5 Questions with Konsumterra

When the 2095 started her street art hunting expeditions they were initially within the confines of "if i hear a train or a bus I know I can't get too lost!".  It was in one of these initial confines that the 2095'er spotted these somewhat bizarre cartoon'ish type characters.

As the trip progressed I found more and more of these little creatures and some placed in THE most obscure places (of course these were the days prior to street-art-photographer-necessary-whiplash syndrome!)

When the 2095 says "everywhere" it is just that.  It truly was a case of "I mean honestly!  How the hell do these things get put up on literally every street corner from Sydney to Perth!" (as the 2095'er is known to somewhat exaggerate, you will hopefully get the point!)

Fast track to 2011 and the Outpost.  It was where the 2095 was there on one of her numerous visits and as she walked around, she noticed a class on stencilling.  

Standing there, observing quietly, praying with all her might that the dreaded shy-bug didn't kick in, the 2095'er waited til said class was finished, took a deep breath and walked in.  "Hi! We are fb friends".  A somewhat bemused (or confused even) expression greeted me.  

Once my photography ID name was used there was an immediate relaxation between artist and photographer. After a bit of a chat about life the universe and everything, the 2095 continued on her way and the artist went on his.

Through the magic of social media  and the occasional bumping in to one another doing the rounds of the Inner West, a good relationship has been forged and I now introduce you to Konsumterra

From stencils to paste ups to paint.  Do you have a preference or does it simply present itself and you take it from there.

I have other interests too, but I do different styles: some nameless or different names to exaggerate variety.  I've worked with comics, pinup art, photography, collage, poster art, 6 magazines: so lots of methods.

the 2095'er was stoked to have this photo included in a publication 

involving  Konsumterra

Some little pasteups made from misprint zines.  Drawing is just fast and easy.  Every method has its own benefits.  I guess I'm from a culture where everyone did everything.

When did Konsumterra first emerge and are you able to share a little bit of background as to the genesis of you the artist vs you the individual

My brother and friends used to trash ads in the Adelaide Hills and paint them white back in the 1980's.  My friends were mostly 8 years older anarchists, punks, hakers, gamers, comic nerds and uni students as a kid.  I was in to Jenny Holzer, UK hoax art and punk poster.

In the late 1990's stickers went mad and around 2000'ish stencils were a way to make stickers.  I was in a studio of paste artists using collage: it was a good gender balance in this scene.

I started teaching, doing tours and lobbying government and councils, doing art gigs 2-3 times a week as well as DJ'ing.  Because I was starting to get ill, I decided to move to Sydney for something new as I felt Adelaide was in the doldrums with most of my generation gone.

I didn't intend to be an art pro but somehow it happened.  I worked at MAY's, Casula Powerhouse, on councils and more.

At the moment my health issues make it difficult to keep up my art but I don't feel the need to lobby or advise on government policy anymore.

I'm trying to build more non-art interests and friends at the moment because I have really missed hanging with scientists and carny folk.

Some of your works at time can be perceived as quite political (which for some may be slightly confrontational) and thought provoking.  What are the triggers behind some of your pieces.

My work is when at its best, even if not obviously so, the methodology and references often are.

It's better to be funny if you are preaching as it tends to work better.  

The world was already confrontational before I was here.  I think artists fight monsters and try to make monsters lives harder.

Looking pretty is ok too, but pretending it makes you clever and faking that you have "something to say" is a bit silly.  Faking it badly is more harmful than not bothering.

I have a degree in Philosophy so art is my chosen weapon.  I don't need to put names on all my work.  Different names I used have different subjects and styles and materials. Some are bigger sellouts, others only for street and I don't talk about.

I make nice things for kids too: only mildly subversive.

You also teach stencilry. Is there a particular age group you really get a buzz out of teaching and is there a stand out experience you are able to share

Age differences vary accordingly.  The younger are willing to try different stuff, where adult students tend to have a better understanding/idea of what they want and therefore plan bigger and more ambitious works.

