5 questions with OX

As the 2095 became more confident in her exploration of the Inner West, yet maintaining the "if i can hear a train or a bus I know I'm not too far from safety" thought process as it were, she chose to walk through Camdenville Park to get a shot of a wall on the other side of a train track she had previously seen.

What she spied instead was a funny little pasteup that required IMMEDIATE investigation.  

Still not terribly familiar with the area and having already done the unthinkable (racing across the train track) she felt duty bound to take the long way around in order to get a closer view of the paste up in question.

Fast forward to (yep....here it comes again...) PM3 and  the first incredible image the 2095's eyes clamped on was not just hypnotic but made SUCH an impact, upon return to the confines of her abode, she simply stared at it admiring it in all its intricate political seductiveness for an indeterminate amount of time.

It was also due to this piece, that the impatience to return to said Outpost and discover more by this artist drove all around the 2095 up their own walls which in itself is an enormous achievement even by her standards!!

What was your initial entree to street art and can you give a rationale in regards to your tag name

I guess I started a few years ago when I was doing a bunch of live art shows around Sydney for free drinks. I enjoyed the speed of it all and wanted to start playing around with spray paint so I could start using more colour at speed.

I met Bafcat and Resan (a couple of painters) earlier that year and ended up going to some abandoned factories to hang out and have a paint.  I really enjoyed using cans, learnt a bunch of little tricks pretty and have been hooked on painting since then.

OX comes from the fact that I always had a hard time telling people my last name.  Not that's it particularly long or weird or anything; just having a semi-English/Australian accent people seemed to get it wrong in a variety of bizarre ways.

i wanted to go by something incredibly simple and something that was symbolic above just letters.  I like how both the symbols O and X are used in so many different contexts other the letter format.

I have always preferred images over the written word, so I think OX represents my work well.  There are a bunch of other reasons but I won't go in to them as they probably equally as boring.

What drives your creativity

Not sure really.  It's just something I do, something I enjoy working hard at and exploring new ways to create.

Art in whatever medium has always been attractive to me.  There are no rules, no wrong answers and on one who can stop you from doing it.  It can be incredibly difficult and especially financially unrewarding at the best of times, but no matter what I do, there is always an element that is predominantly positive.

It's important to me that I'm never going to be able to master what I do, I'm never going to reach 'that point' where I'm finished.  I'm always learning and there will always be something that I'm just going to suck at.

I think that probably what drives me most: just trying to do work that's better than my last piece.  I want to be a grizzled old man one day who still worries over his filthy painting.

Some of your work is incredibly complex with specific reference to the first shot I took at PM3 (as seen above).  

Is there a specific "story" for each creation, or is it almost a continual work in progress to the point that while you may personally never be 100% satisfied with the finished product ("it needs a tweek here"), others perceive it as a perfection 

Improving my techniques is definitely what drives my work, but in each piece I try to tell an ambiguous story I guess.

Most of my work is character based and I have a background in animation which is where the story-telling element of my work comes from.

I like to give people a character that they can imagine a story for: in that way the viewer has a role in the creation of the work as well.

Do you prefer the freedom of wall or the restrictions of design

I like elements of both.  I enjoy being able to take as long as I want in the studio trying to perfect whatever I am working on at the the time getting lost in illustration really chills me out, but after a few days I start to get some serious cabin fever.

So that's when I really like getting outside and painting with some mates for fun; it's really the only environment I can make art and be social at the same time.

It's fast and takes me to new places that can only be compliment endless hours in the studio.

In a perfect world where do you see yourself as the artist being within (say) the next 5 years

I would like to be illustrating and painting full time.  Having enough clients that I can life purely off selling my own art and doing illustration work that I really enjoy.

The freedom of that kind of work would allow me to travel around and do more mural work than I am capable of doing at the moment.  AND the opportunity to exhibit my work overseas more often

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My eternal thanks to OX for sharing a bit of his life with the 2095 and allowing reproductions of his work for this blog.  

Love the work, and hope to see it hit the international heights it deserves my friend!

5 Questions with the Real Resan

It was during a sojourn around the back streets of Enmore the 2095 chick stumbled upon (and this time literally stumbled as it was garbage collection day) a piece that was both breathtaking and stunning in its simplicity.

The 2095'ers preferred method of "hunting" is to walk. From this there a few benefits with the obvious one of "apparently" being fit.  However the main objective is to meander, get lost, get found, find new things, check on old friends (if you will) and let the world take you to wherever you were destined.

Thus on this particular trip the final destination was Marrickville. There is a golden rule of thumb when scouting/hunting for photography: always but always re-visit known areas "just in case".  Well this "just in case" was richly rewarded.

With the expression "ours it not to reason why" here are my 5 questions with the Real Resan.

As they say, curiosity killed the cat (or in this case the 2095'er), but is there another Resan which is why you are the Real Resan? 

Or perhaps what is being rather clumsily asked is what is the reasoning behind your street name?

