5 Questions with BlackCat Stickers

The 2095 chick first started to notice BlackCat Stickers just about everywhere she went. Difficult to exactly pinpoint exact time and locale cause when she says "everywhere", she means EVERYWHERE.

On poles, on windows, on doors, in doorways, on railings on mailboxes.  Initially always entwined with DogFight Stickers (and yes!  There is an upcoming interview with Dogfight Stickers so stay tuned to this station!)

Or with Cherry Bombs

Ashamedly, the 2095'er must admit that initially she really didn't understand what she was photographing.  To be absolutely honest, the "Spread the Love Project" appeared to be promo for an upcoming gig, but given the 2095'er love for her own black cat (fondly referred to as The Boof) she felt almost duty-bound to capture the image and then continue on her huntin expedition.

It wasn't until a return visit to her beloved Inner West, that she started seeing stencil like images appearing on quite a breath taking scale

artists: Rotar Uno, BlackCat Stickers, DogFight Stickers

and as with many street art experiences, once you see one, you see "hundreds" and this time, the 2095 chick knew what she was looking at it and started to quickly fall in love with yet another artist's clever work.

Again through the marvels of social media, contact with BlackCat was made and the chick will use this delightful segue as an intro to her 5 questions with the artist known as BlackCat.

When did BlackCat come in to "being"

I've always loved and appreciated street art and graffiti, but only started participating a few years ago influenced by my fella (a fellow street artist).  He got this gamer nerd off "Call of Duty" and outside! (finally!  the 2095 chick has found another chick who loves first person shooter games!  But for the 2095'er it has to be Battlefield 1942 Desert Storm: LOVE that adrenalin rush)

I just love going sticker bombing!  In our free time it's always sketching, creating stickers and going on sticker runs.

I love this city...Sydney...and I live in the thick of it!  Navigating the city is now a friendly experience.  I have met a number of Sydney sticker artists and traveling through the city I am welcomed by their familiar characters or lettering; always excited to see a new sticker they have slapped up.  I love seeing the back of a sign that began with a few sticker then in a week's time everyone's stacked on and completely collaged it.  It usually gets buffed pretty quickly but it's great interaction.

I truly believe that street art makes the world a better place, so I wanted to be part of turning this sometimes cold concrete grey city into a living breathing colourful and continually changing landscape in to an outdoor gallery for the people instead of a grid for corporations who get us to focus on their marketing and their "almighty" dollar.

My first sticker was a white cat with the text "Black Cat".  A lot of people ask why I create a white cat for Black Cat.  My cat is a fairer skinned indigenous cat like me; I wanted to put up a sticker that represented me like it was an introduction "Hi!  I'm here!".

Stencil, stickers of pasteups: do you have a preference or do they simply "present" themselves once you have formulated a theme

I love stickers!  Stickers are the best!  I love them because you can get a heap up at a time, so it increases the audience.  You can sticker up numerous stickers before you have even finished rolling paste on a wall or cut out a stencil. 

I also dislike cutting out stencils...too many years of gaming....my hands are stuffed!

I do like experimenting and love the variety that making stickers gives you.  For instance: the canvas...stickers, vinyl, shipping labels, anything sticker you can get your hands on.

The materials you can choose to create with: such as spray paint, block paint, lino prints, screen prints, digital prints.

Then finding the perfect place for them: I think the cool thing about the street is that while anything in a gallery space allows the work to speak for itself, it's the street that adds context: humour, rebellion, surprise, impact etc.  

A gallery is very static while the streets change and move and I love it when I see a sticker that has been left up for ages with the rain washing out all the colour, or it has faded over time from the sun: torn and weathered over time.

Even if it is capping an advertisement in a particular place it could totally change the meaning of the image.

Stickers never get boring.  I love seeing other street art stickers' progression: how the characters or lettering develop and change over time.  It's fun to put your sticker next to theirs and they will hopefully see it as you saying "hi" on the streets, then meeting them at a street art exhibition and say "oh so it's you who does those cute little characters"!

I haven't traded stickers much since I started but if you have the cash and send packs with some extra prints it's amazing when you receive return packs from all over the world.

When I was in primary school I used to write letters a lot to friends in Spain and Melbourne and I used to love checking the letterbox and receiving mail that was personal, pretty, colourful and fun.  People don't send letters anymore, so it (receiving sticker packs) is a return to that excitement of receiving mail that isn't just bills and junk mail.

