foggy GRIZZLY

Interview with Atle Østrem

2011-11-21T06:19:00.000-08:00

q) Well, first of all please tell us a little about yourself.

a)My name is Atle Østrem, I am a 31 year old artist from Stavanger, Norway.

q)How would you describe your work?

a)Beauglyful – im constantly seeking the beautiful in something ugly, or vice versa, and find it very interesting in working on the borderline between beautiful and ugly.

I work mostly in painting and collage.

q) Did somebody encourage you to become an artist?

a)Not really. It is something i found on my own.

When i was a child i used to draw a lot, and my parents would always encourage me back then. But when i started painting graffiti as a teenager and they had to pick me up from the police station and such..they strongly encouraged me to stop doing it. Now they are back to supporting me.

q) What is your favorite medium?

a)I prefer working with acrylic paint, but lately I also find collaging very interesting.

q) Generally speaking, where do your ideas come from?

a)Life experiences, movies, music.

q) How long does it take to complete a piece?

a)That differs a lot. Some take a couple of hours and some take a couple of weeks or even months. I usually work on different pieces at the same time.

q) Who are your favorite artists…and who are some artists you are currently looking/listening to?

a)Phil Frost, Jean Michel Basquiat Bast, Steve Powers, Adams&Itso to name a few.

q) Are you represented by a gallery? Do you have any upcoming exhibits?

a)I sell art through several different galleries, but I represent myself. I will be a part of a art fair in February, and I am planning a DIY show with my friend, Norwegian stencil artist Pøbel. If everything goes as planned we will do it before summer 2012.

q) Do you have any 'studio rituals'? As in, do you listen to certain types of music while working? What helps to get you in the mood for working?

a)I listen a lot to music when i work. What kind of music depends on my mood. I also like to work in late evenings/night. Its quiet, dark outside and nobody is around to take away focus.

q) Do you have goals that you are trying to reach as an artist, what is your 'drive'? What would you like to accomplish in your 'profession'?

a)The main goal is always to make better art. Second goal is to take over the world.

q) When have you started using the internet and what role does this form of communication play for you, personally, for your art, and for your business?

a)I guess i started using the internet on a regular basis in the late nineties.

Internet is a great way to spread my art, to see other peoples art and to keep in touch with people i don’t see on a regular basis. A lot of my network is based online. Internet is perfect..the only bad thing is that i spend way too much time on it.

q) What do you obsess over?

a)Im not sure i obsess over anything. Obsession is a strong word.

q) Do you have prefered working hours? Do you pay attention to the time of the day or maybe specific lighting?

a)I usually get up from bed late, and it takes me a couple of hours before my body starts working. Like mentioned above, I prefer working late nights. Im creepin while you’re sleepin!

q) Do you do commissioned works?

a)I have done some commissioned works before. The most interesting one was in a isolation cell in a prison. I have also done some commissions for private collectors.

q) Any tips for emerging artists?

a)I am emerging myself. I should be getting tips, not giving them!

q)…Your contacts

a)my website: www.atleostrem.com

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/atleostrem1

Interview with Anthony Gayton

2011-10-19T04:26:00.000-07:00

q)Please tell us your name and where you practice.

a)Anthony Gayton. I lived and worked in Vienna, Austria from 1994 until 2010, but I am currently based in Bideford, England.

q) Why do you make art?

a)Because I would have been a terrible brick-layer.

q) How do you work ?

a)My usual method is to plan a story/concept and then look for suitable models and locations etc. Sometimes though I will meet someone who will inspire me to create a series or story for them.

q) What´s your background?

a)I studied art and photography in England, then moved to Vienna where I assisted, and then ran the studio of, Andreas H. Bitesnich for 13 years. I have been taking pictures since 1998, but have only been working entirely alone since 2007.

q) What role does the artist have in society?

a)The role of the artist should be to hold up a mirror to society.

q) What was a seminal experience for you ?

a)My first two years of art school were extremely important, and were responsible for the whole direction my work has taken creatively ever since.

q) Has your practice changed over time ?

a)The digital age has transformed photography. I am very lucky that I worked in photography when every process was analogue. Now I tend to mix analogue and digital processes, using the best elements of both; I shoot entirely on film, combine analogue with photoshop post-production, and use entirely digital printing processes.

q) What art do you most identify with ?

a)Whether it is painting, literature or whatever medium, I most admire work which is a combination of technical skill, creative originality, and poignancy of message.

q) What´s your strongest memory of your childhood ?

a)Home

q) What themes do you pursue ?

a)I have tried through my work to explore many different facets of, and attitudes to, homosexuality, both in a contemporary and an historical context.

q) Describe a real life experience that inspired you.

a)One of my most popular series is called 'Boy Will Be Boys'. Two of those images in particular were inspired by real life events.

q) What´s your most embarrassing moment ?

a)If you think I'm having that published on the internet you can forget it!

q) What jobs have you done other than being an artist ?

a)Between studying photography and assisting the only other job I ever had was a teacher of English to foreign students.

q) What responses have you had to your work ?

a)Mostly good. My work does tend to appeal to various people on various levels. Some people enjoy the historical and cultural references, others the mood and composition, or the technical side. Some of course like the images because of the beauty of the model. I've certainly found that even my most 'provocative' images rarely outrage people, because of the almost traditional, painterly handling of the subject.

q) What do you dislike about the artworld ?

a)That 'artists' whose only real talents are for business can make disproportionate amounts of money, while truly good artists with no head for business have to struggle to survive.

q) What research do you do ?

a)When I'm planning a project I can take inspiration from many sources. A lot of my projects are combinations of sexual and social history, science, religion, art history etc. I read a lot - I have quite an extensive library, but also use the internet of course. I also try to travel as much as possible, so that my work has many cultural sources.

q) What is your dream project?

a)I quite literally shot it already. It is called 'Falling Awake' (2007).

q) What´s the best piece of advice you have been given ?

a)Never compromise.

q) What couldn’t you do without?

a)My eyes.

q) What makes you angry?

a)Almost every aspect of modern life since I returned to England! Britain has become so extreme - a propaganda media which spreads fear of everything and promotes personal greed, the war machinery, privatisation, control through cctv and 'do not...' signs, signs everywhere, lack of jobs, decent education and hope for the poorer class of youth - the list is endless! And most of all - the fact that the British public have meekly allowed it all to happen. I'm currently reading 'The Case For Socialism' by Fred Henderson from 1911 - If only there were one member of the 'Labour' party (or any Party) left who believed in one quarter of what Socialists stood for, there might be hope for Britain...

q) What is your worst quality?

a)I'm optimistic

q) Dogs or Cats ?

a)It's cats, all the way down

q) Making art is a lot like being on lsd. Know what I mean ?

a)I've never been into drugs, so I'll just say that it's sometimes better than sex!

q) What does “ copy” mean to you ?

a)A lot of my work, especially at the beginning, referenced paintings quite literally, and could have been seen as 'copies', but what I'd do was take a genre or series of images and create a 'fashion story' homage to them. My later works have tended to reference other art works indirectly, or use recognizable iconographic imagery in a way which subverts the original meaning. I always look to the past for inspiration, and I've certainly never knowingly copied another contemporary photographer.

q) What´s your favorite cuss word ?

a)bugger!

