My work takes a “more is more” approach – maybe too much, but it’s always right for me.
In 2014, your exercises changed, you use collage backgrounds, mainly using cut pages with filler text. Looking back, any reason why you were escaping was this part of your practice?
For over a decade, I have worked in a mixed media background, creating collages of old dictionaries, maps, biology and science books. It was my low-key era, inspired by American artists, punk, gothic and Victorian images. My work takes a “more is more” approach – maybe too much, but it’s always right for me. I continued in this spirit until 2014.
I’m tired of doing collages, it’s too much, and it’s time to change my background. My next phase starts when I leave the collage background. I feel the need to get rid of the physical world and start painting the universe. This shift marks my entire embrace of the popular surreal movement – the transition to light.
Twenty years later, do words still play a role in your work?
Words still play a role in my work, but in a very different way. I was deeply inspired by lyrics, for example, in the national song “Scary Love” these lyrics: “This is a terrible love, I’m walking with a spider” Inspired my painting “The Terrible Trap”, a butterfly woman is trapped in a spider web. Recently, I was also inspired by post-punk bands, as well as the post-hardcore bands of Fontaine DC, Idles, the Murder Capital, and La Touché Amoré. I could also be inspired by storytelling, which is a great story and I’m listening to a lot of audio books while I’m working. For example, Tolkien, Stephen King’s horror and Neil Gaiman’s magic, they are my top three.
I’ve read that you have discovered a lot of inspiration after visiting Japan and the experience has changed you. Is it a kawaii character? Is it the whole culture? Can you elaborate on life-changing experiences for us?
Japan has definitely changed my life. I’ve been fascinated by anime since childhood, he’s Captain Harlock, Sailor Moon, the movie “Godzilla” and more. This is my first approach to Japanese culture. I had the opportunity to travel to Japan and I was shocked by beauty, perfection, discipline and culture. Natural and [the] shrine[s] So powerful, the garden has a dreamy shape, everything is more beautiful in Japan. In another country, I have never discovered something spiritual, magical. Godism may have influenced me on my animism. Everything is still alive. I also like art and Japanese subjects, and it has a very high level, and it gives me enough energy to challenge myself. It helps me understand that I will develop throughout my life. I “enhance” everything every day in my art. Like a Japanese artist, I work from 7 to 10 hours a day.
I also like the art and culture in comics, on the streets, on the streets; this is a beautiful and endless substantive nature. I see Sebastian Masuda, artist and creator of Monster Cafe, but 6% of Dokidoki’s brands say: Kawaï is art, I totally agree. Japan is my favorite country and I will be back to Tokyo soon and can’t wait
Your work has a darkness, not just because of the black ink. Maybe it’s dense details or tangled forest backgrounds, trees and characters. Everything seems mysterious. However, at least in the way the world is described, it is positive. Should we doubt your character’s eye-opening and smile? Should we trust them?
There is a dark and light part of my art, but there is always a good balance.
