JASPER WONG
Interview with the Hong Kong artist

Posted on 11/08/2011 by gael

Hong Kong artist Jasper Wong tell us more about his artworks and working process in this exclusive interview.

I don’t like to say nice words unless I really mean it.
That being said, Jasper Wong is one of the nicest, coolest, truest and funniest guy I’ve met in the past 10 years (don’t ask me why I chose 10).
If you are Australian and like footy, Jasper looks exactly the same like Bobby Hundreds (come on Bobby is a big black dude, isn’t he?).
But if you are Mega, Jasper looks like the awesome guy who get his artwork tattooed on the leg.
Fresh off the golden jet-plane flying from his Hong Kong-based gallery called Above Second, Jasper recently went to Melbourne where he was invited to paint at the Carbon event organized by Acclaim magazine.
I was doing my exhibition there too, as an official part of the event, and the whole thing was hosted at Federation Square.
I’m still wondering why we didn’t get more chicks with so much awesomeness…
The answer may be green and smokable.
Now while I think about a way to tell you more about his gallery, you should take a look at the beautiful artworks bellow.
I guess I need to do more posts about Jasper and his many activities.
Did I tell you about the Pow Wow event he organize in Hawai?
More about the Hong Kong artist Jasper Wong.
More about Above Second.
More about Pow Wow.

Series of artworks exhibited by the Hong Kong artist Jasper Wong

PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF
I escaped from the womb with the name of Jasper Wong. I’m an artist, curator, writer, and I dabble in all sorts of tomfoolery.

Drawing by the Hong Kong artist Jasper Wong

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORK?
Rainbows with a sprinkling of lasers and a dash of penis.

Jasper Wong did this clothing for Hurley

PLEASE SHARE WITH US YOUR WORKING PROCESS
Eat, shit, masturbate, and paint.
Just get down and dirty and don’t look back.

Bad Dads Hairdo is an illustration by Jasper Wong

HOW DOES YOUR ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE YOUR ART
My eyes are always open. I’m always looking and drawn to the most random bits of life. The environment is my biggest resource and lover.

Painting by Jasper

WHO ARE YOUR INFLUENCES?
Just off the top of my head, I absolutely dig folk like:

Darger
Haring
Nara
Aida

and the list goes on and on. I’m constantly finding new influences.

ANY LAST WORD?
I love MEGA!

JAVIER DE RIBA
Interview with the Spanish artist

Posted on 08/08/2011 by gael

Javier De Riba tells us more about his artworks in an exclusive interview.

When I was at in Berlin for my exhibition at Zirkumflex gallery, I met the spanish guys (sorry, I meant girls) from Lamono magazine, as well as Javier De Riba from Reskate!.
The man gave me what I must say was the best business card ever (made of wood covered with skateboard grip), and happened to be really cool. A good opportunity to practice a lil bit of spanish and talk about his projects. Now you are lucky too, not just because you are on the best blog ever, but because Javier will share some of his secrets with you. ¡Vamos!
More about the Nube Style

PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF
Hop! My name is Javier de Riba and I’m a graphic designer, illustrator and reskater from Barcelona. I worked in some advertising agencies but now I’m working as a freelance. As there was no work, I involved myself in a personal project called Reskate! that makes me work with a lot of illustrators and learn from them.

Javier De Riba Reskate

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORK?
I try not to have a particular style, to demonstrate myself that i can set out to do almost everything. This way I try what I like to do. These days I’m quite fond on lettering and liquid textures.

PLEASE SHARE WITH US YOUR WORKING PROCESS
I always start drawing by hand with different techniques and materials. Depending on the concept i use one technique or another. Finally i scan and make the final retouches on the computer.

No Hay Uno Sin Dos – Lettering artwork

HOW DOES YOUR ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE YOUR ART
I try to collaborate and surround myself with different people who have interest in making creative things. This way we inspire each other and create a good atmosphere for creation. I also like to watch other people’s work on the internet because this makes me feel a good envy to move myself.

Framed painting

WHO ARE YOUR INFLUENCES?
If i really like a work it reminds on my mind regardless who’s made it. I find myself more influenced by certain styles. From academic design to dirty and textured art.

