Limited Edition of 50
Hand Cut Aerosol Stencil on Board
by Canberra Artist E.L.K

COMING SOON !

What Lies Beneath:

Tom Ferson

Inteviewed by Ben Frost

Ben Frost:  I first came across your work when you moved into Stupidkrap Studios and I was pretty blown away initially by the technique that you use. Tell me about how you make those artworks.

Tom Ferson: They're actually engravings.  That would be the best way of describing them.  I make them on thick plywood, applying layers of bright house paint and engraving into it to reveal the layers.

B: So you've got one here that you're just starting?

T: Yep

B: Take me through the process.

T: Well you can kind of see the wood grain and everything through it too - which I like. I firstly covered the whole thing in blue - this one's only going to have one or two tones I guess.  Then I mask out the shape that I want to use and cover that in black. Then I attack it with an engraver and scratch off the black to reveal the blue, or scratch through both the colours to reveal the wood grain.  I get a variation of tones from doing that.

B: How many layers of paint could you possibly use to get the observation of each colour through that depth? Could you for example use 5 colours?

T: Each work to me has kind of been experimental in the technique.  I've been doing these engravings for about 2 years, so i'm always stumbling across new ways of doing things,  mostly via a series of accidents.  So i've been working on using a number of different layers to see what it looks like, and to see if you can see each colour coming through.

B: So what type of engraving tool are you using?

T: I have a Dremel electric engraver that was suggested to me a while ago. Ever since i've been buying new engraving heads from Mitre10 pretty much every week.

B: What kind of work were you doing prior to this engraving style?

T: I have been interested in streetscapes and landscapes for quite awhile and got stuck into oil painting which I did at COFA (Sydney College of Fine Arts), and this felt really good to me. I just started to wrap my head around using colour and exploring tone,
but there were too many options for me using oil paints - I think I have to restrict myself to be more creative. Using fewer colours really works for me now. I made a lot of oil-painting street scapes and I think i'll eventually end up coming back to that kind of thing maybe.

B: I’m very interested in the idea of using a machine. I know in my work, I use the computer a lot and also an overhead projector and my mantra has always been to use machines to create my work.  Even a spray-can is kind of like a machine tool in the way you press a button and paint comes out, and stencils also have this automated feel - mechanically generated.  Also this idea that artwork is pre-designed before it hits the actual canvas - which I can see a lot in your work   What’s your take on that kind of use of a machine to make artwork?

T: Its pretty integral to my practice right now. I have to have access to electricity to use the engraver and I also work directly from a laptop with the images in Photoshop.  With the laptop, I can get right up close to a specific section of a face for example, which is really
important to me.

B: So in a way the process is really one of accurately copying the image from the laptop to the canvas?

T: Yeah

B: I think that’s an interesting element in certain types of art. I went to an artist talk at NAS (National Art School) the other night and was listening to these people talk about pushing paint around on a canvas - which I've never really understood.
For many traditional painters, the journey of the process is very important, so the end result can be very different from what they initially intended. In my own work, i'm very much into this idea of copying - or designing something and then translating it onto a canvas.
You came from a COFA background - is this kind of concept driven element heavy at COFA? 

T: COFA is very concept driven. But I kind of used my time there as just a space, and a way to learn about different processes and materials. I find working with a conceptual basis can often be more successful, but I’m never really attracted to a work unless it’s got an immediate visual impact. So with my work I generally know how it’s going to end up looking, but though the process I try and involve myself and explore the little bits of information about me.
I'm reflecting the individual things about me, the situation where I exist in the world and all the individual things i'm interested in, which is to me, the only conceptual depth with my work. It describes my time and my place and me.

B:  Where are you sourcing your imagery? A lot of them have a vintage or retro feel

T: I think that is part of where I am as well. I live in Erskineville which has a lot of book shops and most of them are filled with 70’s Playboy magazines, which I think sums up this country perfectly. They're a lot of fun. I enjoy the initial impact of the images and like translating them in a new way that reflects a different time - which is kind of interesting in itself. That these images can span decades and in new techniques.

B: Yeah - when you see a 70’s Playboy image in our current time and context they seem surreal and ridiculous. Sourcing images from the 60's and 70's is often way more interesting because of how bizarre and ironic they are.
Tell me more about this piece - it looks like a picture of a body bag with blood and people standing around. When I saw it on your blog I actually thought it was a photograph - I think when you shrink it down on a computer screen its harder to see that it's actually an engraving.

T: I spent some time in Mexico with friends of mine and I found the newspapers there to be very foreign and alien to me as 70’s Playboys are. Their depiction of death is really upfront and brutal basically. I tried to translate them just as I would any other image, using lots of pastel colours and texture, that makes the image look more successful. You know what its really depicting, so even though there's a lot of blood and gore in this photo its not the first thing you see if you are up close to it.

B: It’s interesting,  I find that in my work and a lot of masculine work, the two reccurring themes are usually sex and death. So having touched on your death piece, lets have a talk about some of your more sexy pieces.

