Proudfoot meets Ernesto Neto

Proudfoot's shoot in Brazil had many highlights, but my encounter with Ernesto Neto, the extraordinary sculptor, is destined to become a lifelong memory. My brief was to talk to Ernesto about his upcoming exhibition at the Hayward Gallery and his involvement in a project called 'The New Decor', both of which will be included in The South Bank Centre's 'Festival Brazil' this summer. 30 seconds after my first question, I realised I would be getting much more than I ever expected. Ernesto is an artist that likes to make his art and to talk about his art. There are definite, concrete ideas behind what are often described as abstract or surreal sculptures and installations. Looking at his luscious, sensual works of art it was surprising to hear about Ernesto's obsession with physicists such as Einstein, Plank, Newton and Faraday. I've always believed that the greatest scientists, working at the fuzzy boundaries of their fields, are really artists. It's interesting to see that the opposite is true too.