Mega interviewed in the Brazilian website Pagina Invalida.
A quite old interview with the great Brasilian website Pagina Invalida.
PAGINA INVALIDA
Mega is a French graphic. In the following interview he will tell us about the creative process behind his illustrations. He will also tell us about his future plans, including a potential trip to Brazil. Discover more about this creative figure.
Screen-print for the Burning Ink exhibition.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR ARTISTIC BACKGROUND, WHERE DOES YOUR NAME COME FROM?
Hi Pagina Invalida, my name is Mega. That’s a joke about the megalomaniac, attitude of many artists. I left school earlier because I wasn’t really happy in my university. “My Education Got Aborted”. Throughout the years I have learn to find my own voice, step by step.
WHAT ARE YOUR INFLUENCES?
From funk to “underground hip hop” music inspires me more a lot. I think that illustrators and music producers work in a similar way. Alone behind your computer, you have to spend hours and hours to establish a structure and polish the details with stunning effects. Years after years, productions after productions, you find your own style, a “color”, that makes you identifiable.
Drawing of two NBA babes for Complex magazine in the USA.
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS?
My favorite writer are Harry Crews, Will Self, Don Delillo, Celine and Chester Himes. As for the visual art, I don’t really pay attention to other illustrators or designers. All I can say is that I enjoy the art of people like Charles Burns, Dalek, Flying Fortress, or Dave Kinsey.
Illustration of a bitchy black girl.
DO YOU THINK THAT GRAPHIC DESIGN INFLUENCES PEOPLE LIVES?
think that ordinary people do not care about graphic design. Good art probably reaby graphic design are the designers themselves.
TALK TO ME ABOUT YOUR TYPICAL DAY AT WORK
Nothing is typical in my work, including the way I do it.
Original handmade drawing for my solo art exhibition I Just Murdered The Alphabet
PRINTS, FIGURES, CHARACTERS, WHAT DO YOU PREFER LIKE TO ILUSTRATE?
Anything that customers need and pay me for.
WHAT TOOLS DO YOU USE?
My main tool remains my brain. My brain helps me take decisions. My brain is a boss and no one can dispute. Then come my eyes, which are very useful as assistants, giving constant indications and warnings. Last but not least are my hands. They are the workers who do not take decisions and are turning the vision into a reality.
WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST DIFFICULTY WITH CUSTOMERS?
I usually do not have problems with my clients. I am probably lucky but so far all my experiences have been good. I don’t see the customer has someone who bring problems. I’m here to help him and assist him. So far everything is going very well.
Car drawing for the advertising of the new Volkswagen.
YOU KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT BRAZILIAN DESIGN?
I like Brazilian street art like Os Gemeos or Speto. I want definitely to learn more about the culture. In a near future I plan to visit and discover what life is like in your region. Are the Brazilian girls really so beautiful?
WHAT IS THE POLITICAL MESSAGE BEHIND YOUR WORK?
The main political or social message behind my work is: “Follow your own path”. This is not as easy as it sounds.Not matter how hard it is, don’t give up on your your dreams. Your are the only one that will take you to your destination.
WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT POLITICS?
For me it’s all about money. You can vote for whoever you want, but the most effective way to change the world around you is to watch the way you will earn and spend your money. I do not want to hurt people to earn my money, so I want to remain independent.
HOW IS THE GRAPHIC DESIGN SCENE IN FRANCE?
In France we do not have a great history of graphic design. Compared to countries like Germany or Switzerland, people here don’t really care about the graphic culture. Most of the time, when I tell people that I am a graphic designer, they think that I’m talking about graffiti! I love graffiti but graphic design is a different field. As for the future, I would say that everything is possible and that it is up to the new generation to change the mentalities. Thank you Pagina Invalida.
