Interview with Jaune for “Trash Talk”

Thinkspace is proud to present Trash Talk featuring new works by internationally renowned artists and street interventionists, Jaune, from Belgium, and Slinkachu, from the UK. Both critically acclaimed artists work on an atypical miniaturist scale, especially given the monumental standard demanded of public art in the deafening context of the city. Jaune and Slinkachu both challenge this paradigm of scale while incorporating the city’s refuse and garbage into their imagery as materials and themes.

In anticipation of Trash Talk, our interview with Jaune discusses his collaboration with Slinkachu, the role of artists in society, and what the perfect day outside of the studio would look like.

SH: Is there a particular piece in this exhibition you feel really challenged you? If so, why and what makes you proud of this piece.

JU: Actually not one piece in particular but the whole exhibition as I always try to bring my work one step further, so it’s an all-new generation of works, I followed the same way I started to build for the previous shows but trying to change what I “disliked”. Like my stencils, my pieces are multi-layered but I always had the problem that the final result was quite heavy (visually) to make everything hold together, but this time, without taking out that multi layer effect, I could get to a visual light result, which obviously is really satisfying for me

SH: How do you approach starting a new body of work? Walk us through the process of a piece from conception to completion.

JU: All my stencils are cut at the same scale, which makes every character, element or whatever able to be combined with any other one to create each time a new story made of the same element. A bit like when we speak, we use a limited range of vocabulary, only the position of the word in the sentence and how we accord them together make a new story.

So my challenge is to make something new and fresh with something I already used. Then I only need to create few new stencils, I don’t only create those stencil but an almost limitless number of possible new stories by combining with all the previous stencils.

SH: What excites you about your work / creative process?

JU: New projects, new places, new people!

The very roots of my work were born in Brussels, full of what we could call a kind of Belgian spirit: humour with self-derision and a bit of stupid nonsense. I was really curious to discover if that point which seems to me really local could work as well in other places with people that don’t specifically know this kind of work.

SH: What frustrates you about your work / the creative process?

JU: Not many things actually, as I’m the only architect of my work, I try to make it only pleasant to me, trying to turn any difficulties or problem into a challenge to grow or a new adventure, any bad situation has a bright side!

The only point that could bother me seriously is when people use my work to promote themselves, without asking me any permission, what for them is a cool stuff to use, for me it’s a life’ work, then I’m really protective to it.

SH: What has the collaborative process been like with Slinkachu / Jaune? 

JU: A game! To me, it has been like a game! Inspiration, ideas, and creativity is my/our daily job if I can say it that way, create new projects, new ideas have really become a natural process, then making some work with an other artist, so an other universe, is like to open a door to on a new world. After that it’s like a ping pong game, one throw an idea, the other come back with his vision, which leads to a direction none of us could have reach alone, it’s really exciting.

SH: Speaking of collaboration, if you could collaborate with any artists (from any art form ie: movies, music, dance etc.) dead or alive who would it be and what would you create?

JU: There are so many artist I would like to collaborate with, actually I have desires to make common work with almost every artist I ever met on festival or on different project, but I can choose who I want, just to keep my humorous direction, I would have loved collaborating with Leonardo Da Vinci, first of all, because I would have left a huge impact on humanity, but mostly because the Mona Lisa would have been funnier with 3 fluo mini guys in the background trying to achieve a pointless job or a bunch of little workers drawn in his codex represented as trying to build his prototype of helicopter, it would just have been fun

SH: If your body of work inspired an ice cream flavor, what would it be called and what are the ingredients?

JU: That’s a tricky question, I’m painting some bin men… I think an ice cream tasting like garbage doesn’t have a big chance to be liked…

My characters are often drinking beers, but I don’t think that an ice cream tasting like beer would be that amazing either, so I guess it would probably taste like a frozen cocktail and it would obviously have 2 fluorescent colours.

SH: What do you think the role of artists is in society? How does other artwork inform how you move through life?