T: (laughs) Sexy, ok. This is kind of an older piece. It's from around late 2009, and is part of the first body of work i've completed in this certain style.

B: I thought it was interesting that in a lot of your sexy works, the idea of looking at a half-dressed woman is about a sense of revealing and taking away layers. That's kind of the process in your work - taking away layers and that’s also reflected in your subject matter.

T: I find that very interesting. The process of engraving for me has always been something that I really enjoy applying to skin. The amount of detail, time and effort that I have to spend on translating the way skin looks, by using the lines and engraving into a surface -
there's something really intimate about that process which I enjoy. There’s also a natural organic fluctuation in the linework as the result of that much repetition. The lines suits skin better because it often looks more convincing - and especially because of the faults.

B: It must be frustrating because, because your'e using a subtractive process - whereas painting is all about adding and adding and adding. You're taking away from the canvas and when you take something away you cant really put it back.  I’m amazed by some of the newer work just how flawless they are, there are little errors here and there, but just the movement and direction of the things that are happening are incredible.  Tell me more about what the nails pieces are exploring, because I notice your'e using nails a lot in this other thread to your work.

T: Nails for me, are really just another way of replicating the technique of engraving. It's just spot colour on top of black and repetition. It's something I really enjoy for some reason. When I'm getting stuck into the actual act of having to repeat something for so long, it becomes meditative. It takes a lot of time sitting there, punching all those nails in by hand.  I guess bringing in what you said before, about the interaction between machines and my hand, is that I am sitting here nailing these in by hand, each one. Although it’s a very mechanical kind of process with metal, you can still see the organic fluctuations that results from me doing it over and over again with my hands. So that’s really what the nails are: repetition and organic fluctuation - even in that mechanical process.

B: I notice the titles you have for these use words like psychotropic or psychedelic...

T: Its kind of having an effect on your mind really. To me it’s about trying to get people to react with the surface. Specifically with this artwork it’s really pretty important to the success of it, to try and get up and engage with it. As for the other ones which were trying to capture movement or some sense of playing with your mind, it's really kind of your reactions to the artworks.

B: And depth I think.

T: Yup.

B: Ok this is physically about depth, but at the same time your trying to create sort of a half-tone effect like you would see in newspaper photographs.  The illusion of depth physically also visually. It’s really interesting.  So what’s the title of your exhibition?

T: Bravery, Repetition and Noise

B: Well I guess that probably sums up exactly what we're talking about.

T: Yeah, well hopefully. It’s a title of an album by the Brian Jonestown Massacre. Wasn’t sure if I wanted to use it initially, but it made so much sense to me.

B: You were just talking earlier about your band. Is music important to you in your creative process?

T: Yeah definitely. Particularly the abstract kind of works. I listen to music non-stop.  I don’t ever work without music around and sometimes I tend to get different vibes from different bands which I really enjoy.  It’s something that I’ve always been involved with, so its always going to come out in my work whether I try to or not.

B: What band are you in?

T: I’m in a band called Sooners

B: Awesome. Whereabouts do you play?           

T: I play all about the place. I’m actually playing on the 30^th of March -  two days after my exhibition.

B: Whereabouts?

T: Good God Small Club. I’ve ended up using my artworks as the cover of our 7” we just released, which is pretty much a dream for me having those two combined.

B: Awesome! Thanks for your time.

see more of Tom's work HERE: http://tomfersonart.blogspot.com/

Life at The End of The Antlers:

Luke Cornish (E.L.K)

interviewed by Ben Frost

Ben Frost: How you doing Luke?

Luke Cornish: Very well thankyou Ben how are you?

B: Great.  Now tell me when was the first time you decided to call yourself E.L.K?

L: Kind of a good question, I don’t know - I think it just happened.

B: I notice the letters in Luke if you change them round spell E.L.K

L: Well it actually comes from the Elkhorn fern, which is an epiphytic suburban plant. I learnt horticulture after school and I was amazed by what it can do.
It grows on a tree, not structurally attached and provides nutrients to itself and supports itself which is like me.  I don’t want to be a part of the scene I just want to do my thing.

Not saying I don’t want to be a part of the scene I just want to do my own stuff.

B: But yet again the elk is like an animal - a deer right?

L: It’s like a deer with big fucking horns.

B: Right

L: Well that’s what the fern looks like  - big horns; you would have seen one for sure.

B: So when did you first come up with the name E.L.K ?

L: Well it was probably bout 5 years ago. If I knew I was even going to be remotely successful I would have put a lot more thought into my name.

B: I think there’s nothing wrong with the name, I think its fantastic cause no one else has got that name.

L: There’s actually a writer in London who calls himself Elk.

B: Oh. .Well you introduce me to him and I'll have a few words to him.

(Background laugh)

L: Yeah. But. That’s when I went from Elk to E.L.K

B: Well is there a difference?

L: That’s where the dots come in. You know the dots?