Javier De Riba – Nube

ANY LAST WORD?
If i was about to die i would say: “amhhhh, Pin aprofita”. Pin is my flatmade and “aprofita” means in Catalan make the most out of your life.

Nube artwork detail

HATEMACHINE 666
Interview with the Balinese artist

Posted on 06/08/2011 by gael

Hatemachine 666 tells us more about his artworks in an exclusive interview.

The man behind Hatemachine 666 is my best friend in Bali.
When lunch time is ringing, I like to stop working and meet the talented artist and owner of the brand Stormbridge for a yummy balinese dish such as lawar (pork and pig’s blood with rice and spices) or be celeng (suckling pig).
Then we usually talk about some of our favorite topics like design, balinese culture, or girls (the married man is way more serious than me on that subject) with our friend Setiawan Tangsek.
We recently did a collaboration for his clothing line and produce the official outfits of my last touring exhibition Longing To Be Knotted Together.
Stay tuned because there is more collaboration to come, and I can guarantee that it will blow your mind.
Waiting for the new project to be released I’m happy to put some of his great work on my blog.
Matur suksma bli!
More about the Balinese artist Hatemachine 666.
More about Stormbridge.

PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF:
Hi, my name is Hatemachine666 and I live in Bali, Indonesia. I’m an illustrator as well as a graphic & apparel designer.
As a child I never received any formal training but Art is my passion.
I started from copying comic books, TV cartoon movies, nude pictures that I saw in my grand dad Playboy magazines (I discovered it in his treasure trunk and the images allowed me to learn more about female anatomy 😉 ). I never imagined that I would become a graphic designer or an illustrator cause at the time my dream was to become an astronaut. But Art was my real passion and I have been working as a graphic designer and illustrator for over 7 years now. I started right after I dropped my college at Indonesian Art Institute Bali ( I.S.I Bali ) and I’m working on apparel design, t-shirt graphics, CD covers, logos, posters, packaging design etc.

Hatemachine 666 avatar.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORK?
I can’t be too specific on that but I do love playing with skulls, nude women, flowers, snakes and all those ol’skool tattoo things. I then combine everything with a psychedelic, nouveau, or surrealist twist.

Duality – 6 colors screen print on black paper by Hatemachine 666.

PLEASE SHARE WITH US YOUR WORKING PROCESS:
I first draw a sketch of the concept I have, then ink it with markers before scanning it and finalizing the details on Photoshop. Sometimes I use a tablet that allows me to be more time efficient, but it all depends of the feeling I want to input in my work. Manual pratice is still the best for me I think.

Even the Great Should Fall by Hatemachine 666.

HOW DOES YOUR ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE YOUR ART?
I grew up and live in Bali. It’s an island that still has deep beliefs in magic, ancestor spirits, god and goddess, demons etc. There is also a strong presence of traditional art with sculptures and paintings that I see everyday. All those things really have a huge influence on most of my works.

Killed By Butterfly by Hatemachine 666.

WHO ARE YOUR INFLUENCE?

Frank Frazetta.
Alphonse Mucha.
Jean Giraud a.k.a Moebius.
Charles Burns.
Alex Ross.
Pushead.

and more great artists.

Lady Muerte by Hatemachine 666.

ANY LAST WORDS? 
I always have this quote in my mind. It’s a short but meaningful one to me.: “I am still learning”. It’s from Michelangelo and those few words put me in the right state of mind to keep exploring my skills and improving myself. I hope it will inspire you too.

JON BURGERMAN
Interview with the English artist

Posted on 04/08/2011 by gael

Exclusive interview with the English artist Jon Burgerman.

