Something special for you today that I really wanted to share! After two and a half months travel in Central America (expect a whole bundle of Sojourn articles coming up from all across Mexico and Guatemala!) I arrived this week in NYC. As luck would have it, dynamos José Parlá and JR were having an opening tonight at Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery in Chelsea! Read on for the media release, to give you an idea of what it was all about …
"The Wrinkles of the City was started by JR in Cartagena, Spain and has been reprised in Shanghai, Los Angeles, and most recently, Havana. In 2012, JR and Parlá photographed and interviewed dozens of senior citizens who lived through the Cuban revolution, flyposting colossal black-and-white portraits of their subjects on the walls of city buildings. Parlá, who is of Cuban descent, interlaces the images with palimpsestic, calligraphic writings and color. In a city devoid of commercial imagery, JR and Parlá’s enormous yet intimate portraits offer a stunningly humane contrast to the endless repetition of political icons.
This exhibition will consist of twelve large portraits from the Havana iteration of The Wrinkles of the City project along with a site-specific installation."
Although it was mighty packed inside, there was some really great work on display – most of it imagery from the many walls they’d worked on – but there was one piece, was that "site specific installation", that I fucking loved …
Check out the pics from the opening below (excuse the not so grand shots, I’m not the worlds greatest photographer!) to give you an idea of how it all was – and check out all the pics of the work in the show here.
Way back in October, we brought you news of a new project that I’ve been working on with Jo Jette, a brand spanking new print magazine by the name of Damn It! Well, it’s done, printed and all ready to go – and we’re having a party to celebrate!!
Designer and Publisher Jo Jette has been working on the amazing Nothing To Nobody for a few years now, which, sadly, has just released its awesome final issue (Jo will be working on Damn It! from here on out!) This dynamo of a lady has crafted what I think is a stunning, collectable piece of visual beauty, and written a slew of grand articles. For myself, well, I’ve edited my ass off on this one, and if you’ve been reading Invurt for a while then you can expect a whole bunch of full feature articles from yours truly on artists from across the globe!
"Tired of the same old same old? Want to feel like you’re doing something positive when you shell out your hard earned cold cash for a magazine? Want value for money in a convenient bag size read? Then say hello to our little friend – DAMN IT!
DAMN IT! is a brand spankin’ new, biannual, 96 page, limited edition magazine run by Publisher & Designer Jo Jette (of Nothing to Nobody magazine), and Editor in Chief Fletcher Andersen (aka Facter, of online art webzine, Invurt). We put every cent we have into the publication, so that each issue will kick the can of the previous one.
Each issue we feature juicy articles on super talented peeps – illustrators, photographers, typographers, painters, writers, and other creative types as well as reporting on the more serious side of things from around the world.
We also shine a Bat-signal on some of the amazingly selfless work done by caring peeps setting up and running not-for-profits all round the world. We’re not afraid to put our money where our damn big mouths are, and we pledge to donate $0.50 from each copy of DAMN IT! sold to the not-for-profit we feature in that issue, which in our first ever issue is Skateistan, a not-for-profit set up to teach kids to skate in Afghanistan, Cambodia and Pakistan. Skatistan also teach journalism and art to their students, 40% of whom are girls. Plus we’ve adopted a Polar Bear for our first issue to accompany our article on Polar Bears and Arctic conservation, but just wait ‘til you see what we are sponsoring for issue 2!!
Launching officially on 2 May at the Just Another Project Space in 153 Greville St, Prahran (Melbourne) from 6-9pm, and we’ll be giving away a Hamburger YoYo to everyone who attends. Yes, you heard us right – so join us for a drink!"
It’s a bittersweet feeling, knowing that the mag is being launched, and my not being able to actually attend the launch party! Lamentations aside, both Jo and I are stoked at how the mag has turned out, and we’re sure that you’ll all love this first issue (we hope!) – its been a long process and a lot of hard work, trial and trepidation, but its something we’re pretty proud of.