Interview with Giuditta R

2011-09-14T10:11:00.001-07:00

q)Please tell us your name and where you practice.

a)My name is Giuditta R, I am Italian and I currently live and work between Copenhagen and Berlin

q) Why do you make art?

a)Because I always felt that was my reason for living

q) How do you work ?

a)My last series of artworks, started in 2008, is made of pencils and mixed techniques on cardboard. The drawings are generally created in a black white (pencils-support). Only little particulars are underlined, in each artwork, by evident and colored glitters, shiny pagliettes and little objects, emerging drastically from each representation. This choice gives a different, contemporary and original, way of looking at the artworks. A key of reading which brakes with the classic way of drawing.

q) What's your background?

a)I grow up in a family of artists, in the south of Italy.

I specialized in drawing in the last three years, even though I started to be confident with the pencils media since I was a child, spending many hours per day drawing.

I studied art in high school. I finished my artistic studies in 2008 in the Academy of Fine Arts of Catania, Italy, where I obtained the bachelor degree and master with First Class Honours.

In 2007-08, I had my first opportunity to visit Copenhagen. In facts through an exchange with my art Academy, I worked for some months on a realization of a virtual art project at Aalborg University (Ballerup department). Since then for me started a long research which is still ongoing today.

I experienced interesting possibilities of cooperation with Denmark and found many affinities with the northern culture. Actually my entire inspiration born since always from Expressionism and Nordic art in general. I noticed the great meaning that Copenhagen had for my creativity.

I moved out from Italy and started the production of a new long series of drawings, called “Drops of Madness”, which is still ongoing.

q) What role does the artist have in society?

a)Artist tells universal “truths”. An artist can became a "teacher" of life and experience.

Personally, my interest in exhibiting my work has its roots in the basic thoughts of the project to catch the deep-lying roots of the human identity and to put light on the weight of unconscious elements in the person we think to know so well – our selves.

The characters of my drawings are ghosts, creatures who provocatively invite us to ”dance” on deep-lying platforms, surrounded by psychological and cultural undertones.

They remind us about our inherited limitations, which difficulty we can amputate.

Therefore this project can also be seen as a reflection about the meaning of identity and self-consciousness in our contemporary, “anestethized”, society.

q) Did your practice change over time ?

a)Yes, it did. I have been trying several techniques (painting, photography, installation etc.) and been inspired by different experiences.

Nevertheless my actual inspiration has often came from the same sources.

q) What art do you most identify with ?

a)It's difficult to give a precise answer to that. It's because for me art is how I feel to communicate and express my own universe. I don't feel like comparing or identifying myself to something else.

q) What themes do you pursue ?

a)Overall self-consciousness , curiosity, paradox, dreams/nightmares, psychology, culture and so on. I love to represent everything through the portrait. It is, in my opinion, the book in which every human experience, feeling etc. is written.

q) Describe a real life experience that inspired you.

a)Walking and getting lost at night, in a city that I don't know.

q) What jobs have you done other than being an artist ?

a)Public Relations, delivery of newspaper and flyers...portraits to people!

q) What responses have you had to your work ?

a)Who had occasion to observe the peculiarities of my artworks is often thrilled by the untraditional details and by the expressive figures, together with the mysterious and glitter-blown atmosphere that ”sizzles” in the heavy graphite.

I have been showing my works in different cross-cultural contexts and been observing an interesting result hereof. More people have following expressed, that they have felt touched at deeper emotional levels. ”It was like if the works knew something about them”. “They recalled abstract memories and emotions from passed moments” etc.. The interesting thing about this reaction is, that my actual inspiration for my drawings, originates from personal issues and observations of people especially in my Italian everyday life and surroundings. That other people, even from different cultures, can feel touched from these problematics indicates that, underneath the different surfaces, we all hold the same humanities. This is why the drawings of the series ”Drops of Madness” communicate in a universal language.

q) What do you dislike about the artworld ?

a)I hate people who feel important, who have lost their sense of humanity and humility. The great focus on economic matters in general.

q) What research do you do ?

a)I guess a never ending research: Who am I and why?

q) What is your dream project?

a)To live with what I love, being myself.

q) What does “ copy” mean to you ?

a)To capture the inner soul of something.

q) What's your favorite cuss word ?

a)I'll make it!

Interview with Lydia Emily

2011-05-29T14:34:00.000-07:00

q)Who are you? Where are you from and where do you live now?

a)Lydiaemily Archibald. From Los Angeles, Ca and live in LA now.

q)What is it that you do? What media do you use?

a)Political street fine artist. I use oil paint on the Sunday New York Times, glues to canvas.

q)What do you think sets your work apart?

a)I do oil painting, which is rare in the street art world.

Then I make prints of the art for wheat pasting. I also only do politics.

q)How long have you been showing your work for? Did you have a “big break?”

a)Been painting for 20 years, only showing for 8. I think the Hope Gitmo piece

that spread across Africa through social media gave me my biggest push with fans,

But the Winston Churchill piece I did got in the most art forums. So I guess its a toss up.

But am really thankful for the attention I received for all my work.

q)What are some things that have inspired you?

a)People like Robbie Connell. People who believe if you have the world as your stage you

must say something about it. People who aren't just witnesses.

q)What have you been working on recently?

a)Politics, of course, but trying to say more about Africa, About oil. About my part in that.

q)Do you listen to music while you create your work? If so, would you give some examples?

a)The Twilight Singers always cast a serious mood.

q)Do you do work in any other media? Other projects not necessarily related to your main body of work?

a)No.

q)What advice do you have for artists looking to show their work?

a)Don't give up. I worked for 12 years before anyone would hang a painting, then, when I did get in to a gallery

my work was taken down because people patrons were offended.

q)Do you have any upcoming exhibitions of your work that you can mention?

a)The next show I will be in is the "LA Vs. The War" show in Los Angeles in September.

q)Do you have any upcoming exhibitions of your work that you can mention?

a)Not yet, sorry.

q)Where can people see more of your work on the internet?

a)http://lydiaemily.com/

Lydiaemily-Facebook

http://lydiaemilyarchibald.tumblr.com/

Interview with Julien Langendorff

2011-04-25T12:10:00.000-07:00

q)Who are you? Where are you from and where

do you live now?

a)Hi, I'm Julien Langendorff, visual artist/musician.

I'm from Paris,

France, where i live and work.