I enjoy the challenges of all.  Unfortunately stencilry has been thrashed by schools and do-gooders so hard I think it has made lots of kids see it as an inauthentic art form.

I still teach stencilling because I think it is good to educate people about street-art and its increasing normalisation.

The more who learn about it, less fear it.  Probably acceptance of stencils over more secret society of tagging contributed also.

Sydney isn't a very stencilry kind of place.  Since "Cockortwo" Island fests, I've been teaching drawing and paper/cardboard craft far more.

I've had lots of students win art prizes, even in categories I would not put stencils in, which is pleasing.

I usually use HaHa as a benchmark for new stencillers.

In the contradictory world we live in, where there seems to be some inherent need to put  a label on either a person or lifestyle so that it fits in to a "socially acceptable" box, where do you see the future of streetart

I'm not going to philosophise or worry about street-art anymore: I'm just gonna do it and I don't care if anybody else cares.

My opinions don't matter.  It comes and goes as a popular interest and there are many younger relevant artists out there.

I'm happy if I can create the illusion of more variety on the streets.  Relief art has been around since the Stone Age unlike my opinions (which will never affect anything).

I'm not interested in the street-art star system. 

I like local artists who are driven by something other than career, fame or money

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With thanks as always to Konsumterra for sharing time and some photos with the 2095 and let's catch up sooner rather than later my friend

5 questions with FUKT

It was during one of the first "let's push the boundaries of the known zones" (which in retrospect was pretty pathetic given that it was but a left hand turn off King Street and down a block or two) that the 2095 spied the most amazing wall.

Having not yet mastered the "to hell with it, I don't care if it is trespassing, I need this shot" skill, and still owning a teeny tiny zoom lens camera, the 2095 chick was still impressed with how her first shot turned out.

During further trips afield and having mastered the art of the photographer-whiplash, the 2095 chick at times had trouble containing her excitement at discovering new pieces by this artist.   

It is important to note that the 2095'er (99% of the time) tries very hard NOT to see her fellow street photographer's photos; but there have been times  when the "I surrender" kicked-in necessitating a private message asking for exact locales, if nothing else other than to get a shot of a masterpiece before it got buffed.

The next piece to be found was rainy Saturday afternoon post-work wander around the back streets of Camperdown. Sound the bells, dance with delight!  No cars therefore the 2095 obtained THE perfect shot!

A short bus trip later the 2095 let out an audible "oooooh!", thus causing other passengers to swivel their heads in order to see the subject but to no avail it would appear, as the 2095 alighted and at record speed shot across Broadway to a wall totally covered in stencils.

with thanks to FUKT as the 2095 for once has had 

difficulty locating her photo of this particular wall

Awe, fascination, admiration of subject matter, locations, detail and tag name leads the 2095 sharing her 5 questions with FUKT

Love the tag!  Whether people admit it or not, there are those who are liberal with its use and those (although they may deny it) who will "think" it.  How, where and what was the inspiration behind your street-name.

I seem to use the word a lot when I speak.  The name itself also dissuades the art community from trying to recruit my services etc (parasites!)

Your work can scale the size of a building through to the tiniest stencil that would go almost unnoticed by the bulk of the non-street population.

What provides the stimuli : whether it be words or extraordinary pieces as with "Best We Forget"

Good question.  I sometimes wonder what motivates my work.  When I first started I thought I had to conform to a certain style or path: big stencils & vanilla art.

It's only in the last year I feel that my work is a truthful.  eg: I'm totally cynical, so my work is a reflection of this.

I've always had strong anti-social tendencies and a history of playing the role of Devil's Advocate so when I see a proliferation (at least in my own opinion) of cute and safe street art then I can't help but react and try to do the opposite.

When you see images being posted online by photographers like myself, how does that gel with you as an artists or is it merely a case of "job done...NEXT"

Not quite sure if I qualify as an artist.  I have a backlog of about 30 stencils and another 10 sites to hit, so yes 'NEXT' would be an apt description.