So, we’d love for you to al head on down to the launch party next Thursday – grab a mag, enjoy a read and let us know what you think!!! Massive thanks to the team at Just Another for letting us use their awesome Just Another Project Space for the launch, we couldn’t be happier with the venue!!
Massive thanks to everyone for all of their support, especially the artists and advertisers who are featured in the first issue!
Who: The first issue of Damn It! Magazine features articles on artists and creatives such as Lee Romao, Greg ‘Craola’ Simkins, Ken Taylor, Chris Peters, Poise, Adam Oehlers, Ink & Clog, Skateistan, Polar Bears of the Arctic, Naoto Hattori, Tom Hussey, and Hit+Run and some special artwork from Chris Hancock and Eleven, photography from Nicole Reed and much more. What: Damn It! Magazine Launch Party Where:Just Another Project Space, 153 Greville St, Prahran, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia When: Opening will be one night only, Thursday 2nd May 2013 from 6pm til 9pm!
When artists come together to donate work and raise money for charity it always warms our hearts. Relatively new Sydney gallery, He Made She Made, put on an excellent group show of work from nationally and internationally renowned artists of differing genres. The cause, the Dandelion Support Newtork – an organisation that provides baby equipment for less fortunate families in NSW and ACT. 26 artists took one letter of the alphabet and reconstructed it with their creative flair, they included Will Lynes, Numskull, Luke Lucas, Paul McNeil, Greedy Hen and Jeff Rogers.
Sydney powerhouse Numskull brought the heat for his latest solo show ‘Survival Tactics’ at the Tate last week. The show follows on from a previous exhibition the artist had in Brooklyn NYC earlier this year, as part of a collaboration he did with Brooklyn based streetwear label MNWKA.
With one of the best looking shows that has graced the Tate, Numskull again confirmed he is a master of many mediums. A huge installation took up one end of the room housing his rad tshirt collab, a GIF projection took up another wall, then prints, sculptures, a massive work on canvas and 6 signature wood panel pieces took up the rest of the space.
Fezwitch had a pretty big night the other night, as he opened up his first solo show “No Frills Caviar”
The man certainly has his own style going on, and his first show is as ecclectic and intriguing as everything we’ve seen on the streets. It’s on at Egg Gallery in Collingwood for another week or so, and its very much worth checking out.
Check out all the photos from our man Dave Russell below …
Here’s something different, and something for all you mixed/multi-media fans – if you are a fan, then there’s a pretty good chance you might have already heard of Nick Thomm.
For those of you who haven’t, Nick is the founder of The Drop studio as well as the co-founder of SRC783 magazine – he’s also a damn fine designer and artist and does some really intriguing shit by combining his passion for digital, traditional and printing into a melange of awesome. All in all, its hugely modern, different, and it pushes boundaries – its shit we love.
"After recent public showcases in London and Hong Kong, Nick presents Monochrome. A solo exhibit of works blending digital, print and traditional art forms to create a unique collection of mixed media artworks."
Who: Nick Thomm What: Monochrome solo show Where: No Vacancy Gallery, 34-40 Jane Bell Lane, Melbourne When: Show opens Thursday 4th October, 6:30pm til 9pm, and runs til 14th October.
It’s been a huge past week or so, with shows, travel and so much going on its not funny!
All that said, we’re still at it – and we got some cool shots today for you. Dave Russell, our intrepid photographer down here in Melbourne, headed down to Itchs show at RTIST Gallery post-opening to get a whole slew of shots from the show. Given the mass of people at the opening, it was no surprise that we couldn’t get too many photos of the opening night itself.
So, here’s all the work we loved best – you need to get down and check it out whilst its still on!