I'm planning to move to NYC at some

point.

q)What is it that you do? What media do

you use?

a)I do collages, papercuts, drawings, videos and

paintings. I think

i've been kinda "known" recently for my papercuts,

a media i

developped a lot in the last two years.

You know, it's like what

Matisse did before he died,

cutting shapes in colour paper and putting

them together. I felt good at that for

some reason. Right now i'm

working on scrapbook collages, it's fun.

q)What do you think sets your work apart?

a)Man, i really don't know. I don't really

wonder about this kind of

things. I just do it. I guess my visual identity,

the subjects i work

on?

q)How long have you been showing your work for?

Did you have a “big break?”

a)I've been showing my work for 4/5 years i think.

Started real small,

like super underground exhibitions, here and there,

New York, Paris ,

Berlin... Then i got involved with a regular gallery

in Paris. I met

Agnès B, and had a few shows at her gallery,

i think it helped

somehow. She's a good friend, and

a lovely person.

q)What are some things that have

inspired you?

a)My dreams, movies + horror movies, music,

the 70's, Black Sabbath,

Edvard Munch, Edgar Poe and my wife.

I wish she was there by my side.

q)What have you been working on recently?

a)I've been working on life.

q)Do you listen to music while you create your work?

If so, would you give

some examples?

a)Oh yeah, definitely. Right now i listen to a

lot of country music

while working, like my hero Gram Parsons,

Linda Ronstadt, Emmy Lou

Harris... Or really more atmospheric, weird sounds.

I like Not Not Fun

releases, it's a label from L.A i've been

collaborating with, they

have super awesome bands. And... The Stones..

All the time.. i'm

obssessed.

q)Do you do work in any other media?

Other projects not necessarily related

to your main body of work?

a)Yeah, i'm a musician as well. I'm starting

this new band right now,

i'm totally excited about it. We're a trio,

and we play a kind of,

well, pop-doom?? Really heavy and dirty sound,

real sludgy, with pop

melodies. We'll record a single this summer.

Also i play in Pillars Of

Fire, a drone/psyche project with my bros Jason Glasser,

who is also

one of my all-time favourite visual artist,

and Doctor Lori Sean Berg.

q)What advice do you have for artists looking

to show their work?

a)Stick up kids, it can be tough and difficult.

But what matters

really is to keep on working, and stay personal.

I have the tendency

to believe that any good and serious work

will break through

eventually.

q)Do you have any upcoming exhibitions of your work

that you can mention?

a)I'm part of this event called Salon de Montrouge.

It's gonna be a

nice group-show. May/June, Paris.

q)Where can people see more of your work

on the internet?

a)My website: julienlangendorff.com.

And like, Google i guess?

Interview with Angela Rossi

2011-03-27T15:11:00.000-07:00

q)Who are you? Where are you from and where do you live now?

a)Angela Rossi, Los Angeles CA

born, raised and currently reside

q)What is it that you do? What media do you use?

a)I am a artist that uses found, broken, and old materials to create or revamp them into something new.

q)What do you think sets your work apart?

a)I am not really sure that my work is particularly that different. Currently I am working on "modern portrait plates" which is just an updated, contemporary play on the traditional portrait plate art with a juxtapose style.

q)How long have you been showing your work for? Did you have a “big break?”

a)I am a new to the art world as I started creating art in 2010 when I began making assembled art sculptures. I was surprised how quickly they sold and the attention that they got. The Altered Antique Plates came shortly thereafter and have been received by the public quit quickly. The Altered Antique Plates have definitely provided me with both the financial means and the confidence to now say that I am an artist

q)What are some things that have inspired you?

a)I am totally inspired by pop culture, nature, animals and a bit of the dark side

q)What have you been working on recently?

a)Ive been so swamped making the altered antique plates that I have not had enough time to create anything new. I would like to get back into making more sculptures, Antique Doll Taxidemy.

q)Do you listen to music while you create your work? If so, would you give some examples?

a)I do listen to music, right now on my shuffle is

Zee Avi, David Karsten Daniels, Kate Nash, Ditty Bobs, Bright Eyes, Kimya Dawson

q)Do you do work in any other media? Other projects not necessarily related to your main body of work?

a)I love working with any materials that are found, old or broken. I have also been making some giant agate "stained glass" pieces for my house - without the glass and just with the colorful agate stones, I love the way they look in the light.

q)What advice do you have for artists looking to show their work?

a)Just get you stuff out there, the internet is amazing and people from everywhere can find you

q)Do you have any upcoming exhibitions of your work that you can mention?

a)Im excited to have my plates be a feature design at the I Saloni Milano, 2011 fair this April as part of the Salone Internazionale del Mobile for modern furniture design company Bizzotto

Also a fabulous interior designer in Sweden will be making fabric out of my images.

q)Do you have any upcoming exhibitions of your work that you can mention?

a)The Altered Antique Plates can currently be found at the Santa Monica Museum of Art

q)Where can people see more of your work on the internet?

a)http://www.BeatUpCreations.com

http://www.BeatUpCreations.Etsy.com

Interview with Ludovic Boulard Le Fur

2010-12-21T08:29:00.000-08:00

q)Who are you? Where are you from and where do you live now?

a)I’m Ludovic Boulard Le Fur, I’m French, I’m 29 years old, and I’m fond of drawing, chocolate and surfing. I live in the suburb of Paris.

q)What is it that you do? What media do you use?

a)I draw on paper and wood. On paper I use to make frottage from the textures I find around, and I represent a face, a mask,a body, or an imaginary sculpture. On wood, I cut forms, I paint and then draw and I assemble it to make one piece. These two processes are born in my scholarship exchange in Australia 4 years ago.

q)What do you think sets your work apart?

a)I think that my work on paper feed my work on wood and vice-versa.

I like to discover why I did a drawing, a few months or years later…

And I realize also that more I’m going to the abstraction and more I transform it in figurative things.

q)How long have you been showing your work for? Did you have a “big break?”

a)I did quit the art school (Ecole des beaux-arts de Paris) two years ago.

Since that I did 3 solo exhibitions:

The first one I was kindly invited by “Atelier Katalin”. I showed exclusively works on paper. It was very motivating and the beginning of lot of things, particularly a new view on my work.

A few months later, I was lucky to exhibit in “La Maison Rouge” (le vestibule) which is my favourite museum in Paris http://www.lamaisonrouge.org. I was nicely invited by Sophie Gaucher with who I was student in the beaux arts school and she was also working in this museum. Here is her blog http://suivezlaligne.over-blog.com/

And The last one was in a café, invited by Collection Revue http://www.collectionrevue.com/, with whom I gave an interview in their very nice magazine (one book by year about drawing). At this occasion they want me to invite someone to show his work with me, so I invited my brother Jérémy Boulard Le Fur who people knew more for his cartoons (he is an animator film maker) than for his drawings. Here is his blog http://jebou.over-blog.com/

And I regularly show my work in collective exhibitions in Paris.

q)What are some things that have inspired you?

a)I’m inspired by cartoons of my childhood like Ken le survivant, or by toys like Mithy max …

Also comics about super heroes and later by trading cards I still collect. I realized my work on wood tries to be closer to the holographic images on card (you can see hidden parts when you move the card).