Do you find our two worlds collide (ie: personal family man vs street-artist)

Vary rarely, although it can be a pain when I've been out til late and my son decides to wake at 7:00am every morning, but I usually forgive him since he's so goddamn cute!

What would be one of the more profound reactions to a piece that you have had to date

The best reaction (although may be not so profound) was when some random girl showed me her tits and she found I was the person behind the CB paste up

In terms of profound reactions, I think my own are  the most important. It's a good feeling when you see your artwork being copied in various locations around the world.

It's also amusing to realise I am more renown internationally than within my own country.

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Couldn't ask for anything more than that.  My thanks to FUKT for sharing some time and allowing reproduction of his works in this blog but most of all for keep on keeping on and making us stop, look and think

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 Camo

My introduction to the wonderful world of Camo was on a sneaky after work mid-week jaunt to Newtown.  It was a bit of a curious afternoon given that it was only around 2pm and Kings Street wasn't particularly busy, which for the 2095 and her photography it was a blessing. 

Nothing more irritating than having a car block a wall, thus requiring manoeuvring of both oneself and the camera to get a half-decent albeit on an angle shot. 

Being completely oblivious to passers-by and wholly focussed on the "hunt", I spied the most adorable stencil all by its lonesome and audibly sighed "oh how GORGEOUS!"

About 2 minutes later using the standard whip-lash of eyes and neck method, the 2095 then spied another little piece across the road, ran like woman possessed to get that car-free no need to have weird angle shot.

Obligatory FB friend request sent/accepted, the 2095'er kept a close eye on photographs by the artist of new pieces on walls: fortunately having trapsed around the Inner West for many many MANY hours there are certain walls you recognise instantly mainly through colour or a cap...so from this culmination of photography and love of the stencils we now arrive at "5 Questions with Camo".

When was Camo born and how did the name come in to being

Camo was born many years ago when I was growing up.  The name is actually a nickname I used to get called: I like the camouflage connection with most of my outings needing to be done "unseen".

Amazing works appearing on corners, walls and at times in not so highly-visible locations.  Is there a methodology as to where and when your works are placed

Sometimes, like the work I did on branch of a bank in Rosebery.  I mainly look for a nice wall and somewhere I think the image may look good. I'm not too concerned with "high profile" places.  I like the idea of placing works in out of the way locations so a new audience will seem them and maybe the "buff squad" won't find them as quickly. 

From start to finish, can you outline exactly how you create these incredible pieces and what has been your largest or most difficult installation to date

I usually have a rough idea in my head of what sort of image I wand to do.  I spend time trawling through photos (99% of my stencils are done from a photograph) looking for something that I can use.  I then print the image and begin the cutting process.

Once cut I will do test sprays, sometimes only one but usually 2-3 to work out the images and make any changes needed. 

The most difficult installation was the one that only half happened due to being busted by the cops.

Other than that, I usually find the more difficult ones are when I use more than one stencil to create an image, purely because of time taken and that I do all my works alone: so no lookout.

The triggers for your work: are they from something that has occurred in your personal world whether it be family, political issues, stupid acts by stupid people

I guess most of my works some from thinking that the world is moving too fast, being controlled by too few in a profit driven world.  We need to take a deep breath.

The works I do with children playing, tipping paint from buckets, sling shots etc come from a belief that kids grow up too quickly and need to deal with too many pressures too soon in life.  Surely a slingshot, paint bomb and blank wall is more fun than the latest electronic product.

Other works come from the same feeling but with a tinge of anger and frustration: the rioters, gas mask people, the stencils I did of asylum seekers (not sure how many people caught on to that one)

Sometimes I do think people of the world need to get angry, stand up and react to what is happening.  I love seeing when a country's citizens say enough is enough, like in Turkey & Syria last year.

Art has traditionally been viewed as a form of expression: do you see yourself as an artist, street-artist or someone who has somehow just got it "right"

I guess I see myself as a street-artist.  But then I just got made feature artist in "Artfido" so I have no idea anymore..... 

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My thanks to Camo for spending some time in answering the 2095 chick's questions and simply being one of those that says "enough is enough" albeit by stencil