Jon Burgerman and I share the same French agent called Lezilus (hi Lezilus!).
Jon grew up in England on a diet of Walkers crisps and lemon Tango, doodling through his lessons at school, barely paying enough attention to hear when the teacher was telling him off for not paying attention.He then went to study Fine Art at University in Nottingham (where he still lives now) and paid just a tiny bit more attention… but not that much more.
Since then he has been scrawling images for fun, for companies and for exhibitions. Jon may be a weakling but his fingers are super buff!
Published in Acclaim magazine.
More about Jon Burgerman

Burgerman characters

WITH NEW WORKS USUALLY COMING OUT MORE OFTEN THAN A LIL WAYNE FEATURING, HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN TO STAY PROLIFIC AND TO KEEP COMING UP WITH FRESH IDEAS AT THE SAME TIME?
I have a very low attention span, I also get excited and inspired by lots of things around me, so I’m always keen to try new stuff out. I have lots of ideas about what I want to do with my work and try and slip them into new projects I’m working on. The only way I can stay sane with my work is to try new things. On the surface drawing might seem simplistic and limiting but actually it’s infinite and sometimes overwhelming. I try and feed my brain good music, literature, thoughts, food etc and I think this in someway comes through in my ideas and work. The answers can often be found in books.

My Jon Burgerman interview published in Acclaim magazine

PRINTS, PAINTINGS, TOYS, ANIMATIONS, CLOTHING, SKETCHES, ETC. HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE MEDIUM YOU’LL USE FOR A NEW WORK?
IThe medium is sometimes suggested by the project at hand, for instance it might not be practical to work with slices of bread and squeezy ketchup for a clothing project (though it could be interesting). I approach most projects in the same way regardless of medium. The concept or story needs to work on paper and in my head first for the rest of the project to flow. So even if it’s a one-off graphic for a tee-shirt there will be an idea behind it that makes sense to me and allows me to get on with making the work. I need to convince my brain all is well, and then it’ll allow me to get on with the doodling.

DO YOU SOMETIMES GET TIRED OF PEOPLE ASKING YOU ABOUT THE “CHILDHOOD” FACTOR IN YOUR WORK?
Not really, not many people really ever ask me about that. Some of my work might look simplistic or even childish but that’s a very surface judgment to make. Although having said that, I’ve run some workshops with children and some of their artworks and ideas are amazing, their brains are open to wild possibilities and strange thoughts. So being compared to them is a complete compliment. Drawing is ageless.

Jon Burgerman graffiti

YOU’VE DONE A BUNCH OF COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS AND COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS IN YOUR CAREER. ARE THERE SOME MORE PEOPLE YOU WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH?
I’ve really enjoyed working with a lot of different artists, from doodlers, to designers, animators and musicians. It’s great to be in the company of people that know what they’re doing, it’s such a relief for me. I’d like to work with more people outside of what I generally do – so I’d love to hook up with more musicians, fashion labels, filmmakings and chef. Yeah, I’d like to work with some chefs… maybe a baker, that would be nice.

Jon Burgerman Banquet artwork

HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR STYLE EVOLVING IN THE NEXT 3 YEARS?
I just hope it becomes more. More everything and less nothing, shiny and colourful, rich and satisfying.

WHAT ARE YOUR PROJECTS AND EXPECTATIONS FOR THE NEXT 3 HOURS?
During the next three hours I hope to be made a cup of tea by someone, I will eat an apple, I will walk home and hopefully it will not be raining, I’ll have some lovely post waiting for me at my flat, the smells of dinner will soon be emanating from my kitchen and then I’ll get on with some drawings and check my emails. This is the best I can hope for but also it’s all I’d like to achieve in the next three hours. There is comfort in conformity, pleasure in predictability and the majestic in the mundane. If anything, it’s good to escape the manic doodle-world for a little while.

ROSE HARDY
Interview with the NZ tattoo artist

Posted on 31/07/2011 by gael

Rose Hardy interview.

Rose Hardy is probably the funniest person I’ve interviewed, and on top of that her work is super super rad. Kiwi rules!
Published in Acclaim magazine.
More about the NZ tattoo artist Rose Hardy.

Chest ink

Auckland-based Rose Hardy is probably one of the most exciting new tattooer coming out of the New Zealand scene. Confirmed airbrush painter, she’s also the daughter of Ed Hardy… Not the original tattoo legend though, but a kiwi homonym actually not related at all (funny isn’t it!). Currently on the road, she will demonstrate her talent in Melbourne’s Chapel Tattoo Studio until 17th of July, just before pursuing a European trip, from London to Stockholm.

