ArtBurp.com:
I like the concept behind your little guys. Where do you get the ideas
behind the individual pieces?
Pahnl: They can come from lots of places: ideas can be
triggered when I'm playing about with drawing my figure on the computer,
watching films and recreating scenes, random stimulus methods (a fancy
name for random word generators or random links, haha), parodying signage
that already exists or seeing a spot on the street that I can play with
and drop a man in there to live. I'm never stuck for something to draw,
I have a giant list of ideas, which I'm constantly working through but
constantly adding to as well, so it only ever gets longer.
ArtBurp.com:
I couldn't help but notice there's a recurrent theme of urinating. Care
to explain?
Pahnl: It may be a subconscious fixation on piss on my
part but I like to explain it otherwise by talking about dogs and how
they mark their area out and about with their urine. In that sense,
they have a certain affinity with graffiti / street artists, who, to
a lesser or further extent, leave their mark somewhere to say, whether
they like it or not, "I've been here"...maybe it's a comment on the
public's reaction to graffiti but then again, I think it may be because
everyone can find piss funny.
ArtBurp.com:
What attracts you to street signage?
Pahnl: It's purpose is to convey an idea or instruction
in split seconds, usually without words. That sort of instant languageless
communication really appeals to me, not to mention an advantage when
the majority of my work is rarely taller than 7" and found grounded
on whichever plane it's on. If someone does see something I've sprayed
on street, they probably weren't looking for it, so I need to condense
everything I want to portray to it's most necessary elements or in that
split second they notice it, they just won't understand or care. There's
a beauty to be had in reducing everything down to it's core.
ArtBurp.com:
You also mentioned your work is greatly influenced by comics. What is
the biggest thing that you take from them?
Pahnl: Telling a story however short it may be, with one
scene or a series of them. There are an infinite amount of surfaces
out on the street that act like panels to be the backdrop to a scene
as well as framing them satisfyingly. Incidentally, that's where my
alias 'Pahnl' comes from, only I changed the spelling so it was a name
and not a noun.
ArtBurp.com:
Does your artwork reflect your personality in any way?
Pahnl: Well I like to think I'm funny and I like to think
my art is funny, so there's definitely that but my work portrays ideas,
they don't act as self-portraits.
ArtBurp.com: How would you like people to react when they
see your work?
Pahnl: However they want to react. For me, art is where
intention meets perception. That's perhaps a contrary idea to the function
of signage styled graphics, where there is a 'right' and 'wrong' way
to understand what's being shown but people bring with them their own
ideas and understanding to a piece. They make it personal to them, even
if they personally dislike it, atleast they're engaging with it.
ArtBurp.com: Besides spraypaint and stencils, have you
tried any other mediums?
Pahnl: Well there are also stickers and wheatpastes, they're
an integral part of street art too, with stickers being a lot less hassle
to get up but being equally easy to buff. Of course, if it's something
good, it'll stay up longer. I enjoy using traditional mediums like inks,
paints, pastels, chalks but I understand most of the things I produce
with those mediums aren't anything new or particularly interesting to
anyone but myself. I like the control that comes with stencils, print
or transfer work because it gives you the biggest amount of control
to tweak and finetune something before it's actually 'made'.
ArtBurp.com: Please describe 'Japan
Three'?
Pahnl: That set shows (stereotypical) views of figures
from Japan: geisha, sumo and ninja. There's no deep or thoughtful message
there, I simply felt like drawing them, each with their own presence
and elegance. Additionally, I appreciate many japanese philosophies
with regard to design and art. Their calligraphy is so beautiful and
traditional woodcut prints have a pleasant aesthetic to them.
ArtBurp.com:
And describe 'Dopeness
Means Robots'?
Pahnl:
Hah, I love that behomoth of a piece. Yeah, 'Dopeness Means Robots'
was a collaboration piece between me and a friend, Snik,
for a record store in London. The mural had no bearing to the store,
it was just a free wall the owner wanted painted. It took some five
hours to complete but the company was good and the weather warm, so
time wasn't an issue. I think I cut over 40 stencils for that piece,
admittedly my stencils are relatively simple and neat-shaped but that's
still a large amount by anyone's standards. People were constantly passing
by, some stopping to watch or talk. There was one person who came back
throughout the day and on the third visit, had brought his young kids
to take a look, that was a nice part of it all. Haha, there was also
a foreign delivery guy who didn't know what a robot was, we were explaining
for a good 10 minutes what they were but at the end of it he still looked
just as confused as he did at the start.
ArtBurp.com: Is there anything you don't like hearing
about your work?
Pahnl:
That people think "it's just like what that Banksy does, isn't
it?". I guess it's a bitter-sweet compliment, one I'm sure anyone
who's sprayed a half decent stencil has been subject to. Yes, it's nice
to be likened to him but there are lots of other stencil and street
artists out there producing just as amazing, if not better, work as
Banksy but that's what happens when a subculture begins to enter pop
culture with any proponent figurehead. There are also the ocassions
when someone might say "nice stick men" or something along
those lines about a piece. Now there's nothing wrong with stick men,
Tom Civil has been doing some immense work with vast scenes of stick
men recently, but those sort of comments undermine the fact I've put
a lot of time and thought into designing my figures.
ArtBurp.com:
Thank you for your time.
Pahnl: Thanks yourself.
Interviewed
29th October 2008 |
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