JU: I don’t think artists have a specific role as we are all singular personalities trying to express something, mostly something deeply personal. And as anyone is free to interpret any artwork following his own vision, it seems complicated to me to imagine artist with a defined role in this multi-directional society, the only point I believe each artist can bring is a different and creative point of view on a situation, which can allow the viewer to make a step back and have a different perspective on what is expressed by the artist, to get out of a daily routine in a way.

SH: What would a perfect day outside of the studio look like for you?

JU: There are 2 possibilities, outside of the studio but still with my stencils: then it would be on a festival in a sunny place, with other artists, having fun doodling some mini dudes everywhere I can.

If it is without my stencils, then it would be probably still in a sunny place, in the middle of nowhere, making a bbq with friends, just chilling!

SH: If you got to live in any movie or book for a day, what would it be? Would you be yourself or one of the characters?

JU: There’s a lot of movie universes I’d like to live in, but they are all pretty dangerous, so I guess living in an anime would be way safer… so I would probably live in the world of Kung Fu Panda for 3 reasons: Kung fu, noodles and humour!

The Opening Reception of “DUO” & “NEMETA” – February 27, 2016

DUO Opening Reception Title Wall

Have you ever seen a surf shack inside an art gallery? Well if you were at the opening reception of “DUO”, the answer would be, “Yes and it was AMAZING!”

Yok & Sheryo transformed the nook in Thinkspace Gallery’s main room with the contruction of thier palm leaf convered shack. Adorned with hand painted signage and displaying new works from the duo on the inside, they figuratively and litterally nailed their install. Not to be overshadow, the talented duos’; BEST EVER, Snik, Telmo Miel, Nevercrew, Jana & JS, and Cyrcle complete the exhibition with a cohesive flow of colorful, layered, and textured works.

DUO Opening Reception

Duo Opening Reception

Duo Opening Reception

In the Thinkspace Gallery project room, Rodrigo Luff exhibited 11 new pieces for Nemeta. His signature ethereal style and unique brilliant colors jumped off the canvas, find out more about his inspiration for the show in our exclusive interview with Luff.

Rodrigo Luff Nemeta Opening Reception

Rodrigo Luff Nemeta Opening Reception

Rodrigo Luff Nemeta Opening Reception

Rodrigo Luff Nemeta Opening

Duo Opening Reception

Duo Opening Reception

Duo Opening Reception

Duo Opening Reception

Duo Opening Reception

Duo Opening Reception

Duo Opening Reception

Duo Opening Reception

Duo Opening Reception

Duo Opening Reception

Duo Opening Reception

Duo Opening Reception

Duo Opening Reception

Duo Opening Reception

Duo Opening Reception

Duo Opening Reception

Duo Opening Reception

Duo Opening Reception

To view the full set of photos from the opening night please visit the Thinkspace Gallery Facebook and Flickr account. “DUO” & “Nemeta” are on view till March 19th, please visit the Thinkspace Gallery website for more information.

Thinkspace Family on Instagram : “DUO” Edition

Thinkspace Gallery in collaboration with Berlin’s Urban Nation is pleased to present DUO, a group exhibition featuring works by internationally acclaimed contemporary art duos: Best/Ever, Cyrcle, Jana & JS, Nevercrew, Snik, Telmo Miel, and Yok & Sheryo.

As a special edition of our Thinkspace Family on Instagram series, the following accounts are of the talented artists in the exhibition. We invite you to the opening reception for “DUO” tonight Saturday, February 27th from 6-9pm and runs to March 19th.

The Instagram accounts below are in the following order;  Nevercrew, The Yok, Sheryo, Jana and JS, Telmo Miel, Snik, Cyrcle, Best/Ever. To view more of each artist’s Instagram account click their username next to the profile picture.