And I like a lot of tribal arts which are the very base of the super heroes…

q)What have you been working on recently?

a)I’m working on a piece that I sold. It’s about a sculpture on a wall. My client saw the piece (which was with an ephemeral wall) in an Exhibition (curated by Alexandre Pottier) called “RENCONTRES” http://www.rencontres6b.blogspot.com/ in the 6B http://www.le6b.org/. The client asked me to have the same thing installed in his apartment on his own walls. So the sculpture already exists but I’m working on the wall behind the sculpture, and some wood cut would be also put on the wall like in the exhibition.

q)Do you listen to music while you create your work? If so, would you give some examples?

a)I like to work with sound around me, but never any music. I’m a radio addict. I like hearing people speaking. I listen funny emissions with jokes, fictions, or very serious and complicate ones that I don’t understand, and when I’m lucky I love to hear emission about UFO.

q)Do you do work in any other media? Other projects not necessarily related to your main body of work?

a)I did a short cartoon in loop with Vladimir Manouvia-Kouka (I just did the drawings) http://vimeo.com/11970524 it would certainly be a bigger project later.

And in relation to it, I’m more and more attracted by the light, the sound and projecting colours but I’m not sure about all of that, I just have wishes. And I’m thinking about using real materials stopping drawing textures but having them in real…

Far of it, I’m working on tapestry projects and toys surfboard.

q)What advice do you have for artists looking to show their work?

a)I’m not old and full of experience to be able to do it. And I’m still not living with my art.

I tried at the beginning to directly go to show my book to some galleries I liked. The reaction was very bad, they didn’t understand that an artist come and “sell” his work directly to the galleries. I did it because I wanted to show my work to more people than just my family.

But In Paris, or in France you can’t do that… it’s not the protocol. Well I perhaps saw the wrong ones, I don’t know.

The only times it worked was because a Gallery came to me and not the opposite.

Most of the time, the galleries prefer to “discover” you, visiting another gallery.

So I have not any advice because every one and every place is different. Just perhaps one thing: don’t work only for showing it…which I want to do to myself every time.

q)Do you have any upcoming exhibitions of your work that you can mention?

a)Yeah, I’ve been invited by Romain Trinquand (with who I exhibited in “RENCONTRES” I just mentioned before). Sophie Gaucher, Astrid Méry Sinivassin, Romain Trinquand, and I will show in Anvers (Belgium) in February.

q)Where can people see more of your work on the internet?

a)Right now I put photos of my work on http://flickr.com/loubard/photos

I have to make a new website, but I can’t do it. I have to find the way to do.

Interview with Angelo Cricchi

2010-11-21T03:42:00.000-08:00

q)Who are you? Where are you from and where do you live now?

a)My name is Angelo Cricchi, I'm born and i live in Rome but i spent most of my personal and professional life abroad.

q)What is it that you do? What media do you use?

a)I'm a (long time)photographer and i use any type of cameras useful to create still and moving images

q)What do you think sets your work apart?

a)Visions, i guess. My memories, my books,my records, my travels and my lover.Professionally my long time experience in the fashion estetic.

q)How long have you been showing your work for? Did you have a “big break?”

a)I always showed my personal work during my photographer career, but in the recent years i focus on my artistic values.

The "Gloomy Sunday "exibithion at MAK museum in Wien (june 2009) could be called my recent big break-

q)What are some things that have inspired you?

a)My recent work is about Icons. I call them" imaginary portraits" and i costantly research ispirations.

Anything around me could be matter of my work. I dont shoot pictures without a long preparation in terms of cast, locations, concepts and so on...

Movies and paintings are the main source of ispirations..like for everyone i guess.

q)What have you been working on recently?

a)"Mysty beethoven erotic parade". the second part of my trilogy (Suicide, Erotism and Holyness)

It was not easy. Sexuality is something very hard to show without be just erotic . Conceptual work and sex doesn't work easily together.

q)Do you listen to music while you create your work? If so, would you give some examples?

a)I m old enough to had been young when the best music ever was on stage.. i was teen between 70's and 80's and i grow up with music.

My i tunes list is over 30.000 songs with appropriate tags and cover. I'm music maniac.

During the shootin I like to put the right songs to ispire models ,and crew.

Not for me.

Thunder Road will be my lifetime sountrack

q)Do you do work in any other media? Other projects not necessarily related to your main body of work?

a)With my wife we are writing and (soon) directing our first movie.

q)What advice do you have for artists looking to show their work?

a)Call, send, ask, knock on doors...im not so good in that but this is the best way....

q)Do you have any upcoming exhibitions of your work that you can mention?

a)Next thursday 25 nov at Mondo Bizzarro gallery in Rome.

q)Where can people see more of your work on the internet?

a)my website, or just put my name on google......

Interview with Kohei Akiba

2010-07-28T04:53:00.000-07:00

q)What is your earliest art-related memory?

a)My earliest art-related memory is when I was 19 years old, when I met with

Marittes' art work.

It gave me a great shock back then.

q) Who has had the greatest influence on your work?

a)Van Gogh gave me a great influence on my

works.

I wish I could be able to express my feelings as genuinely as Van Goh on my

wrt works.

q) What are the main tools of your craft?

a)Most of my wrt works are made by oil paintings.

q) Is a formal education important?

a)havn't had much art education my self, but I think that the basics are

important to learn.

So I should say that "some" education are important.

q) What is the biggest misconception about art?

a)I think the biggest misconception about art is that many people believe that

art is sublime.

Art should be, and is, more close to our everyday lives.

q) Which is more important in art - concept or execution?

a)I think that talking about art through context and logical thinking is

nonsense.

Art should expressed more intuitively, more directly to your senses,

staright to your eyes.

q) What is your favorite piece of art in your home?

a)I love Albert Camus' books and Van Gogh's collection of pictures.

q) If you could collaborate with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?

a)Yayoi Kusama

q) Which emerging artist do you think more people should know about?

a)Yayoi Kusama, although he(she) might be already famous.

q) What has been your greatest achievement to date?

a)I won a prize at a big competition in Toyko.

q) What has been your biggest roadblock?

a)Exceeding my limits, and it sill keeps on appearing in front of me.

q) How do you define success?

a)My meaning of success is creating a completely new way of expression, and

letting the world know about it.

q) What will be the name of your autobiography?

a)I don't have plans on publishing my autobiography yet... it would probably

change until the last moments.

q)What is the best piece of (art-related) advice you’ve ever been given?

a)"draw arts that rub people the wrong way"

q)what theme or aesthetic are you most drawn too?

a)I am drawn to beauty inside devilish emotions and insanity and those sorts

of feeling.