Who or what inspires your creativity

I am inspired by computer game graphics, comic books, art books and looking at other peoples art.  So far I have created a few different cats and some stencils/paste ups of images that I think look iconic and strong.  They appeal to me, so I hope they appeal to other people.

Collab or solo

As my partner is a street artist too, we collaborate quite a bit in the process of making them (stickers, paste ups etc).  For instance, we might choose to lino print stickers so we will sit and cut out our prints at the same time and give each other suggestions.  

We have done a few collab stickers and I am definitely interested in collaborating with other artists more.

I also collaborate with my crew at Cherrybombs.  Admittedly not as much as I would like...mostly we are in different states and countries, but we have a couple of crew stickers we put up.

Massive shoutout to Beryl, Kwad, Missfit, Pat and Kicks!  You can check out their incredible work at our Cherrybombs page "here".

What can we expect to see from BlackCat in the near future

For "pasteys" (as I like to call them), I am keen to create warrior superhero women images.  For stickers I am currently working to refine my prowess in digital art on Illustrator and Photoshop.

I also dabble in photography so you my might encounter my photos in an exhibition or two.

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A perfect ending for a perfect interview with the feline provocateur known BlackCat with enormous thanks for giving the 2095'er time, insight and sharing some photos for this interview!

PM3

For followers of the 2095'ers ramblings, it would be difficult to not to acknowledge the fact that PM3 had a major impact upon her life as a streetart photographer.

Prior to first visit she had heard various comments by some that it wasn't "their scene" in that it wasn't "street" enough for them.  Being a fairly philosophical person, the 2095 chick did not let this influence her at all: in fact it was the opposite.  And besides, why would you not want to to see something that was street, with its stage being a world heritage listed island in the middle of Sydney Harbour!

Undeterred, the 2095'ers maiden voyage to Cockatoo Island was on the official opening day.  While she had been aware that installations & PM3 starting before the official start date, for some inexplicable reason the chick elected to not go and upon reflection she still is unable to pinpoint exactly why.

No need to dwell or attempt self-analysis (cause this could go on for eternity!) the main point is that she got there.

After exploring the exterior and needing to have a breather, the 2095'er swivelled her head and there it was.  In ya face, drowning with layers, an explosion of colour, HUGE pasteups and in the midst of it all it was.....total silence.  

A complete contradiction of the senses in an almost blissfully suffocating way.

As with most experiences the desire to share via slideshow was a no-brainer. Inspired, feeling incredibly excited and proud that the Aussies were showing the world "how it was done", each sound bite expresses the 2095 chick emotions at time of "production" (or reflection as the case may be).

One must be patient given there are 4 in total and even then they do not cover every frame captured.

Inside came a need to capture as many images of PM3 as humanly possible in an almost obsessive nature.  

Perhaps deep down the 2095'er understood that this may be a one time experience and as it was quasi-street, where things can change daily, such was the desire to capture these changes: hence multiple returns became almost a way of life for the chick.

An intense feeling of sadness and grief overcame the 2095'er at the end of this amazing experience.  Initially excited that the new date had been released the 2095'er could barely contain her excitement at what would be on show at the next Outpost.  Sadly this was not meant to be.  

For reasons that still perplex her, the 2095 chick "got" that the honchos (or those with the moula to fund such an 'exhibition') felt it was time to take away from the artists and transform this "test" to how THEY perceived it should be thus removing entirely what street and art is really all about.

The 2095 chick remains incredibly sad as it seems (or at least in the 2095'ers humble opinion) that the arts are once again left on the side burner by those with the dosh who have some inane feeling of "ownership" and remove the opportunity to educate those who may not fully understand what street art is all about.

On a personal level they have removed the opportunity for the 2095'er (and others) to explore, admire and become hopelessly lost within the world of streetart in a single location.

As such we must thank Ben Frost, Konsumterra and all that contributed to PM3.  The 2095'er must also personally thank each and every artist that she has now become familiar with on a more personal level for without PM3 she may not be able to do her blogs.

As she has a ridiculously high number of images (and even now, they are still not all uploaded) feel free to check out the 2095'ers PM3 set "here" but be mindful that while images remain the property of the 2095'er the actual paste ups remain the property of the artist/s.

A moon licht bricth tonicht

There are times for the 2095 chick where music and compilations of graff must be shared.  She is not quite sure from where this "urge" is derived.  

Is that she is a "frustrated" artist perhaps?

