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You organize a lot of group shows and are part of the art collective Die Kase Hause. How important do you feel it is to collaborate with other artists to create a scene rather than a personal following?
Not sure how to answer this without blabbing on and on. I guess first I'd just have to say that I always felt it was more important to support one another than to try and push your way up front. We pretty much started Die Käse Hause because we found ourselves constantly working together, so after a few years we just made it official and gave ourselves a title. We rarely collaborate on individual pieces together. More than anything, we offer support and motivation for one another. Since we're all a bit "dysfunctional," this usually comes in the form of insults and mock spite. But it works.
A lot of your pieces have a very working class Mid-America feel to them. You live in Chicago, but it seems like your heart is rooted in small town life?
I wouldn't say "small town." I'm definitely a city dweller. But the "working class" is definitely a part of most of what I do. Growing up in in a dying city like Youngstown, Ohio and constantly looking at a landscape filled with abandoned, rusted out steel mills and whatnot definitely had a huge impact on the way I see things.
Many of the people in your artwork have their eyes blurred out. Is this purely a stylistic choice?
It's just another weird thing I've become obsessed with. And their eyes aren't "blurred" out as much as just not there. Completely absent!
Could you please explain to people why the pizza in Youngstown, Ohio is the best in the country? I heard something about there being green peppers in the sauce?
Yes, green peppers stewed in the sauce until they basically melt in your mouth! I grew up around some of the most amazing pizza ever made and I have yet to find anything comparable. I live in Chicago where they supposedly have "great" pizza. I've yet to find anything CLOSE to the pizza in Y-Town. Let me give a huge shout-out to The Elmton (the ultimate) and Cornersburg! And I could easily list at least 7 more joints that rule.
Where did the inspiration for your t-shirt design come from?
Just more obsession/fetishes. Old school toasters, pelvic bones, raw steaks. They all look hot as hell. It felt really good to get all of those into one design. Especially to top 'em off with some skulls! And has anyone noticed that I've used "quotes" in every single answer?
Be sure to
visit www.diekasehause.com |
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Michael Coleman |
Michael Sieben |
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Travis Millard |
eThos |
thom lessner |
nevada hill |
jeremiah ketner |
brett superstar |
greg shirilla |
tim kerr |
abby friedman |
"the guy" |
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