Pictures from ma galleries 33 artists show

Interview with Konsumterra

SIMPLE SIX

1. Besides art & music what else drives you?
trying to make a crust from art - im a big fan of history, comics, SF, books, magazines

2. Favourite character from the Muppets?
kermit and that guy who sold letters from his trench coat in alleyways on sesame st in the 70s

3. Window or isle?
window

4. 3 favourite colours to use?
pink black and white

5. First thing on your mind most mornings?
not safe to say really

6. Favourite artist to collaborate with?
Bunkwaa and i do the most together - SMC, Vars, Tom666 are other notable faves






DOWN to BUSINESS

• What style of art do you create & where did it start for you?
I started postering anonymous political agit pop and hoaxes in the late 80s - stickers began about 97 inspired by Sync, Cadet, Cloak&Dagga - Crash my faux corporation started 99 and stenciling and collage paste-up in 01. I like a variety of styles and most of my peers in Adelaide would dabble in a variety of street art forms. I like to make up new idenities and campaigns in different styles to keep it fresh.


• Who was your main inspiration at the start?
Sync, Cadet, Cloak&Dagga - my brother used to destroy ciggarette ads in the adelaide hills. Karen Eliot and the Blind Authority Manipulation Corporation was a big influence too (see BAMCO and Neoism). I was a fan of Jenny Holzer, Kieth Harring and and Matt Groenig's life is hell comics. Punk poster art too. I worked with Michal Dutkiewicz for years too - best comic and pinup artist in Australia ever.

• What are you trying to say or create with your art?
Alot of my CRASH work is a parody of corporate greed while the collage is more anonymous and uses détournement to reinterperate ad hype. Other stuff like my characters are just fun for kids and me and has been more developed in Sydbney. More and more I enjoy getting ordinary people to do art as an activity not just oggle it.


• Where have you taken your art or had it put up?
Ive had stuff projected on walls in Berlin, taught at the MCA, lectured for unis and paint companies, lots of stuff has been published and i have a healthy web presance. Ive had so many exhibits i dont really keep track. I have a few murals round Newtown and have had lots of work in night clubs.


• How have you used your art to change your lifestyle?
Well i earn a living princaply from street art and from design - i get a few travel ops occasionaly too and came to stay in Sydney. I have too many friends I know only by their secret IDs - its a bit like being a super hero or a freemason.I spent too many years partying for free and im a bit over being cool now.


• How does the community benefit from your art?
Most of my painted work is by request. I still like to think paste and stickers make the streets more interesting. I Like it when people like your stuff to preserve your work. I have had people say my political stuff has changed peoples minds. Ive taught thousands to stencil and make alot of effort to educate the public to appreciate not decimate street art. Clearly it is the visual style of the future and people who like white cubes should get over it.



• With the boom of urban art & the many classifications such as street art, graffiti, bombers. . How do you view these styles & what would you like to say about them?

I like variety and respect skill. Some places rifts between graff artists and bombers matter, other places are more open minded. I probably find I am more interested in people who keep working on the street not just do it for one summer then wear the label on their sleeve the rest of their comercial art career. Even some galleries who say they are street art actually exhibit very little authentic street art. But having fun is still the most important thing. I have done bombing in the past - especialy when i was in pain all the time and it was pretty shit and nothing to boast about. Most of my bomber friends dislike the art world, street art or even proffresional graff or even character art. Street art is just political like it or lump it.



Konsumterra talking generally about community art issues :
Most of my community work is pretty fun but there is alot of red tape dealing with councils and events.Thankfully they do all their own publicity and funding. I do street art tours occasionaly for festivals in Adelaide and Sydney. My own work probably sufferes a bit when i get too busy. I do like dealing with supposably reject kids which normal education gives up on - it's amazing that listening to young people and not just abusing them and their culture can have positive results. Ive probably curated over a thousand first time artists - many who never would have thought of doing so. I also like to travel to regional areas with their own street art stories. Meeting lots of new artists keeps me up to date with new tricks of the trade and keeps my own work fresh.

Jodee Knowles at Friends of Leon Gallery

Ears at Oh Really Gallery

State Of The Art

State Of The Art opening night was held at Absolut Stairwell Gallery last night in Sydney. Here is a small selection of art works by 4 of the 10 artists that exhibited their works last night. for artists names just select picture.
For more details see the Sugar Mill link located to the right of blog.

Chor Boogie painting in Sydney

Chor Boogie speakin' real & painting on May's Lane. . .

Interview with: Bundy One

Artist of 'Clockwork' on World Graffiti. .

SIMPLE SIX

1. Besides art & music what else drives you?
Creativity on all levels and the pursuing of as much knowledge as I can get.

2. Favourite character from the Muppets?
The two critic blokes who sit in the stands and start positive then end up negative or vice a versa.

3. Window or isle?
Depending on where and who I'm with I don't mind. If someone is with me and hasn't seen the area and I have, window for them.

4. 3 favourite colours to use?
white,milka montana gold and pink lemonade montana black. these will change by tomorrow.

5. First thing on your mind most mornings?
"Why do I get up at 540am for a shit job, and I hope I see panels when going passed waterfall".