Might it be that it is simply a desire to express using two of her passions: music and streetart photography?

Or is it that a theme simply presents itself and from there everything magically appears to fall in to place.

Who knows (one could debate the idiosyncratic nature of the 2095 until the end of time, and perhaps provide some head doctors with interesting fodder), but whichever way you choose to look at it, there is one constant in the 2095'ers world: passion and that passion needs an outlet and that outlet results in to the little vids below!

Once upon a time the 2095'er was a member of The Sydney Film Festival and went to a most intriguing talk on how music influences our perception of a visual, whether it be tv, film or even a streetart slide show/montage.

Enjoy and make of it what you will....but there is one thing to keep in mind: the theme. Are you able to work it out?

being a fan of a certain series involving a psychopathic serial killer is pretty obvious here

Take note: what the brain hears may influence the viewer's conclusion as to what the 2095'er had intended when creating...which for the hoi polloi might be the definition of "art".

Thanks for watching!

5 Questions with Asio Gidup

For my encounter with Asio Gidup was at .......(insert obvious).  The piece somewhat confounded the 2095'er as it appeared to be a paste up which comprised of mini-pasteups but then presented as a single paste up (and if you can follow that thread then you are obviously well entrenched and familiarised with the 2095's "expressionism"s).

Ironically it would also be the day that her ISD was full by full, I mean 4G full AND she had left the second in the confines of her abode for reasons yet to be identified.

Aarrrrghhhh....total frustration, given that the nature of PM3 was to be a (at least this is how the 2095'er wanted it to be) quasi-street-art-hunt where it's a case of "here one day, pasted over the next".

Fortunately the artist in question has provided the 2095'er with a photograph to include in this somewhat rambling intro.

How long as Asio Gidup been part of the 'street art' movement

I started pasting in 2010.  I began making photo collages a year or so beforehand.  I was a toy at tagging in high school but always loved going on missions.

Your technique is incredibly complex yet when one sees the final "product" it has the appearance of being deceptively easy.  Can you explain the methods used from start to finish for these incredibly impressive masterpieces.

Well thank you!  What a lovely thing to say, you're very kind.  I take lots of photos from multiple perspectives and angles of the same object (a landscape, object, person etc).

I don't use a tripod (to which the 2095 cheers loudly!) I try to take photos in the same sitting because I find I take the photo sets differently depending on my state of mind.

The task involves concentration, so if I am in a depressed mood for example, I'll possibly experience anhedonia (slowing of the thoughts) and I'll take a set of photos differently compared to when I am in a state of joy or love.

I sort the photos out and take them to print. Depending on the location I have in mind, I will make the poster in to segments or at times will put together on the spot.

What has been your largest installation to date

Largest to date would probably have been a beach landscape at Holloway Eye-ware warehouse in West-End (Brisbane) for Lost Movements in December 2012  (4.6 x 5.2)

What drives you to create

I'm driven by torment from obsessive thoughts and compulsion to realise them.  Music and women inspire me most.

Do you Asio Gidup as having a certain "shelf life" or will you continue to create for as long as the desire to do so exists

I guess I don't really understand the question.  This is the way I have found to express my ideas and feelings that comes easily to me and brings me joy, peace of mind, satisfaction and much more: all as essential forms of introspection and self-healing.

So to say "shelf life" implies I will only want to continue to visually express myself for a short period of my life, which is not the case.

It's possible that your philosophy of self expression differs slightly from mine, and if so that's ok (nb: as a personal aside the 2095'er believes that as long as there is a person there will always be self-expression in whatever form it may take)

An element of disagreement in any conversation is a good thing.  It means everyone's paying attention and participating.

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My thanks to Asio for sharing part of his life with the 2095'er and allowing photos to be reproduced for this article.

5 Questions with Phoenix The Streetartist

The 2095 first "met" Phoenix the Street Artist whilst on one of her first jaunts down King Street.  

Still relatively "new" to the street art scene and with a teeny tiny camera, it was admittedly quite difficult to work out exactly what I was shooting but somewhere within, this chick realised that whatever it was, and whomever the artist in question was, all would be revealed when the time was right and when it did, it would be incredible.

As the 2095 was meandering back towards the train station, she noticed what looked like a band-aid with the stencil of man who (at that particular time) was number one on the American "hit" parade.

The 2095's immediate reaction was literally a double-take accompanied by some internal dialogue "that's some serious political stuff going on here".