Brisbane artist Matt Stewart headed over to Mongolia recently to team up with some of the local Ulan Bator artists as a part of Tiger Translate – we got a hold of some great photos of the whole thing and a bit of a wrap up thanks to the crew at TT and Kult – read and view – looks like it was a pretty cool event!! Check out the rundown …
“The burgeoning arts scene in Mongolia recently enjoyed a boost with Tiger Beer’s ‘Tiger Translate Festival’. Artists and musicians from Philippines and Australia joined forces with Mongolia’s best emerging artists to explore the thriving streets of Ulan Bator and translate the country’s future in their artwork.
While Mongolia is traditionally steeped in fine arts, this festival celebrated contemporary culture and new forms of expression. Using ultraviolet markers and paint, the teams collaborated on Double Vision (a Tiger Translate initiative that involves adding a layer of graphics on top of photographs) and competed in a live neon art battle.
The three international artists in attendance were Australian artist/designer Matt Stewart and Filipino graphic artist Quiccs, who are winners of their local Tiger Translate competitions as well as Filipino illustrator Bjornik, who won the Fan Favourite on Facebook for his detailed illustration of the Manila streets.
Working with the international artists were six winners of the Tiger Translate competition in Mongolia, as selected by a prestigious panel of judges that included the Mongolian Arts Council.
Collaborating with two Mongolian artists from different artistic backgrounds was an exciting challenge for Matt Stewart, who said, “One was a traditional impressionist artist and the other was a contemporary digital artist, so their two very different styles helped fuse our three artistic values together well. Both were forthcoming and interested in telling me about their history and the relevance to today’s Mongolian society.”
Their mission in Mongolia was to contribute to the emerging contemporary arts scene through a series of art collaborations facilitated by Tiger Translate, which brings visionaries across multiple creative disciplines from the East and West together to create new works.
Matt said, “I love how Tiger Translate brings together different artistic influences from around the world into one spot and introduces them to the host country. In the same way, visiting international artists take away different artistic styles with them that they would not normally have experienced first hand.”
"Bored with heavy black and white linework, James takes a time out and explores his surrealist cyberpunk aesthetic through mediums of sculpture and animated gifs, harnessing inspiration from half-watched animes and weird dreams over the past month."
James Jirat Patradoon is a fantastic artist who continues to do fun, cool and expressively grand art – this show is only on for one night, so this is your chance to check out his latest creations.
Who: James Jirat Patradoon What: Die and Be Forgotten solo show Where: The Tate Gallery, 345 Glebe Pt Rd, Sydney When: Show opens Wednesday August 22nd from 6pm – for one night only!!!
Brisbane artists Matt Stewart is a man of many influences, from architecture to fashion, to branding, marketing and painting. His work, drawing upon areas that have had close impact on his world, and yet are often eschewed by “underground” artists, he embraces the commercial and explores the alternatives. This, all wrapped in a melange of colour and form, his pieces sojourning over territory both illustrative, graphical and, undoubtedly, decidedly “now”.
Work that explores this mixing pot of mediums and style are of great interest to us here – as apparently adaptable to the commercial as this kind of work may be, it is this use of modern themes and design innovation in artistic works that really excites us.
Last year, Matt Stewart was invited to paint as a part of the Australian round of Tiger Translate, and, as a part of that, he will now be winging his way over to Mongolia for the event later next week. As curious as we were about both the artist, his work, the event and Mongolia itself, we decided to throw a few questions Matts way to get the lowdown on his art, and his upcoming immersion into the art and life of Ulan Batar …
…
Can you tell us a bit about how you got started painting, and what your path to where you are now has unfolded?
I have always been artistic since I was young and took art classes right though my schooling. My professional career has consisted of creative outputs like graphic design right through to marketing and corporate branding. I started to sell paintings for a bit of fun on the side of a full time job about eight years ago and it gradually built up to become a monster of a side-business.
So, two and a half years ago I took it full time and haven’t looked back, moving ahead in leaps and bounds,
How about your mural work? We know that you have some skills with a spraycan. What is your history with street art and grafitti – is it a long time passion of yours?