The name Resan came about when I got frustrated and bored with the letters in my old graff name.  I decided to write out the alphabet, circle my favourite letters in no particular order with the outcome being R-E-S-A-N.

I had very few original letter combinations considering there was already an Anser and Saner, so I ended up with Resan.  

I realised there was some depth to the word and came up with my own meaning, which stemmed from the French word "sans" (without) and the prefix Re (return again and RE: (regarding or in reference to).

For some reason it stuck with me as I have always had a fascination with the emptiness or "The Void" and the beauty that comes from this space, but is so often missed.  I think of the word "Resan" as "Return to a State of Nothing".  

There's a quote that has always stuck with me "it's the space between the notes that makes the music" (Miles Davis) and I think that heavily influenced the name.

The "Real" part is a bit of a pun....I found people wondering how to pronounce my name.  Most people say "Reason", "Resin" or "Re-San".  I like that everyone has their own interpretation and don't want to correct them in any way, because really it's just a made-up word.

I'm a fairly skeptical person so I took "reason" in the sense of motives and the "real" reasons people do what they do.  

The other half of the phrase is a pseudonym.  "Resan" combined with the hip-hop philosophy of "Realness"...I'm Real!

What is your preferred medium, or do you find yourself at times becoming increasingly frustrated as the artist within seeks outlets that may not have availed themselves thus you create on a "needs do as needs must basis"

I've always scribbled and drawn, so drawing has always been natural and something that will always be close to my heart.

But ever since I picked up a tin of paint I have become obsessed.  Spray painting is one of those mediums that has infinite potential and is a perfect combination of drawing and painting.  The difference lies in the way you use it.

I've had training with more traditional mediums like oils and acrylics 

but neither of them seem to have the same energy as spray paint.

When I went to art school, I always pushed away from those traditional forms, but have recently adopted them to a greater extent, basically because I'm poor and can't afford big canvases or spray paint.

In that sense, I use what I can to do what I have to do.  To answer your question: whatever will do, so long as I can do what I must.

Who or what inspires you work

Inspiration comes from everywhere. I'm fascinated by emptiness, technology, psychology, philosophy, the future and conspiracy theories.  Each has their own basis, the unknown. I think the mystery and thirst for knowledge attracts most people...or at least the people I want be around.

The company that you keep and your environment (whether it be art, music, location, friends or family) contributes to the understanding or perception of these things, so it's pretty hard to pinpoint a specific source of inspiration.

We have recently seen some incredible collab work (which is always breath taking upon discovery by the way).  It might seem like a ridiculous question, but how do you guys divvy up the spaces (eg: when it's in a more confined location as opposed to a massive wall)

TerHor, Ox King, Real Resan

Collaborations are always hard.  I'm pretty stubborn when it comes to artwork so the people I collaborate with have to work well with me and vice versa.

In terms of divvying up the space, it really depends on the wall, what we're painting and who I'm painting with.

I tend to go with the flow so am not too fussed how much space I have to work with, so long as I know the person I collaborate with have works that fit. 

I've been lucky enough to work with some pretty talented local artists, who are all great people and am proud to call friends.  It makes for an easier collab when you work with people who understand you on a personal level.

In that way I really love working with OX.  Despite the difference in our styles & techniques, we click really well on a personal level and have a good understanding of each other's strengths and weaknesses: perfect for collaboration work.

Real Resan OX King

He can tell when I've missed something I can do the same in return.  It is always helpful to have a second opinion so you can pick up on mistakes you may have otherwise missed so that the outcome is exactly was it had been "planned".

Your piece is as much theirs at it is yours.  This also gives insight to your own strengths and weaknesses.

I learn something from every artist I meet and they push me to do my best whether they realise it or not. It's all healthy competition.

I've met some big players in my time but have to give proper shout outs to those I'll always hold love for so here it comes!

OX King, Roter, TerHor, SMC3, Bafcat, The Dirt, Caryn G, Houl, Fingers, CSFB, Comfy, Skulk Birdhat, Hules, Blomtrog, Knomes, Ryan Boserio, Andros, Jerry Walsh, Bombs (RIP), Sek2, Pragz, Lasek, Chris Yew, Hyper XX, Mum and but not least....the dude who got me in to painting on walls by big brother Gabs.

Do you find at times your personal world colliding with your street world or does it flow and it is what it is

When I was a pure letter writer I used to keep it separate but as time has moved on I've found my personal life and beliefs have collided more frequently.

There are times now when it's hard not to include my current mood or intentions within my work, particularly since bringing more focus to my fine-art work.

At times the meeting of these paths can be cause for some of my favourite work but can also be a heavy downfall: heartache can drive you to put everything in a piece but the wear and tear of a day job can drain any creative drive you have.

It's recognition of the right times when to work and when to quit that makes a good artist.

It's something that I continue to strive for and something I may never learn.

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On that final note my thanks to the Real Resan for sharing some of his story and allowing reproductions of his works to be used in this piece.