 

@bedrockla studios EchoPark still Rollin . Photo @the1point8 Circa 2012 #cyrcle #magicisreal

A photo posted by cyrcle (@cyrcle) on

“DUO” Interview with CYRCLE

CYRCLE interview banner

CYRCLE is a two-man collective made up of, American artists David Leavitt (Davey Detail) and David Torres (Rabi), born out of Los Angeles, California in 2010. Their artwork focuses on life, duality, and the human condition combined with the aesthetic consideration of form, typeface, color, and balance which is what creates their “signature” style.

Thinkspace Gallery in collaboration with Berlin’s Urban Nation, is pleased to present DUO, a group exhibition featuring works by internationally acclaimed contemporary art duos. The following is an exclusive Sour Harvest interview with CYRCLE.

CYRCLE face paint

How did you two first meet and decide to collaborate together?
We met in Los Angeles at a 4th of July rooftop party 2007 I think. There were literally fireworks, it was the gayest of times :). We spent years hanging out and developing the friendship. Painting and creating together had many ups and downs. It wasn’t until 2010 that we focused our experiences in life together into CYRCLE.

CYRCLE cube

What inspires you or where do you find inspiration?
Inspiration comes in all shapes, sizes, sounds, and smells.  It’s interesting where an idea can come from. By nature from birth we are absorbing information and spewing shit back out, so it makes sense that it’s just a combination of what we have learned and know (or think we know) plus feel, plus want to say. Fuck man there’s no way to answer this question without sounding pretentious, lol, but its true. It’s deep. Sometimes we think we don’t have a choice in the matter at all. We can say most recently our interest is in science and religion. Faith and Fact. What is truth?

CYRCLE Mural

How do you two work through conflict when creating a cohesive vision?
Basically, Davey has a very passive way of saying no, it’s kinda like saying yes but not really. Where as when I see something I don’t like I’m like FUCK NO! Fire and ice.  We value each other’s opinions so it usually just takes a cigarette or two.

CYRCLE art

What is your process for collaborating, does one artist do xyz and the other abc? Please elaborate.
Our creative process is always evolving. We have uniquely different skills. Ideas are selected based on who has the superior or best-refined concept. This varies from project to project. Usually, we start with a word or defining statement which catalyzes the creative process. We tend to think thematically and tediously dissect a concept in depth which then informs the art, it’s medium, composition, and aesthetic. We treat our exhibitions as if a fashion collection, each story is like a new season, with a unique inspiration. We like to create cohesive body’s of work, that make sense when viewed in entirety or seen as a collection. With that said, we both inform each other of ideas that help explain the narrative. Davey’s strengths are in design and Rabi’s in painting and execution. We balance each other well, we have a symbiotic relationship. We are yin and yang.

CYRCLE Mural

Do you remember your first wall? Or have a good story to share from when you were doing a mural together…
We can Remember our first really big wall in LA. It was on Bedrock studios in Echo Park.  It took over a month and basically killed us. We would have nightmares about it getting buffed, or torn down by an earthquake. So funny. Now a days its another day at the office, a wall that size will take a week. We’ve come a long way, in what feels like a very short time.

CYRCLE cube

If you could live in a movie for a day, what would it be? Would you be yourself or a specific character?
RABI- Bill Murray, Groundhogs Day.
Davey- Same.

Anything else you would like to share? Next big project?
@BLACKCYRCLE @DOUGLYFESUCKS

CYCLE Mural

View new work from CYRCLE during our opening reception for “DUO” Saturday, February 27th from 6 -9 pm. For additional information on the exhibit please visit Thinkspace Gallery’s website; if you’d like to receive a preview of the show make sure to sign up for the Thinkspace Gallery mailing list.

back to back CYRCLE

“DUO” Interview with Snik

snik  banner

Britain’s Snik is couple Nick and Laura. Nick began working as Snik in 2005, later pairing up with Laura at the end of 2011. Working in stencil and spray paint, the duo is constantly pushing the boundaries of their medium. Snik will hand cut up to nine layers of stencils at a time, creating the depth and realism for which their work is known, with several overlays and applications of paint and varnish. The level of detail in their work is impressive, and the painterly approach of their technique is unique in its texture and dimensionality. By combining the precision of the graphic stencil cuts with the more chaotic and free application of paint, their works balance chaos with control. The same aesthetic applies to their work on canvas, where they offset the accidental aspects of studio work with drips, bleeds and smudges, with the precision of graphic stenciling. 