Hahaha this is one of the big misconceptions that I get a lot with using a spraycan for some of my works. I actually don’t have a street art or graffiti background.
However, I follow and have a great interest in street art and it’s definitely a strong influence in a lot of my works.
We’ve seen a fair bit of your work, and can see that you have had a variety of influences, design, pop art and street art all seems to play a part – what do you try to channel when you are producing your art?
I have a large amount of influences on my work at different times.
Architecture, Interior Design and Fashion are all major influences in my works, so you will find resemblances of certain trends at times.
What about your views on commercial work as opposed to work for yourself, how differently do these two things present themselves in your work – what commercial opportunities have you had in the past, and what have been some of your more “create shit just for yourself” endeavours in the past?
To be honest, I love the balance between the two. Commercial work is very focused and precise and my personal canvas pieces are fun and more of a looser expression. I have been lucky to work with some great local and international brands in the past for commercial work and murals.
I’m fortunate that I can sell my “create shit just for myself” artworks to people that LOVE my work and follow my art career, but definitely do keep some of my favourites for my own collection.
We particularly loved some of the wallpaper work you did earlier in the year – this seems like such a unique way to present art ; we want to know more about this!
Yes it a great opportunity!!! It is a great bespoke way for both private and commercial clients to fit out a space, as it is all custom and made to order. I have created a single series which has had great response, so am working on a second patterned series as well as a much anticipated mural series.
It’s something different again to mix up my artwork and to apply it to different scenarios.
Tell us a bit about your involvement with Tiger Translate up until now? How did you get involved at the start, and tell us a bit about your winning the chance to be a Translate artist last year?
My entry into the Australian arm of the competition last year was a last minute entry. I literally started it and finished it about 2 days from the deadline….the rest is history. I was invited down to Sydney for the Tiger Translate event in November last year, where I painted several murals and had a chance to meet some amazing visiting artists from Korea, Mongolia and Singapore.
It was an intense few days, but very rewarding and my first look into the world of everything Tiger Translate!!
You have the trip to Mongolia coming up really soon, tell us a bit more about what you will be doing over there, and why you are looking forward to it?
Sure do! I will be collaborating with other international and local Mongolian artists on several pieces. These collaborations are fun and challenging especially when there is a definite language barrier. The process of using colour, shapes and style take over as a way of communicating that is universal, making the pieces work. I personally love collaborations as they force you to work outside your usual barriers and thinking and adapt to and merge your art and style with another artist who might have different thoughts on what ‘works well’.
Do you know much about Mongolian culture and it’s art already, and what about its cultural heritage are you most looking forward to, and what do you hope to take with you to share with lovers of art over there?
I know very little about Mongolian culture, art and cultural heritage so this will be a very rewarding trip for me! I am looking forward to taking in every second of the trip and event and making the most out of every opportunity that I get over there. I will definitely be taking Mongolian influences home with me and applying them to some of my artworks and I’m hoping to bring to Mongolia and Tiger Translate, my personal style and mix it up with some of the local artists to create something different and unique.
So, what happens after Mongolia and TT? What are your plans for after the journey, any shows or other projects you are working on?
I have a very busy few months ahead…I will get back and start working on my next canvas series almost immediately. I also have a clothing range in production which is part of a side business that I’m working on, so that will be ready to launch upon my return.
The week that I return I have a couple of large commercial murals to paint, followed a couple of weeks later by several private ones, so it’s fair to say that I will be working pretty hard …
Paperápe is a group show featuring seven Melbourne artists who, over the past year, have formed a collaborative friendship via their mutual love of art. Heesco, Jack Douglas, Pierre Lloga, Facter, Mysterious Al, Hancock and Conrad Bizjak are now coming together to share their passion for painting walls, drawing and enjoying the vibrancy of Melbourne street art, and life in general.
