Saturday, January 26, 2008

Interview with Turf One

q)Name?

a)Jean Labourdette and/or Turf One...

q)Location?

a)I was born and grew up in Paris, France. In 2001, I moved to Montreal, Canada where I have been based for the past 7 years.
q)Contact info.?

a) http://www.turfizm.com/


q)How did you get started making art?

a)As far as I can remember I always drew and painted... In the late eighties I started doing graffiti which is what introduced me to the notion of having people seeing my work, which motivated me to constantly try to push further the quality of my work. When I was 18 I decided that I was done with school and I started to make a living using my skills doing illustrations, comics, animations, videos, paintings and so on...
q)How would you describe your art?

a)I wouldn't. I'm very bad at describing my work. I find words, categories and labels so limiting to describe any visual work... But if I didn't have a choice I'd say it's sort of like mystic taxidermy.
q)Where do you get the inspiration for your art?

a)My ideas really come from my unconscious... I always carry a small sketchbook in my pocket and whenever I have an image or a "vision" that comes to my mind, I sketch it in to capture it...I never try to find an idea on purpose sitting in my studio in front of a blank canvas...For me, inspiration comes when it wants to, not when I try to force it...

q)What other artists inspire you?

a)Amongst others : The Flemish Primitives, Rembrandt, Velazquez, Bosch, Otto Dix, Maurizio Cattelan, some old school tattoo artists, carnival sideshow banner painters...

q)Where can someone purchase your works?

a)Galerie d'art Yves Laroche (Montreal), Fuse gallery (N.Y.), Thinkspace (L.A.) and http://www.turfizm.com/

q)What is your main medium of choice?

a)Mostly acrylics, wood and found objects...

q)What are you working on now?

a)I am working on new paintings for some upcoming shows, a few commissioned pieces and also developing a TV show...

q)What advice could you give to someone who wants tobe an artist?

a)To be consistent, perseverant and to make sure they choose that path for the right reasons... You have to create art because it's a personal need, regardless of the money factor.... Then only can you start thinking about selling it...But making money shouldn't be the reason why you start making art in the first place or else all you'll be making is shit....

q) What are you doing when you are not creating art?

a)Hanging out with my wife Lela and our dog Kali, hiking and occasionally getting silly and drunk with the boys... I work 90% of the time.

q) What does music, in its entirety, mean to you?

a)Music fuels my energy. I can't paint without music...

q) What does art, in its entirety, mean to you?

a)Creating art (or whatever you want to call it) is the center of my life. I truly need to create to be alive.

q)Are there some web sites that You would like to recomend?Artists, art communities, xxx,...!?

a)My two picks of the day are http://www.tin-tin-tattoos.com/ and http://www.doubletrouble-films.com/...

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