Thinkspace Gallery in collaboration with Berlin’s Urban Nation, is pleased to present DUO, a group exhibition featuring works by internationally acclaimed contemporary art duos. The following is an exclusive Sour Harvest interview with Snik. 

How did you two first meet and decide to collaborate together?
Nik originally started teasing out Snik back in 2003 after being immersed in the street art scene from visiting prolific cities across the world. We actually started speaking in 2010, both living in a small town it wasn’t long before we realised we were one of the few people that not only painted but adored finding out about new pieces painted across the globe. Late night studio sessions, ideas and bottles of wine were shared so in a short time 2011 summer came around and we both collaborated with Ben Slow on a wall in Bristol. I guess from there we realised our ideas bounced off each other well. Watching Nik work on the 2011 solo show was a great time for me to step back and really think what I could bring. Officially a duo from the Stencil Bastards show in Zurich in 2012 to our most recent show in LA with Thinkspace we’ve had a great time trying new ideas and concreting Snik being a duo.

SNIK mural melrose

What inspires you or where do you find inspiration?
I guess it all starts with a conversation. Whether it’s over music, films or exploring every single art form that really speaks to us. We took a lot of inspiration at the end of 2015 in Paris. The louvre always stands out to us in a big way, the colours and depths of the 16th-century paintings. But then again we can have what seems to be the best idea going but when it comes to putting spray paint and paper to canvas it can fall apart. Sometimes a late night studio session can bring about an idea that is so much fun to roll with.

Snik WIP tiger

How do you two work through conflict when creating a cohesive vision?
Haha, I think we are lucky that “constructive criticism” only really comes up when we paint a wall. We are both bursting with enthusiasm about ideas that we wanna do but both realise we need to take a step back to chat. Our ideas always combine well. When painting in masks its impossible to talk, so we’ve learned to trust the process and each other. Allowing each other do what we need to do and know it’s going to work…..hopefully.

Snik Mural

What is your process for collaborating, does one artist do XYZ and the other ABC? Please elaborate.
The best way to describe it is we can admit each other’s strong points. I love messing around with colour scales and the contrast it can bring. Being clean and precise. Nik is great at being messy, to be ballsy and drag something pure and clean back to an unstructured piece. We both cut, paint and plan to produce something we can both be proud of.

Do you remember your first wall? Or have a good story to share of when you were doing a mural together…
As mentioned before it was Bristol, Summer 2011. BSU Crew (shout to cosmo, ben slow and DON). An amazing day of beers and sunshine working a wall with Ben Slow. I think if anything, it was Nik seeing I could work his stencils as well as my own and that we could have fun really bringing something to life. That something was Snik. Knowing with 2 people our walls can be bigger and bolder. One of the best feelings ever is standing back from a finished wall together.

Snik Mural

If you could live in a movie for a day, what would it be? Would you be yourself or a specific character? 
Hands down for me it’s True Romance. Alabama’s style, the crazy love story warped in pimps, murder and a classic soundtrack. I’m sure Nik would pick something completely different, maybe Lord of the Rings? Just for the scenery.

Anything else you would like to share? Next big project?
2016 is all about the walls. There’s been a lot of cutting going on, we’re ready to hit walls all over the place. Keep your eyes peeled!

View new works from the duo Snik during our opening reception for “DUO” Saturday, February 27th from 6 -9 pm. For additional information on the exhibit please visit Thinkspace Gallery’s website; if you’d like to receive a preview of the show make sure to sign up for the Thinkspace Gallery mailing list.