Mocho Loco

On the corner of (a street) in Camps Bay you can find an inconspicuous house that looks like it has seen better days, those of the very orange seventies. But this inconspicuous house is one big canvas for Vicky Alvarez Campos. You walk through the door and every wall is painted with Vicky’s signature dark characters with bright overtones.
These dark creatures that wonder the walls are surrounded by bright, almost luminous, backdrops.

Vicky says these are all pieces by her alter ego, Mocho Loco. Mocho Loco roughly translates to “Crazy Thing”. The argentine tells me, that this alter ego of hers, is her artistic side. A fictional tortured artist, so to speak.

Vicky’s artistic side doesn’t run in the family at all, neither do her spontaneous changes in ambitions. Her parents are both lawyers, so when she said she wanted to become a professional windsurfer there was a definite disappointment from both parents, but her mother, the more tolerant of the two, decided to support her no matter what the ambition was. Vicky was one of the best in Argentina, but after several trips to Hawaii she decided it wasn’t for her.
Vicky decided to study architecture, but after a year also realized that this wasn’t anything for her either. “Too repetitive.” She says.
She swapped courses to something completely different; Hospitality.
She finished her studies and went into hotel management, where after having climbed to the position of manager she decided this too, was too repetitive. On a skiing trip in Europe, she met her current boyfriend. After the trip was over she got a call from him, and within a week she living in Cape Town with him.
Since then, she has been creating art.
Her latest creation is a jewelry line, consisting mainly of silver rings. Vicky is currently taking courses at Ruth Prowe, studying various forms of art.

Her biggest artwork to date is her house. “I’ve almost run out of space.” She says.  “It doesn’t matter, though, because the house is going to be demolished soon”.
Vicky would like to turn the house into a “one night” gallery before it gets demolished, an interactive one of sorts. “We’re leaving the garden walls clear, so people can also get creative.”
It’s a shame to see it go.

         To view more photo's click HERE.