During the process of uploading photos to a particular site, the artist made the initial contact.  For once the 2095 chick was at a loss for words.  

This artist had taken the time to go through my photos!  Wow.... unbelievable compliment yet incredibly humbling at the same time.

It was during another Inner West jaunt that the 2095 chick began to notice a pairing (if you will) of pieces.  Wherever Klara Art appeared so there would be a Phoenix piece either directly above, beneath or beside. (and being the photographer that I am, I have no group shot as my style is to try and focus on each piece separately....apologies for that people)

Here are my 5 questions with Phoenix The StreetArtist

When was Phoenix born?

Phoenix was born in 1959. Well, actually the person who has come sometimes known as Phoenix was born in 1959.  Phoenix cam in to being in 2009

Quite a while ago you had a fire in your studio that kind of put much of your work "to bed".  How did this affect you creatively and personally?

After my studio fire in 2004 (a massive inferno which took 4 fire engines and 45 minutes to finally extinguish and which destroyed many stored collage works and my entire collage production system) I did not make are for almost exactly 5 years. 

It was a difficult time personally.  I was definitely creatively 'burnt out' with regard to making visual art.  However the creative spark remained through such pursuits as making music, writing and story-telling and things like working with wood & stone.  In 2009, however, the visual arts & collage fire (within) was re-lit and I re-began my making art.

Since putting up my first street-art piece at the end of 2009 (salvaged out of the ashes) that inner fire was greatly fuelled and continues to burn brighter and brighter.  So much so, I think only my extinguisher will put it out.

When the Phoenix rises from the ashes (in the spirit of all good alchemical processes) the end result is stronger and clearer than before it burnt up in flames.

My art, my studio, my collage production system (indeed my sense of self as an artist and as an individual) have all developed enormously as a result of that fire.

Although a very difficult thing experience, it is very much part of who I am now and everything I do creatively.

Your works are now on quite a few international walls. Can you give a run down on how a project starts (triggers or inspirations) and describe the process from start to finish

Sometimes projects are carefully planned.  Others are created spontaneously via an improvisational process at the installation site.  A site itself might suggest a work that could be added to it.  At other times the work is created in the sketchbook or mucking around in the studio: and then a suitable site is found for it.

Typically when an idea drawn in my sketchbook is realised, it is taken through the stages of formal drawing of the elements involved, photocopy collage (using processes like transparency overlaying) and cut-and-paste collage: to create a master in monochrome.

This is then typically copied on various coloured papers which are cut and pasted using roller coated PVA to create finished works or colour masters.

Finished works may be pasted in this form, or mounted onto a solid material like corrugated cardboard or plywood to create plaques.  Colour masters are colour photocopied to create pasteups or stickers.

Finished pasteups are typically stuck to the wall with PVA applied with a brush or roller (although for larger works I sometimes use flour pastes).  Solid plaques are generally adhered to the wall with a translucent silicone.  

Lots of my works these days are combinations of pasteup and plaque: a technique which creates works with different levels of relief on the wall.

Have you been commissioned for certain pieces, and if so, what has been the most notable to date

I think my most notable commission has been my Elephant In the Room piece: printed as a large colour repositionable sticker for a wall in a home kitchen.

At almost 2 metres wide, that was one elephant in the room (which is hard to ignore) but still one easily peeled off in order to be stuck again somewhere else.

The Elephant is a part of my "Voice of the Blue Earth" series, in which Earth takes various forms in order to send.

in 5 words, can you define street-art and its relationship with the Phoenix

Intrigue * Communicate * Amuse * Inhabit * Interact

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Personal thanks to the Phoenix for sharing some time with the 2095'er whose admiration for his works has reached a higher level of understanding and appreciation

5 Questions with Zeke's Lunchbox (aka Zeke)

The 2095'ers first encounter with Zeke's Lunchbox was during a wandering after work as she meandered down towards Circular Quay.

A funny little creature but perfectly placed with what  I thought at the time a most unusual name.

It felt like an Alice in Wonderland moment with the famous words "curiouser and curiouser" flowing through the brain.

The following weekend, taking the same route, the 2095 found yet another and from that moment it was love.

The colours, the complexity, the sheer beauty AND the fact that she was able to do the Live Long and Prosper: what's not to love!