Often finding themselves escaping the trappings of 9-5 work by hanging out and painting on the weekends, these seven artists now paint together under the somewhat humourous moniker of We Spray Weekends (WSW). From the side streets of the suburbs to the cities laneways, exhibitions and live art events, all the artists within Paperápe are all highly prolific and consistently chasing the artistic dream.
Paperápe will be an exhibition of paper based works showcasing each artists unique style and talent, offering a snapshot of their current directions and a glimpse towards several larger projects planned for the future. With drawings, paintings, collage, prints and other paper based works on display Paperápe is an exciting showcase of current work from a diverse and talented group of friends.
Heesco – From Outpost Project to painting at the Cullen hotel, Oxford Art Factory and across Australia, this Mongolian artist has been making waves throughout the Australian art world in recent years. With his upcoming solo show at one of Melbournes premier urban art galleries, RTIST, in August, Heesco will be displaying several drawings and other pieces both new, and from his archives. Paperápe will be a unique opportunity to get a taste of his work prior to what is sure to be a landmark exhibition for the artist. Check out Heescos website at http://www.heesco.net (Instagram @heesco)
Mysterious Al – Known throughout the world for his iconic characters and playful street art, the international man of Mystery, Al has been painting with the WSW crew since arriving in Melbourne for an extended visit. Paperápe will be Mysterious Als first show here in Melbourne and is a unique chance to get hold of his work prior to his solo show later in the year. Check out Mysterious Als website at http://www.mysteriousal.com (Instagram @mysteriousal
Conrad Bizjak (Rad) – a well known name upon the walls of Melbourne, Rad is also a renouned figure in Melbournes growing live art circle, having competed in War of the Walls and this years Secret Walls. His work within a gallery setting, however, has been much anticipated, and this show will be the first chance for his many fans to get a glimpse of this amazing artists work on paper. Check out Rads website at http://www.conradbizjak.org
Jack Douglas (JD) – with his off kilter cartoon influenced work now taking a new direction with recent forays into tattoo art, Jack Douglas is another artist from the Just Another stable who has been painting up a storm in recent times. As an upcoming Secret walls competitor and avid painter of walls, Jacks work is highly regarded by lovers of his low brow, quirky creations. Check out Jacks website at http:/jdouglasart.blogspot.com (Instagram @jacklesdouglas)
Hancock – hailing from Perth, Hancock only recently moved to Melbourne, but since his arrival he has quickly catapulted into the eyes of an aerosol and illustrative loving public. His recent win in Secret Walls marks Hancock a semi-final contender, and with forthcoming artwork commissions and collaborations with Boywolf, Invurt and many more, Hancocks work is brilliantly executed and curiously macabre. Check out Hancocks website at http://hancockart.tumblr.com (Instagram @hancock_art)
Pierre Lloga (P-Yeah) – illustrator, comic book artist and painter-of-hot-chicks extraordinaire, P-Yeah is renowned for his illustrative skill with brush and ink, as well as his vibrant aerosol work. As a part of the Just Another crew, Pierre is as much at home in a gallery setting as he is on the streets. Check out P-Yeahs website at http://pierredrawsstuff.wordpress.com/
Facter (Fletcher Andersen) – Facter is an artist and writer/editor for the Australian underground art webzine, Invurt.com. His love of technology and its impact on our world is manifest in the unique linework within the creatures he creates. Delving into his most recent sketchbooks, Facter will unleash a new cohort of fantastical creatures at Paperápe. Check out Facters website at http://www.irikanji.com (Instagram @facter)
We’re really excited about this one, and its a bit of a party for us here as well, so come down to the show, say hi, drink some beer and have a look at some of our art!