It seems that in every eminent art works, there is insanity somewhere.

q)your contacts..

a)e-mail: goroneko22@gmail.com HP:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/koheiakiba/

Interview with SSION

2010-07-10T14:36:00.000-07:00

q)What is your earliest art-related memory?

a)shooting a pigeon with a bb gun in my granddad's barn and then dousing it in diesel fuel and watching it fly away while burning. i felt so bad. i still think about it.

q) Who has had the greatest influence on your work?

a)MTV back in the day, RIOT GRRRL, Kansas City Drag Queens, Adderall.

q) What are the main tools of your craft?

a)duct tape, cardboard, hairspray, weed and speed, a good wig and waterproof mascarra.

q) Is a formal education important?

a)if you want it to be. i'm glad i went to public school.

q) What is the biggest misconception about art?

a)it's hard.

q) Which is more important in art - concept or execution?

a)depends. i mostly like things that look like shit or at least smell like it.

q) What theme or aesthetic are you most drawn too?

a)WOMEN.

q) What is your favorite piece of art in your home?

a)TV

q) If you could collaborate with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?

a)tanya harding

q) Which emerging artist do you think more people should know about?

a)Actually Huizenga

q) What has been your greatest achievement to date?

a)not having a day job

q) What has been your biggest roadblock?

a)binge eating

q) How do you define success?

a)DEMAND

q) What will be the name of your autobiography?

a)DEMAND

q)What is the best piece of (art-related) advice you’ve ever been given?

a)"Anarchy in the UK"

Interview with Elizabeth Bauman

2010-05-21T13:49:00.000-07:00

q)What is your earliest art-related memory?

a)Not perhaps my earliest but one that stands out is being part of a "group show" in high school. I was surprised to receive feedback about my work, that people actually responded to it (in a good way, thankfully).

q) Who has had the greatest influence on your work?

a) I cannot say there has been one single important influence for me. I tend to get excited by one artist or another and study their work intensely for awhile and then move on. There have certainly been a few I have gone back to several times including these historic artists: Gustav Klimt, Henri Matisse, and Edvard Munch.

q) What are the main tools of your craft?

a)Right now I am painting in oil paint on both canvas and wood panels. I've also worked in acrylic.

q) Is a formal education important?

a) Perhaps. I think finding your own artistic path is more important, though certainly a formal education can help with that.

q) What is the biggest misconception about art?

a)That buying original art is too expensive for most people. So many people do not realize there is some really affordable art out there and buying it helps support a living artist.

q) Which is more important in art - concept or execution?

a) For me it is the execution. The longer I do this, the more interested I am in the process. I like to see where the paint takes me. Lately, I have simply been exploring what happens on each painting without trying to plan or manipulate it at all. I simply lay out the paint and see where it takes me, find the narrative in the paint. I have found that for me getting too deep into what I want the painting to say before I even start tends to slow me down. Plus, if I have the entire painting already in mind/sketched out before I begin I tend to feel like I am just filling in the blanks, that the exciting part of the painting is already done. I end up with quite a few paintings I never finish this way because I became bored painting them.

q) What theme or aesthetic are you most drawn too?

a) People and narrative, somewhat abstract (not terribly representational).

q) What is your favorite piece of art in your home?

a) I can't pick just one. I have many beautiful pieces from family and friends plus I try to collect original work whenever I can. I hope to fill my house with art over time.

q) If you could collaborate with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?

a) I would love to be able to watch Edvard Munch paint.

q) Which emerging artist do you think more people should know about?

a)Some of my favorite emerging (and one or two are probably established) artists are Vivienne Strauss, Shannon Richardson, Amanda Blake, and Bonnie Hull.

q) What has been your greatest achievement to date?

a) I was accepted into a local, juried show in which my painting will hang at my city hall for a year.

q) What has been your biggest roadblock?

a) Finding time to work.

q) How do you define success?

a) Two things define success for me. First, getting the process and the final painting to be what I am truly happy with. Second, my art sustaining my life (financially, of course).

q) What will be the name of your autobiography?

a) Tripping down the winding path.

q)What is the best piece of (art-related) advice you’ve ever been given?

a)Keep painting.

''I TAROCCHI DELL'ARCHETIPO BLU''....by Claudio Parentela

2010-05-04T16:10:00.000-07:00

Wowwowwoooooowwwww!!!!!!!!....&yes....out

just now and just in these days my

new Tarots' deck....I've called them

''I TAROCCHI DELL'ARCHETIPO BLU''....

Do you like them...but naturally yes....

surely yes!!!!!!

They are editions directly cared by the Museum of Tarots

and chosen between artists’ works from all around the

world to leave a trace in the contemporary history of

tarots.These handbooks are editions with precious chacharacteristic,

in which are producted the Arcana in a small series from

500 to 1000 samples.

to buy them ...go to:

http://www.museodeitarocchi.net

http://www.claudioparentela.net

Interview with Lisa Von Enxing

2010-03-04T14:48:00.000-08:00

q) Well, first of all please tell us a little about yourself.

a)I was born outside of Chicago. My dad is a pilot and to this day is Obsessed with flying. I spent my whole childhood in an airplane, so I think its why I love to travel so much -- I like the feeling of moving… My real name is Sidney von Enxing but my parents changed it to Lisa Enxing days later after I was born. My dad thought everyone would make fun of me with the name “Sidney”. They made fun of me anyways.

I love animals too much and wish I was vegan but I am not.

I live in Brooklyn and think it’s the jewel of the world. I am lucky to live here***

India, Japan, elephants and making things are the best!!

q) Had you always planned on being an artist [or had you other hopes]?

a)No- but I painted all the time as a kid and clearly remember I could lose myself for hours. My mom said I wanted to be a cashier.

q) Do you have a preferred medium to work on? Why?

a)Right now I love digital!! but I love it all—painting, collage, taking pictures, making books

q) How would you describe your style?

a)I have no idea? I just hope people think of the animals, its all for them, so maybe “Animal Love”…

q) Do you go through any certain processes while trying to produce your work?

a)Yes!! I live in New York City so I am on the subway a lot, I use this time for my art… I put on my music and I feel what I want to paint about and sketch the ideas. I am a huge sourcer of images and I collect everything!

q) What are you working on at present?

a)Gouache/ digital paintings/ taking pictures/ I have been painting small for awhile now and want to start painting big again***

q) What about recent sources of inspirations?

a)When I see dumb-ass humans wearing fur coats, fur trimmed jackets—makes me want to paint more!!! The animals need our help ++ this is a big tragedy going on that we can actually change. There is no need for fur anymore.