Over the next few weeks of meandering the 2095 became resigned to the fact that she wouldn't see any more from this Zeke's Lunchbox mob....that was until whilst on an Inner West jaunt she found this:

Here are my 5 questions with Zeke's Lunchbox

Can you give a little about the formation of Zeke's Lunchbox.  Was it a gradual collaborative idea that came to life through an unprovoked process (or even at a bar having a "few" drinks) or was it a heads-down-bums-up "we gotta get a name down NOW"

Zeke's Lunchbox was created with an old friend of mine.  It was initially a fashion label/creative name to put all our work under.  We sat down and figured we needed a name for all that work we were doing and Zeke's Lunchbox stuck for some reason.

It's a pretty silly name actually.  We were 16 years old at the time and it's like naming your pet when you are 5: worked at the time, then you're stuck with it.  I guess the official name is Zeke's Lunchbox but I just prefer Zeke.

Your works range from what seems like free-flowing water colour to quite unusual: and for some perhaps a little confronting.  How long does the process take from conception to birth?

Conception to birth is a tricky one.  I have journals with a billion ideas of series that I would like to do.  It's just a matter of when I'm going to do them.  There are still ideas I'd like to explore form when I was a child, so there is no definitive answer.

When it comes to paste-ups though, I really just see what I've got, print then paste. Lately I've been more inclined to pinat more studies onto loose paper then paste those up.  Two birds with one stone.

Collab or solo

Initially collab, now solo

Your work is also in fashion and design.  Is there an entirely different methodology from creation to finished product or are the principles basically the same

Fashion is a whole new ball park.  I'm currently studying fashion at the moment which I am finding really quite painful.

Zeke's Lunchbox

There are so many rules and the medium of fashion is slow and tedious.  You get lost in the process and forget what the initial idea was about.

Painting and illustrating is so peaceful, relaxing and satisfying. 

I much prefer the process of art rather than fashion.

You're a little bit street, a little bit designer and a whole lotta talent.  Where do you see yourself in say 5 years time

In 5 years I'm hoping to have some great exhibitions under my belt both solo and group. Hoping to have some big painted walls spread across the world.  And finally, making prints and textiles for exciting fashion labels.

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An enormous thanks to Zeke for sharing some of her world with the 2095 and for allowing images to be shared!

5 Questions with......Damedismember

When I first started to trapse around the Inner West in my quest for streetart, I noticed the most peculiar yet incredibly fascinating paste up of what appeared to be a dog screaming like a banshee.

As I continued my street pounding, this image kept coming back to me and I pondered over it (almost to the point of obsession) wondering what type of person had the creativity within to produce such a piece.

Here are my 5 questions with the artist  in question: Damedismember

What is the genesis behind your streetname?

The name sprung from the act of pulling pictures apart.  Dismembering them in a sense. I wanted a name that was a visceral word to match the violent nature of my work. I liked the idea of combining a feminine title with a very masculine word.

I toyed with other names, like MzMorph or Jackie the Ripperette, but they lacked the punch of the word "Dismember"

Who or what inspires your creativity?

Music plays a role, specifically electronic music, which I think is assemblage music. Power electronics for the most part.  I like the formless grubby nature of artists like Brighter Death Now & Whitehouse.  

I love the work of Francis Bacon, Chet Zar, Gottfried Helnwein, Chris Mars & Suzan Blac to name a few.

I'm not sure they influence my art directly but I do think they inspire my need to create images.

True crime docos, industrial textures, David Lynch films.  Life in general.

Your images are quite complex, at times confronting, yet hauntingly beautiful.  Can you explain the process of achieving these images?

I usually go through loads of magazines to find a face that grabs me.  Something like the texture of the skin or the way the mouth is open to expose teeth.

Old photography magazines are a definite favourite.  I never have a set idea of how a portrait will look.  It's always a surprise to see the end result.

From the first snip to the last cut: it's a mystery.  I honestly don't know where it comes from.

You do have a day job because obviously the rent needs to be paid.  How frustrating does this become & does it interfere with your creativity?

Works supports my art habit I suppose.  I find work take a lot of energy, dealing with the public, the commute etc.  So the biggest problem would be fatigue.  

I do get the best ideas from the ennui of work, but when I get home it is hard to get the scissors and glue out.

But as I said, it supports my art habit.

How would you describe your art in 5 words

Image, scalpel, scissors, glue, paste-up (I'll leave the rest up to the observer of my images)

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A massive thank you to Damedismember for sharing a bit of her world with the mine and yours.


For a bit more insight in to this amazing artist's works, swing by 2095 StreetArt Collective "here"

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