We also just released a video in the leadup to the show:
Check out some preview images, and download the press pack below …
Who: Heesco, Jack Douglas (JD) Pierre Lloga (P-Yeah), Facter (Fletcher Andersen), Mysterious Al, Chris Hancock and Conrad Bizjak (Rad) What: Paperápe group show Where:Egg Gallery, 66a Johnston St, Collingwood, VIC When: Show opens Friday 20th July from 6pm til 9pm and continues until July 29th
Their last show together looked great, and this next one is sure to be also! Guido Van Helten and Scott Marsh are putting on another show, this time in Woollongong, nicely titled “Road To Ruin” – we like it already …
“Opening this weekend is an exhibition by street art/graffiti artists Scott Marsh and Guido Van Helten. Their exhibition ROAD TO RUIN is a showcase of works two of Brisbane and Sydney’s most prolific street art/graffiti artists.
While they have a longstanding history of previous collaborations, this latest exhibition will bring together their complimenting styles of street art/graffiti inspired portraiture with works on canvas, digital print and walls of Wollongong!”
Check out some cool preview shot over at The Opening Hours – lookin cool!
Who: Scott Marsh and Guido Van Helten What: Road To Ruin Where: Gallery 5 Crown Lane, Wollongong NSW When: Show opens on Friday 14th July from 7pm til 10pm, and runs from 12th July to 25th July.
Back last year we saw a pretty cool charity exhibition over in Perth – IHART – and tomorrow night, its back again after a successful first round!
"IHART // Poyce & Phoenix Events presents a collective of local and international artists dedicated to raising as much money as possible for Make A Wish. IHART II will strive to give Perth a little something different to your standard gallery show and showcase Perth’s first exhibition of painted Crystal Head Vodka skulls, limited edition prints, skateboard decks and original art in an upbeat fun party atmosphere.
- a selection Crystal Head Vodka bottles individualy transformed by local and national artists30x hand-painted and vinyl covered skateboard decks - 30x limited edition prints - numerous original illustrations framed and mounted"
We heard about this a few weeks ago, and had a chance to check out Hancocks handiwork on one of the crystal skulls before he sent it off to the show – and we wish we could get there to see what else the artists have come up with!
A great show in a great city, with great art for a great charity – Make a Wish foundation. Head down to the Claremont and check it all out.
Who: A large array of local Perth artists What: IHART II Charity event Where: Grey Door Gallery, The Claremont Hotel, Claremont, Perth When: Show opens Friday 29th June from 7pm til late
There’s no doubt Perth artist Ryan Boserio has something unique going on, and that his imagination seems limited only by the amount of time it takes to create a piece.
Bosarios style is not only beautifully rendered, it is also touched by an ethereal attitude; fantasms, depthly creatures and slipstreamed colloquial characters all intermeshed with modern urban and conceptual ideas. Being lovers of conceptual art ourselves, we equally love this influence in his work – each image could easily represent a minute snapshot in a vast world of intrigue and drama. As down to earth as his work is, there is still a note of epic amongst much of it, so much so that we can hardly help wishing that we could go out and buy the book, read the comic or see the movie – it’s this sense of “leave us wanting more” from each singular piece that means, for us, that his art “just works”.
With the influences of his graffiti background, coupled with a grasp of clearly invoked storylines, Boserios work stands with a decisive, firm foot forward. He is an artist who has managed to create truly intriguing and realms from his inner world with a confluence of passionate ideas – we are, unashamedly, big fans.
So, read on for the interview we did with Ryan in the lead up to his show this Friday night in Fremantle, and check it all out for yourself …
Tell us a bit about your early days doing graff and getting into art for the first time – what were your favourite locales, who were early influences, what was the Perth scene like when you started out and what drew you to painting walls in the first place?
The Silos was the day spot that I remember most. It was a great place where writers from all over would come to paint. Perth lacks a really big chill day spot like that right now and I don’t know how kids are skilling up to go out and paint any more, because even day spots in Perth are being raided, which is ridiculous. I want to say thanks to all the graff heads that had time for me back then, because I was little rat bag with no respect and occasionally I act like that now, so if you catch me being a tool, then just take me aside and tell me to pull my socks up.