Also I collect found photographs. I just found one of my most favorite. Its of a very beautiful Spanish man, I think it might be an id photo for a prisoner card. I love it!!!

++++Animals always inspire me everyday++++

Sea Shepherds, they are the most inspiring – they are defending the whales!!!

q) What are some of your obsessions?

a)Eeeeeeee I have too many***

The *RAIN* I can never ever get enough of it***

NYC its beyond brilliant -- All animals -- my Mac! -- Indian Miniature Painting -- India and Japan -- being left handed -- Hindu glitter stickers and the Hindu deities -- Pano-prison art Rocks -- Clothes with no buttons! I do not like buttons at all and never wear them on my clothes -- I never have had any seafood and think no one should eat it //maybe a worldwide ban for a year could be nice to heal the ocean// -- omens –travelling --the movie The Royal Tenenbaums -- my pillow I use for sleeping -- making shrines – grilled cheese and onion sandwich -- the Iching and NO FUR NO FUR and NO FUR*** What the Fuck Already!!!

q) Which galleries have you shown at and which galleries would you like to show at?

a)None in NYC // just at a bar in Brooklyn, online sites and blogs. Jonathan Levine Gallery would be nice!

q) If people would like to contact you, how would you like to be contacted?

a)tibet108@gmail.com

q) Do you have any suggestions or advice for artists that are just starting out?

a)Love your process and your work – there is room for everyone *** Help Animals ***

q) Who are your favorite artists?

a) An ongoing endless LOVE list:

Birds and the nests they make for sure- they are the best and get the number one spot!

All the Indian Miniature *painters* , they are the best of the best among the humans – 15^th to 19^th century rocks!

***Franceso Clemente*** Bigfoot*, Bruno 9li, Matt Hansel, Gaia, Kenichi Hoshine, Erik Sanberg, Betsy Walton, Sashie Masakatsu, Katy Kidd, Johannes Vermeer, Michael De Feo, Evah Fan, Elizabeth Huey, Marci Washington, Josh Keyes, Ryan Mrozowski, Dan Witz, Peter Beard, Sam Flores, Case Tuneman333, Doze Green, Sarah Trigg, Wk Interact, Kiki Smith, Pierre Bonnard, Edvard Munch, Anslem Kiefer , Blek le Rat, Carlos Enriquez- Gonzalez, Arnaud Loumeau and Mark Warren Jacques*** + 1008 more….

q) What books are on your nightstand?

a)I do not like to read so I get a lot on audio, but I do have The Ten Mahavidyas by David Kinsley, No one belongs here more than you by Miranda July, Elephants on the Edge by G. A Bradshaw, The Creation by Edward O. Wilson and Alphabet City by Michael De Feo

q) To what weaknesses are you most indulgent?

a)Sleeping in and Dreaming***

q)….your contacts…

a)www.lisaenxing.com

Interview with Kirsty Whiten

2010-02-15T13:29:00.000-08:00

q) Well, first of all please tell us a little about yourself.

a)I was born in Scotland and my father is a psychologist, my mother teaches human anatomy. Between them they have the human being covered.... and always under scrutiny. I think this has been a huge influence on my way of seeing.

q) Had you always planned on being an artist [or had you other hopes]?

a)I was always drawing, from when I was tiny. I had a little table in the corner of the kitchen and sat cutting out and sticking pictures from magazines together in strange ways. I never believed I could be an artist really - people were always saying how hard it is; to get into art collage, to make work, to make a living, and I just thought i would try the next little step and see.... it never stopped.

q) Do you have a preferred medium to work on? Why?

a)I love the control i have in pencil, and the scale I can have with painting. There is a physical, viseral reaction to painting, especially when the figures are life-size or bigger (as many of mine are). They have presence like people.

q) How would you describe your style?

a)I find that hard to say. Sometimes, warped realism.

q) Do you go through any certain processes while trying to produce your work?

a)I use various photographs to work from; some I take myself, and others I find in books, newspapers or on postcards. I want to create an off-balance psychological portrait, as simply as possible. i use models i know well, and we dress up and play, try out scenarios until something starts to happen; stories unfold, tensions brew, and I use the images to patchwork scenes for the drawings and paintings.

q) What are you working on at present?

a)I'm working on big, gauche, psychadelic canvases of post-appocolyptic families living naked in the woods.

q) What about recent sources of inspirations?

a)I started a family. I think a great deal about how fragile our way of life is, and how people take care of their children in extreme circumstances.

q) What are some of your obsessions?

a)Sexuality, evolution, religion, beastiality, propelling pencils, forests, truth, gloss paint, sordid details.

q) Which galleries have you shown at and which galleries would you like to show at?

a)Recoat gallery is the best in Scotland: http://www.recoatdesign.com/

I show with the wonderful stolenspace in London: http://www.stolenspace.com/

I am just sending work to Bold Hype in Florida: http://www.boldhype.net/

q) If people would like to contact you, how would you like to be contacted?

a)through my flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kirstywhiten/sets/

q) Do you have any suggestions or advice for artists that are just starting out?

a)Put in the hours if you want to draw and paint, lots of 'em. Hardworking artists are the best artists - just watch them and you'll see. There isn't a real, clever short cut. Besides, it's totally worth it.

q) Who are your favorite artists?

a)I think I often get more from the work of dark, honest, funny photographers like Nan Goldin, Diane Arbus, or Rineke Dijkstra, than from other painters - though I love Inke Essenhigh, Paula Rego, Dana Shutz.

q) What books are on your nightstand?

a)five books on childbirth, and two copies of Hi-fructose magazine

q) To what weaknesses are you most indulgent?

a)I am a hermit. I try to fight it, but it always creeps back, and I end up avoiding other people.

q)….your contacts…

a)see my artwork: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kirstywhiten/sets/

Kirsty Whiten 8 Yardheads, Edinburgh, UK, EH6 6BU tel 00 44 (0) 770 109 0055

interview with Toyin Odutola

2010-01-11T04:36:00.000-08:00

q) Please tell us a brief info about yourself.

a)I am a Nigerian-American artist who deals with mainly portraiture engaging in issues involving skin as identity and body as a site for representation on a social, sexual and political level. I am a recent graduate with a BA in Studio Art and Communications and I am fascinated by aesthetics in both the Fine Arts field and in Design. I love to explore art theory and contemporary methodologies of artists who explore meaning through modern, innovative concepts with traditional mediums of application. I am somewhat obsessed with the internet and all the connectivity it facilitates, however, I find that certain tangible objects and histories, such as a handwriting a letter, can be rewarding as well and I hope such luxuries never die.

q) Tell us about your humble beginnings? When did you first realized that you wanted to be an artist?

