 2023 - interactive piece with public participation
Unless I’m focusing on a project with a specific theme, my art generally represents MOAIs, the giant “head” statues from Easter Island.
WHY MOAIs?
Because the natives of the island were obsessed with their Moais, and that obsession distracted them from taking care of their Island. Some even say their civilization eventually collapsed because of it.
Whether the above is historically accurate or not, I like to use MOAIs as a recurring theme because they help me reflect on my own obsessions, and perhaps they can do the same for others.