I guess I started the way all guys got started, I found a copy of Wild Style and was looking at Subway Art – it’s a bit of a cliché.
Most of your pieces have an intelligence of narrative behind them; what are some of your favourite stories to tell with your work? We can see a fair level of scifi/surreal/fantasy influence in some of your more recent pieces …
I love concept art and commercial/entertainment design. I like mixing hip hop and street narrative with stuff from sci-fi and fantasy because it’s a way to distance myself from it and make fun of all that stuff without getting too personal.
I want to make sure that everyone knows I’m not making fun of one person, or whatever is going on right now, I’m making fun of this idealised version of it.
Comics, books, movies, scifi, horror, whatever weird visual shit – what is the stuff you surround yourself with, that helps to spark the flow of creativity?
Comics, books, movies, whatever, the list is way too long for me to get into.
I don’t do video games. For me, that just burns time and kills my motivation – I just check out the art books and the game play videos online.
We’re curious about something, because its not an opinion we hear too often from artists with a graff background – we saw in an interview that it was the possibility that you may be offending other people aesthetically, or ” visually mugging people”, that lead you to no longer doing work illegally – does this still hold true? What if someone hates a legal piece you’ve done out in the public, would that be the same thing? Can you delve into this for us a little?
Sure. There are a few things going on in that particular interview that just come from being a novice at PR.
Firstly, a short time before that interview took place, a good friend of mine was caught up by a guy pretending to be a journalist from the ABC and t,here were a few arrests made. I thought it better, even though I was well out of that graff stage, to distance myself from graff culture, because I didn’t need that kind of complication in my life.
The other concern I had was that I really wanted to emphasise to people that I wasn’t doing ills any more. I mean, I must have said I was going to quit painting illegally about 30 times before I managed that interview and every time I say it, it gets a little more true. I come across like a legal eagle in interviews and it isn’t really the case, I still get drunk and lapse, but I’m trying to straighten out.
We love planes; where did your motif come from originally? What is it that draws you to that symbol, and what does it represent for both you and your artwork?
Thanks for the love! The plane was originally a concept just for one exhibition that I did with Kid Zoom and Daek William. Actually, I kind of stole it off Daek William who was going to do a series of plane paintings and I took the idea and turned it into a whole other animal that I don’t think he or I anticipated.
Right now it represents the freedom for me to make stuff with lots of different styles and techniques and slap a plane logo on it to give it some sort of cohesion as a body of work. Corporations have been doing it for years and it’s effective.
The plane as a symbol relates to plane spotting. Plane spotters have been put in gaol just for observation of planes in the ‘wild’ and it reminds me that appropriation has consequences that aren’t always good.
You’ve done a fair bit of work with more corporate entities as well, Converse, Absolut and Becks to name a few – is working within the system and taking these commercial jobs a necessity for todays artist, and where, creatively, does it all sit with your work?
I guess if you go to my site, then you might think I do work for all these big name clients and I must be killing it, but I’m still just in my artistic infancy. The product of those jobs has often been quite embarrassing or sub-par so you wont find many pictures of that stuff floating around. Plus, I didn’t get paid much, I would have made more money being a dish pig in that time.
In terms of operating within the system, I have never understood that aversion to corporate clients. That stuff is actually fascinating and current – I have no problem seeing it as having just as much worth as work that you do for yourself alone and I certainly don’t see myself as fighting against evil corporations, the government or an elitist art world, or anything like that.
That being said, no, I don’t think it’s necessary to work commercially at all, but life would definitely be harder for me if I didn’t.
What is “multimedia” today, for you? With the cross over and constantly interacting technologies and “mediums” on a constant basis do you believe this term still has relevance? Where do electronic methods of creating artwork sit within your overall creative output?