Back tattoo

LET’S START OFF WITH THE BASIC. HOW DID YOU GET INTO TATTOOING AND DO YOU HAVE ANY SORT OF FORMAL ART TRAINING?
Before I started learning tattooing I was all set to go to art school. I’m actually really glad it worked out the way it did. No student loan for me! I got my start in tattooing from Adam Craft when I was 19. He got my foot in the door, showed me the basics and helped me out a lot. Adam left the country to tattoo in Europe and after that I apprenticed under a couple of different artists, Aaron Stradwick being the last. He quit tattooing after I was well on my way working on paying customers, it was a damn shame! I feel really fortunate to have been taught and had the opportunity to work with the artists I have. In Auckland, the tattoo scene is relatively small considering the population, and unfortunately there’s not that many amazing tattooers. If you manage to land an apprenticeship, you better pray to God that what your being taught isn’t going to do more harm than good. I suppose you could say that about most cities though, there’s always the good and bad…

Back tattoo sketch by Rose Hardy

SO YOU’RE ON THE ROAD NOW, WHAT DIFFERENCES, IF ANY, DO YOU NOTICE BETWEEN TATTOOING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF YOUR AUCKLAND STUDIO?
It’s pretty similar I guess, coming to Australia. People there are great and I’ve had a lot of fun tattoos to do. In Brisbane and Melbourne, people are pretty chilled and happy with what I want to give them. In Auckland people seem a little more fussy and picky – which is totally fine, but it’s awesome when someone just gives you their whole chest, or arm, and say “do whatever, I love your stuff”. I’ve actually been quite surprised, it seems like a lot more people than I expected over here are familiar with my work and want to get tattooed. It seems like I’m more popular here than I am at home! I’ll definitely be back once a year for a few months from here on in.

Painting on a vase by Rose Hardy

CAN YOU GIVE US A BRIEF FUNNY JOB STORY?
One day this woman came into the studio, she looked and acted kinda shifty and asked if I could cover up a scar she had, which was well below the belt, if you know what I mean. I told her it’s no problem and asked what kind of design she wanted, and she said “A stallion…”. So I’m like “sure, what kinda pose?”. She responds “I want it rearing up and, and… it should have a tiny… a tiny erection”. Ok, my first thought is “stallions don’t have tiny erections, do they?” Anyway I’m roughing this thing out and she adds “it should also have lettering around it saying… Stallions Nut Bar”. Then she tells me the tattoo is for her husband who left her and she’s hoping it will be healed by a certain date because she’s getting glamour shots taken for him. So we did the tattoo and everything went fine. A couple of weeks after that she came back in and got her husband’s name tattooed under the ‘tiny erection’ (I kept it well in proportion by the way). I ended up getting a call from her months later. She thanked me very much and told me the glamour shots looked great and the tattoo was a hit! Her husband is back and all is well. Happy ending…

Artwork by the tattoer Rose Hardy

HOW DO YOU SEE TATTOO CULTURE AFFECTING FASHION, FINE ARTS AND THE ADVERTISING INDUSTRY?
For the last three years, I have worked for Illicit in New Zealand – a clothing label/boutique/tattoo studio who have used my (and other tattoo artists) designs on some of the ranges. I also design for a US company called Tattooed Steel, who laser-etches my work onto jewellery. Tattooing is pretty mainstream now, and people will always cash in on the cool factor. The fashion industry has used tattoo designs for a long time. Some work really well I think, but on the flipside there is a shitload of traditional style designs being thrown onto clothing that don’t have a lot of artistic merit. It’s a dime a dozen. Tattoos grab your attention, so they work well in advertising. A lot of tattooers are also incredible painters / sculptors / photographers. I think it’s awesome that these days a tattooer can be taken seriously as a fine artist, to the point that they can have sell-out shows in top galleries without having the art school background. Through the years 2002-2005, alongside my friend Gary, I organized quite a few group art exhibitions in Auckland, concentrating on promoting artists who weren’t formally trained. Quite a few came from tattoo or graffiti backgrounds. They were a lot of fun (and stress) to organize and were pretty successful. If I had more time, I’d love to get back into that side of things. At the moment I barely have enough time to paint, so maybe in a few years I’ll pick it up again!

Mega art

Artist Mega awesome artworks

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