a)My humble beginnings? Umm... I was born in Nigeria and lived there until I was about five to move to the United States with my family. In Nigeria there was a great deal of social, economic and political unrest and my family felt it best to move to the US for a better life and more stable opportunities for us children. Since then I've only visited my homeland once. Although, I've grown up rather isolated from it, Nigeria and my Nigerian heritage have an immense influence on my work and often feed my thoughts as I am working on a piece. As for the realization of my being artist, I believe it all started rolling along when I was about nine, while my family was transitioning from the West to the South here in the US. The move had a profound effect on me and I became incredible depressed because of it. To console myself I took up doodling. Images of Timon and Pumba from Disney’s THE LION KING were a fixture, and I loved mimicking their likeness whenever I could find a scrap of paper (or surface for that matter to draw on). I never considered myself officially an artist as a young child nor did I ever entertain the possibility – I just didn’t think it was a reality for me. It wasn’t until I arrived at high school and discovered that art-making was something that defined me was when I truly identified myself as an artist and actively wanted to take steps toward making the profession a reality for me. It really was a turning point and I am grateful to my amazing art teacher, Mrs. Bathurst, for encouraging and inspiring me to follow that dream.

q) What are your tools of the trade and why?

a)I work mainly with pen and ink – it is the unifying rudimentary tool of my trade. Regardless of the supplementary tools used (such as India ink, acrylic paint, varnish, gesso paint, or wood stain) to facilitate the creation of each piece I make, pen ink is a constant. I am attracted to pen ink for its starkness and its ability to create a texture with the style of drawing I do that seems more immediate and visceral, but at the same time streamlined and sophisticated. Permanence is something that also attracts me to pen ink for it allows me to be more careful with the marks I make and the placement/composition I choose to explore in each piece. Overall, pen ink has been the best and most basic tool (in terms of availability to me and accessibility to the audience) which allows me to achieve a well put together image, while not having to use overly glamorous materials to get my point across. It’s the innovation behind the tool that makes it all work as well. In every piece I do, I aim to use the ink to the fullest extent I can--exploiting every inch to arrive at the best product.

q) Who or what gives you inspiration on your morbid art?

a)Wow..(chuckles), I never considered my work morbid. That is very interesting that you should mention
that. It makes me rethink how it is presented. I guess who influences and inspires my work may have something to do with that. I am deeply transported by the works of Kara Walker, Charles W. White, Barkley Hendricks, Adrian Piper, Zhang Xiaogang, Wangechi Mutu, Kehinde Wiley, Yinka Shonibare, Michael Zavros, Egon Schiele, Julie Mehretu, Bridget Riley, Lisa Milroy, Mark Bradford, Glenn Ligon, Kimsooja, Cy Twombly, Laylah Ali, Lucian Freud, Ghada Amer, Shawn Barber, and Francis Bacon. I sometimes read how many artists are inspired by the world around them--by nature, by life experiences, by their past, by love, &etc -- and to a certain extent I can relate to that and honestly say that there is some personal truth of it in my work, some influence there. However, I find a stronger inspirational presence when I see other artists works and have found the motivation to create my own works from their creations. I'm not entirely sure why, possibly it has something to do with seeing another beautiful creation by another human being and wanting to create one of my own to contribute to the overall cannon of beautiful works of humanity.

q) Is your artistic background self-taught or did you go to college to study?

a)It started off as something that was self-taught. I began through imitation; pouring over images of cartoon characters – from Disney to anime – aiming to get the perfect rendition to match the original which it inspired. But as I got more focused on art in school and more invested, I shifted my focus more to studying specific techniques and research. Figure drawing had a huge effect on my work, for obvious reasons, and so did printmaking, however, I think a lot of what I do comes from trial and error on my own personal time, working and reworking pieces on my own in my room or at a studio. I think for an artist, a lot of the learning is 50/50. You get the materials you need and you attend classes to understand how to use those materials, then you are left on your own to experiment with what you've learned to arrive at something that is yours. The personal aim is to investigate and through that you find a style that is your methodological core – a conceptual basis for working/creating.

q) How do you keep “fresh” within your industry?

a)Although I live in a rather small community very much outside of the Art World at large (as microcosmic as it may be in comparison to say... the music industry or film and theatre), I find that the internet is an amazing tool which allows for an artist to keep up to date with what's going on in the industry. Also, being in a "Digital Age" makes everything so novel and fast-paced, that can make people very competitive and can be daunting, but I like to think of it as inspiration to work more traditionally and find more innovative ways of using traditional tools and methods to explore and comment on current issues and situations happening in the contemporary world. As aforementioned, graphic design has had an immense influence on how I compose and present my pieces, which is heavily induced by the internet as well. Being inundated by graphic design and a multitude of data almost everywhere we go today has forced me to simplify my concepts more and find more minimal means of creating engaging portraits. In the end, I hope for my pieces to be straight-forward initially and force the viewer to pause and investigate what makes up the portrait, so that there is a level of ...slowness and calm, while still having something striking and impressionable on the viewer's mind.

q) What are some of your current projects?

a)Currently, I am working on a body vignettes series which explores a ever-expanding concept of "Otherness and Inclusivity" exemplified by singular portraits of body parts of significance -- hands, feet, genitals. In this series, I'm trying to explore the idea of identity as skin, and the components of the skin that comprise an individual’s identity. Though my portraits are, as of yet, mainly of Black figures, the aim to investigate the little moments in the skin of Blackness and Whiteness as a definition that formulates Black skin and identity. I would like to extend this concept to encompass multiple skin tones in the monochromatic -- white, gray, and black -- as metaphors for multifaceted representations of skin and self-definition. In sum, my work aims to show that the skin we wear is the skin that is made up of a multitude of tones, of stages, or impressions, of colours, and shapes --all different and yet all existing within a singular individual. It's a lot to take on and it seems very complex, but I hope for the pieces to come off very simplistically and starkly, so that the message can still come across without having too much going on to distract the viewer from that message.

q) Which of your works are you the most proud of? And why?

a)My recent works have really caused a great personal and artistic shift for me. I love working with a monochromatic palette, for it rids me the distraction of colour and all that multiple colours tend to connote. With the monochromatic, I can strip an image to its bare essentials and have the marks I make carry more weight. I find the images are more striking. Along that chord, I would have to note that that almost all of the body vignettes series are my favourite so far for they have honed my way of "seeing" skin and composing figures and silhouettes. The body is now a site for so many explorations now that it is monochrome in rendition. I spend more time on making sure each mark I make is purposefully done and meticulously executed. This gives more of a attentive look at what I am trying to say with the piece, for I can be very specific yet still have somewhat vague implications can a reader can pick up on without having to worry about adding a red tint here or a blue tint there. Once you let go of that, everything becomes so much more meaningful and urgent, nothing feels arbitrary -- because it isn't. In a way, the marks have more to say. Furthermore, I like how there seems to be more movement with these new pieces, even on a flat two-dimensional ground, there are currents of motion in the stillness that makes these pieces pop for me.