6. Favourite artist to collaborate with?
Vel, Fews, Stain and Relic, Yfuk and Sour and Math...They are great people and fun to collaborate with. Stain reinvigorated me when I was thinking about stopping. Word SdAWg & getting up with Daddy Meins and Dirty Doctor Mles.





DOWN to BUSINESS

• What style of art do you create & where did it start for you?
I do 3D, it started because I had to stop doing trains from too many arrests and my age these days (coff coff) so I started doing 3d's because I had pushed all my other styles I was doing to what I thought was the max for them and only had 3d to do.95% of all my pieces are freestyle. I don't like taking a sketch.


• Who was your main inspiration at the start?
I live in Wollongong so when I started I only saw old school bombing and pieces by Poker and FDK crew (I never ever got to meet them) but I was very young then and didn't know or meet any other writers for close to ten years of writing because of demographics and home life.


• What are you trying to say or create with your art?
I am trying to create something different and it has to be "freestyle" every time I pick up a can or marker. Style is what I'm about and when I finally get stagnant I will give it up. But I want to create things that are different from everyone out there and Hopefully I am achieving this but if I'm not I don't mind either because I'm happy with my shit.I have never sent a photo to the magazines ever.


• Where have you taken your art or had it put up?
Trains, trains, trains, trains, trains but I’ve had a few things in the Canberra National Gallery in the late 90's and one or two pissy canvases here and there. I do a lot of canvases constantly but have never been asked or pursued the gallery route. Maybe I might make that this years challenge?


• How have you used your art to change your lifestyle?
Well it has made me very open minded and given me a different outlook on life, but at the same time it is what I have dedicated my whole life to which has cost me a lot in my personal and professional life too...So now I try and find a happy medium between my personal life and my relationships instead of giving it all up for graffiti.


• How does the community benefit from your art?
When we do our stuff we are tidying up the spots most times. I have done so much community art and legal’s I stopped doing it because I was becoming what I always said I wouldn't become Artist wise.


• With the boom of urban art & the many classifications such as street art, graffiti, bombers. . How do you view these styles & what would you like to say about them?
I don't like a lot of the above classification styles because a lot of them are generic and unoriginal but I appreciate good style and conceptual works. I will leave it at that.... hmmmmm



•Would you call most of it art?
Would I call most of it art?
Yes its all art no matter what. It gets its classifications (Art or Vandalism) due to the standard of which one does his trade. People rate Abstract Art when one cant see what's in it or what's going on but they are quick to downgrade wacky toy tags or the rest of the Art form. Not everyone can just grab a can and get up, I mean they can... but you know it when you see it. As long as one is having fun painting no matter what or the standard of work that is being produced, that is what its about, the classification is meaningless then because Art should be about self expression not what others think...





Myspace contact http://www.myspace.com/332570516

Lost in Ben's Supermarket

Ben Frost recently held his solo exhibition at Boutwell Draper Gallery Sydney, Lost in the Supermarket. Pictures i denfently enjoyed taking & art i enjoyed veiwing. Santan it's Milky had to be a favourite along with Death Dealer. you can check all pictures & work from the show here http://www.boutwelldrapergallery.com.au/artist.php?inArtistName=Ben%20Frost
Ben has displayed work at many shows & galleries within Australia & throughout the world in such countries as Beijing, New York, San Francisco, Amsterdam. His work & interveiws have also showed in many magazines such as Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Australian Art Collector to name just to name a few.
These are a selection of pictures i captured at Ben's Lost in the Supermarket exhibition.

HOBOGESTAPO at Absolut

HOBOGESTAPO put on there retrospect of two thousand & nine. Twelve photo's by ten photographers. A project documenting the nightlife, music & fashion in Australia & the world. Capturing many things i enjoy myself it was a pleasure to see it through another artists eyes. Drums, music, graff & full feature walls, it had it all.

BEASTMAN, NUMSKULL, PHIBS & YOK

Thursday evening was a treat for any kind of art lover. Ambush Gallery in Waterloo held the opening night for Beastman, Numskull, Phibs & Yok. There were two amazing rooms, one which held there art exhibit, with framed works, 3D characters in different materials & levels, which really gave there show a fantastic vibe & an element of elevating beyond.
The second room was filled with bold vibrant characters floor to ceiling created by all four artists in the art of graffiti.
i have posted pictures of the graffiti from the second room on http://defhi.deviantart.com/

Dirtfish

Another exciting artist from Art Sydney '09 was Dirtfish. Melbourne based contempory street art is his focuse. With canvas & prints a main, which are wearing these funky happy characters that Dirtfish has created. Another passion that he pursues is toys, turning his cool characters into three dimensinal mini, almost installation art, which he hangs hats on for a bit more fun.
Check the site www.dirtfish.net/ for more info. .

Art Attack at the Ivy

Art Attack recently had an exhibition at The Ivy Sydney. On the 12th November The Dead Space Living Artists initiative transformed the Ivy into a pop-up gallery. The aim of The Dead Space artists is to turn unexpected or thought of places into an avenue for art.
Other artists featured at the Ivy art attack were Andy Uprock with his Cuprocking, Arnie Arnold, Louis Pratt, Mia Oatley, Paul Winkler & graffiti artists The Movement.









all works above are by artists from The Movement