Shit, good question. No, I don’t think the term “multimedia” is relevant any more, but it’s one of those things like “street art” where you have to throw it around to help the laymen understand what direction you’re coming from. It’s one of those terms that’s a necessary evil that, hopefully one day, we can get rid of and just call it art.
In the last year I’ve picked up some 3d skills and I’m also interested in motion graphics and animation, but most of that stuff won’t see the light of day, either because it’s bad or because it’s for a client. Digital painting is awesome though, I utilise it a lot for planning walls and canvas projects, it helps me do little sketches in colour quickly and you don’t have to get your hands dirty. It’s awesome.
Tell us a bit more about your film making – we’ve seen it mentioned a few times but we haven’t been able to find out too much about it; what kind of work do you do, and what disciplines does making film have in common with artistry, and vice versa?
Basically I know how to animate, do motion graphics, edit film and to a lesser extent SFX. I have a really crap camera and I can’t afford to get another one right now. It just means I can make and edit my own promo flicks and I’ve helped other artists out with theirs in the past.
I’m not especially looking to go into film making or anything right now.
So, what about this show that you have coming up at Hole In The Wall? What will it entail, and how did the show come about?
It’s an exhibition of stuff I’ve been working on for six months or so, entitled Vignettes. It’s composed of a bunch of paintings that are sort of narrative based, more related to traditional illustration than anything else and I’ve also got a few small sculptural pieces.
I really wish I could work on it for longer, because I have so many more ideas for paintings that I just ran out of time to do. I might have to do a part 2 or something.
The whole thing came about because I know the gallery guys really well, from before I was even doing this art hustle thing and I know they are going to take care of me at the same time as being professional. I have much love for the Hole In The Wall lads.
What’s next, after the show? Do you have anything planned for the rest of the year, and what else can we expect to see from you in the future?
I’m in so deep with this exhibition I can’t really say.
I’m already planning another show and I have no idea why, I mean, my solo show is a few days away. I know that I’m moving to Melbourne straight after the exhibition for non art related reasons, so you might be seeing me pop up around the traps a bit more … Check out Ryan Boserios website, as well as info on his upcoming show, Vignettes. for more info!!
Lachlan Curtin-Corr got down to Prahran last Friday night for a great show down at Artboy Gallery! Lots of fun and action as a whole load of talented artists gave their spin on the age old struggle between good and evil!
Well now, two great Perth shows coming up, and this one is not far off at all! This weekend Ryan Boserio will be holding his next solo show at Hole In The Wall Gallery in Fremantle, showcasing a whole bunch of his latest work – check the info …
"With a background in graffiti and multimedia design, Boserio’s work draws from a heavily populated image based practice that treads a fine line between contemporary fine art and low brow illustration.
Born in England in 1985, Ryan Boserio spent the first 14 years of his life travelling before finally stopping in Perth, Western Australia. Ryan Boserio spent his adolescence participating in and writing graffiti. After developing, using and discarding a multitude of aliases, Boserio pursued higher education in Perth and participated in a number of exhibitions locally and nationally.
Boserio creates work with planes as a central theme whilst constantly deviating and returning to variances of the symbol in a range of mediums. Previous clients and collaborators include- Converse, Becks, Absolut, The Public Transit Authority, The City of Perth and Semi Permanent."
We’ve seen a bunch of previews, and we can safely say that this show looks mad, you need to go and see it!
Oh, we should have an interview with Ryan up before tomorrow as well, so stay tuned for lots more!
Who: Ryan Boserio What: Vignettes solo show Where: Hole In The Wall Gallery, 3 A / 64 Adelaide St, Fremantle, WA When: Show opens Friday 22nd June 6:00 pm til 9pm and runs til
Invurt webzine provides information on AustralAsian street, urban, illustrative, graffiti and other genre defying, nu-contemporary art to readers around the world. It specialises in events and artists who are working, displaying and visiting Australasia – particularly with a focus on exhibitions, live art and other events the artists are partaking in.
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