q) Are there any areas, techniques, mediums, projects in your field that you have yet to try?

a)I would absolutely love to explore wood relief and sculpture. I also am interested in working with weaving, braiding, and tapestry ornamentation as well as other textile techniques. Additionally, I want to hone in on my printmaking skills and transition from drawing to etching and intaglio prints -- I think my style would be very conducive to that medium. And finally, I wouldn't mind exploring video art and animation as well, I think that would be rather interesting to expand on this concept of "Otherness and Inclusiveness" with that.

q) What do you do to keep yourself motivated and avoid being burnt-out?

a)Look up other artists and research their work -- past and present. I think that's what you need to do as a visual artist -- to be a recipient of other people’s work, to understand how other pieces leave an indelible mark on your psyche, so that you can pinpoint those particular elements and study how they affect you personally so you can utilize those elements in your art. Just like writers read other great authors' works, and actors' watch films and theatre productions by other great performers to understand different ways of portrayal, so can artists use other artists and images to inspire themselves to push their works in different directions. And who better to understand where you’re coming from as an artist than another visual artist? To avoid being burnt-out? I go and lie back for a little while and listen to music, doesn't matter which genre, sometimes it just helps to relax to a soundtrack, and one never knows what images might conjure up in one's mind listening to the musical vibes being expressed by another artist through another medium.

q) How do you spend most of your free time?

a)On the internet, (chuckles), doesn't everybody? There is so much available via the Web, so much to access, it's hard not to be connected. I do rather enjoy reading, though. Writings from Zadie Smith, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Anna Gavalda, Langston Hughes, Suheir Hammad, and bell hooks leave a great impression on me. And I must say, I am an avid movie watching fan. I love the experience of films --not to say I'm a movie buff by any means, but I can admit to having seen my fair share of classics. I will say this: am a bit partial to films about or in some way involving visual artists, such as GREAT EXPECTATIONS (1997), LA BELLE NOISEUSE (1991), FRIDA (2002), ANGELS & INSECTS (1995), HIGH ART (1998), POLLOCK (2000), ...the list goes on and on.

q) What contemporary artists or developments in art interest you?

a)Please refer to questions 4 and 6, thanks. :-)

q) We really like some of your pictures, how can we get our hands on them? Do you sell them? How?

a)Thank you so much, it really means a lot to me. Actually I am currently working on doing that. But as of yet, I am still in the nascent stages of selling them myself. For contact information on representation, I am currently represented by Cabinodd Collectiosn (CC) in The Netherlands by Ella Buzo (www.cabinodd.com).

Interview with Ashkan Honarvar

2009-12-08T13:15:00.000-08:00

q)please tell us a brief info about yourself.

a)My name is Ashkan Honarvar, born in Iran ‘Shiraz’ in 1980.

For 20 years now I live in The Netherlands. I have studies graphic

design for three years and after that I decided to focus more on illustration.

After four years I got my bachelor degree in illustration.

I graduated two years ago. For the past two years I have been working

as an artist on a personal project that’s been funded by Funds BKVB.

q)Tell us about your humble beginnings, When did you first realized that you wanted to be an artist?

a)That was in Shiraz my hometown when I was four years or five I think.

The Iran-Iraq war was almost over and I remember drawing lots

Of war scenes. With lots of blood, tanks and dinosaurs. I always

got lost in those battle scenes and I remember that I wanted

to do this forever. Of course I didn’t knew what an ‘artist’ was

back then because I was too young. But art has always been a way for me

to escape reality.

q)What are your tools of the trade and why?

a)I like to work with my hands. Collages are really

Fun to make. And I don’t mean the digital ones but

Handmade ones.

Handmade collages have more power than the digital ones. Digital collages are

Far more easier to make. You can scale, rotate and mirror the images.

q)Who or what gives you inspiration on your morbid art?

a)Medical photography has always been an inspiring item. How the human body

Reacts to diseases and war are one of the two things that really fascinate me.

q)Is your artistic background self-taught or did you go to college to study?

a)All my Artistic background is self-taught. In the Netherlands when you go to an art school they

Don’t teach you a technique for example how you should paint.

The art school is there to guide you in your search to find what you

Want to do with art.

q)How do you keep “fresh” within your industry?

a)Always try to surprise your self by doing new things and learning new ways to

look at your own art. Just locking your self up into your studio isn’t

going to work.

q)What are some of your current projects?

a)Faces-5: In this project I tried to replace the war wounds with candy.

Candy is a symbol of childhood and the naïve. Naïve and childish

Because we don’t really understand how fragile and vulnerable

we actually are as human beings. From here on I want do a full body series about this theme

as my next project.

q)Which of your works are you the most proud of? And why?

a)The faces project. This project is still evolving. I really like the challenge

To go on with this project and see where I end. And I’ am happy with the

Result in faces-5. Here I have achieved to bring the whole project in to the

Present and detached form the source material that was used as an inspiration

for the early faces projects.

q)Are there any areas, techniques, mediums, projects in your field that you have yet to try?

a)Sculpture and fashion are on my list.

q)What do you do to keep yourself motivated and avoid burn-out?

a)I’ am always on the look out to find more inspiration materials like

Medical photographs etc

q)how do you spend most of your free time?

a)Collecting medical photography and inspiration materials to put in to my artistic work and I’ am a big fan
of art house movies. One of my all time favourites is this movie called Salo or the 120 days of Sodom for
Pier Paolo Pasolini.

q)What contemporary artists or developments in art interest you?

a)Matthew Barney is one of my favourite artist. The human body is a central point in his work.

q)We really like some of your pictures, how can we get our hands on them? Do you sell them? How?

a)All my work on my site is for sale. You can buy the original collages or high quality prints, these can be

Sent to you by secure envelops. The paintings are more difficult, because of the size etc.

But eventually there are ways to do this also.

Or you can come to The Netherlands on 26 February to my first grand solo exhibition in Rotterdam J

This one is going to be huge.

Warten auf Sol Invictus

2009-11-30T12:28:00.000-08:00

The project consist in the realization of a propitious exhibition for the Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, the most important Observance in ancient times, that was celebrate in very different ways all around the planet, but everywhere on 25th December. The collection of the art pieces to expose want to be very heterogeneous, creating so a right and proper homage to Sol Invictus and on the same time a commemoration of all the different celebrations for his “natalis”. EXHIBITING: Alberto Raiteri | Alessia Cocca | Andreco | Ango The Meek Dead | Claudio Parentela | Cristina Pancini | Elena Armellini | Exiff | Francesco Bancheri | Francesco D'Isa | Irina Novarese | Lys Lydia Selimalhigazi | Luiza LaPupazza | Martha Sklodowska | Silvio Streddi

Cell63 artgallery
Allerstr 38 12049 Berlin www.okidokigallery.com