From the public canvas of the streets to the serenity of the gallery, Nuria Mora is a Spanish artist who moves effortlessly between these two contrasting worlds. In this interview, we delve into her unique philosophy and uncover the core of how she continues to create without limits.

- You made a significant career shift from the street to the gallery. What drove you to step out of your comfort zone, and how did you navigate that transition?

Mora: Since I started, I have been doing both at the same time. I was very active, painting and working on projects related to the urban environment, while creating gallery art pieces. I always make progress in my practice because I love to dig, investigate, and experiment.

In galleries it was kind of the same, my background and practice of today are deeply related to my work of yesterday. From street artist to professional artist? I never had a comfort zone! I made an evolution that you can track, from illegal interventions 26 years ago, when even street art did not even exist till these days. I was also the first girl to do that kind of art in Spain and Europe.

- Walk me through your creative routine, what does a typical day look like, e.g. any rituals or habits that keep you inspired?

Mora: I exercise my brain and creativity every day. It starts with intuition and then continues with obsession to make it happen. My routine is about persistence and discipline. I go to the gym and do push-ups to build my energy every morning, then head to the studio. I pay close attention to what I eat, I don’t drink alcohol, and I end the day with meditation. But the key is that I work hard for long hours in the studio.

Nuria Mora and her works

- Working across multiple art forms between urban spaces and nature, what core message are you trying to communicate with people through your creation?

Mora: I want the world to know me as a human being—the way I am, the universe I am living in.

I make different art forms based on my core message and specific ideas. As an artist I don’t want to be kidnapped by a single style and technique. For example, this is the first time I drew something figurative like birds combined with my abstract technique, and everything just comes naturally. My art forms always connect with the message and ideas I have.

- Looking back at everything you have created, which medium or project holds a special place in your heart?

Mora: That is a very good question! Right now, I am exploring how to make ceramics to showcase the crafty side of me. I am always eager to learn new things yet I don’t want to copy someone else. I have no special attachment to one specific project because learning new things and being myself, feeling authentic, is most important to me.

- If you had to describe your personality and mindset in three words, what would they be? And do you reflect these in your art?

Mora: Curiosity, joyful, and tough!

My mother used to say that even though I am very tough on myself to work very hard, I can still be very delicate as I connect with people very well, understanding their emotions which is something really rare.

Yes! These personality traits show in my work, I even put myself in challenging situations to force myself to work harder. I prefer not to ask anyone to assist me even though things are getting hard. That is the way I am. I want to share myself with everyone through my art in a very authentic way.

Nuria Mora and her works

- Tell me about a time when you faced a significant failure or felt like giving up, what happened, and how did you find the strength to move forward?

Mora: I don’t find myself on that path of giving up. I like failure because it gives me the opportunity to rethink and try again with other approaches. When that happens, it is always a positive experience.

- This is your first time showing your art exhibition to the Hong Kong audiences. What would you like them to feel or be inspired though your exhibition, particularly to the younger art collectors?

Mora: I want them to have the freedom to approach to my works because I don’t want to manipulate their emotions. I wish them to feel however they want.

- Magpies and waterfalls feature prominently in this exhibition. Can you explain what drew you to these specific elements and the chemistry behind them?

Mora: The speech of freedom - the freedom to choose the best version of yourself, the freedom to live without fear, the freedom to transform experience and turn the unpredictable into opportunity and adventure.

Waterfalls showcase strength, formlessness, and power. They are connected to the fact that you are given the choice to choose something, this is the strength behind it. Magpies, or birds, are messengers of the world. In Western and Eastern cultures, there are different meanings for the same magpie. My work offers the freedom to choose whoever you are.

Nuria Mora and her works

- Last but not least, are there any artistic or philosophical boundaries, something towards oriental, you would like to explore after your art journey in Hong Kong?

Mora: What I imagined Hong Kong to be was a super super modern city, but actually there are so many landscapes and buildings that look like they are from the 1980s. Nature creates very high contrasts. In a two-meter walk, you can see monkeys and snakes on Peak Mountain, which is so wild to me.

Normally, where I come from, the city is covered with buildings and nature is far away from it. Also, the levels here, I cannot find the centre of the city because everywhere feels like it should be the centre: the street, the water, the mountain. You can easily make a connection with the landscape.

But it is too early to say if these elements will affect the way I make art because I am still enjoying the city: Hong Kong cuisine, everyone does everything with their phone, paying without cash is something I am not used to yet. Everyone is very polite and respectful, this is something the people from the west can learn more about.

For Nuria Mora, art is the "speech of freedom" itself—the act of constantly choosing the "best version of yourself" without being bound by a single style. Her resilient spirit, which continues to learn without fear of failure, sends a powerful message through her work: the "freedom to choose whoever you are" and live authentically.

NURIA MORA: Waterfalls and Magpies