B: Ahh ok I think your thinking bout it too hard really. You know it’s the same, I’ve been in several bands before - my very first band was called Straight To Video and we went with that name for maybe a year.  We played around Sydney and then we realised that there was another band in the UK with the same name and thought it was a bit too obvious, so we thought - fuck it we'll change the name to Danger Of Death even though we knew there was also another band in the US called Danger of Death.  After a year or a year and a half we actually became bigger than that band and even now til this day if you type in Danger Of Death into Google our band will come up first. So I think that’s what it comes down to you know.

L: So is this my interview, what are we talking about?

B: I’m just saying to you that by the end of the day, you’re going to be much bigger than whoever this guy is in the UK no one else is going to give a fuck about this other Elk

L: Its just people have adopted Elk as my name and I don’t give a fuck

B: Tell me more the difference between the Canberra and Sydney scene?

L: Canberra is mad, I don’t know much about the Sydney scene to be honest.

B: What do you know about the Canberra scene?

L: The Canberra scene is me pretty much and a couple of other people not anywhere near as determined.

B: Who are the big names that have come out or left Canberra?

L: I think Happy is doing pretty well. Haven’t seen much of his work since he left though.

B: Didn’t he go to Melbourne?

L: Yeah I don’t know what he’s been doing; I think he is pretty staunch.

B: Have you guys ever worked together?

L: I've never met him

B: In a small place like Canberra how could you have never of met him?

L: It’s not as small as you think it is, there’s half a million people.

B Half a million people I didn't know that.

L: It’s pretty fucking small.

B: But you know about his work and he obviously knows about you.

L: The guy I live with in Canberra was called Bird; did you meet Bird at Space Invaders?

B: Bird?

L: Big dude with beard.

B: So I have known you for a little while now - we've chatted online and  talked a bit?

L: First time I met you, I came to Worlds End and I was looking for someone’s studio and I was talking to Regan on the phone and he said go see Ben Frost.

B: Right.

L: I didn’t know who you were at the time, but I knew you had an internet presence.

B: Yes

L: Yeah

B: I remember you came and you showed me an amazing stencil that you had done of a…

L: Shy little country boy?

B: Well you came down and at the time actually I met a few people from Canberra and its only been the past couple of years that I’ve realised Canberra is an entity to itself. One of my best friends Murphy he’s from Canberra.

But anyway I remember when you came and you showed me this amazing stencil on canvas you had done and it was of a railway line it was amazing it was so photo-real .

I remember at the time I really felt I had to say to you that it was technically amazing, but conceptually it didn’t say anything to me.
I think I was like “ Look - I love the technical ability of what you are showing me - it looks like a photograph, but at the same time, why the fuck am I looking at a railway line?".  But since then the show I saw tonight at Oh Really was actually..

L: Chilling

B: You've matured.

L: Well it’s been a long time since I came up

B: That was a couple of years ago

L: Yeah my works matured and concepts have matured. Back to your other question: Canberra for me is, there is nothing happening. It is a lot easier to get recognition when there’s no one doing what your doing.

So I came to Sydney and everyone’s a fucking artist. Its kind of like the Perth music scene you got this sense of isolation so people they don’t reach out and don’t look out, they don’t have influences so they just do there own shit. Then they come to places like Sydney and Melbourne saying I’ve been doing my own shit for fucking 5 years not looking at what I’m doing and yeah, its more technically advanced. I’m not trying to show anyone up but this is just what I do.

B: Well it is and I think what you are, is actually the master of your craft at the moment - especially in Australia.

L: Cause I work hard and I’m going to work harder.

B: But then why stay in Canberra?

L: Its fucking money issue man. Cutting stencils is a time consuming process and the time I’ve spent doing that, I should have spent working and making money,  but haven’t been doing that. I’ve been cutting out stencils and i’ve racked up a lot of debt in 5 or 6 years, so I don’t have the opportunity to just move to Sydney.

B: I understand.

L: It’s very hard but it’s getting easier so it will happen man - it will happen.  Eventually.

B: I’m just saying cause I live in Sydney and I am an artist and I have been relatively successful, but at the same time it's very difficult.  I look at the amount of rent i'm paying and what I have to do to sustain a public presence as an artist. You have to be out there talking and networking and going to openings.  i think i'm paying around $370 a week just for my house and studio, and on top of that I’m going out.  Of course when i’m working i’m not going out every night but when I’m trying to be more social and networking and those type of things I am out 4 nights a week and dropping at least $100 a night being a douche bag.

L: what’s your motivation to be an artist?

B: You know  .. look my motivation changes all the time for me.  Sometimes it's about trying to re-create the painting that I created 5 or 6 years ago. Cause sometimes

I think I really created the perfect Ben Frost painting 6 years ago and now I’m just trying to get back to that somehow.

L: That’s kind of like taking heroin - your'e just trying to get that fucking hit.

B: Totally.

L: You just want to get back to that point.

B: Totally in some degree.

L: For me its not about money, not about praise, not about how many chicks suck my dick - its about art. I just want to push myself and my art and see how far it gets out there.

B: Its not about chicks sucking your dick? come on

L: (Laughs) I just want to push myself and see what I can do. I’m trying to push the limits of stencil.

B: You said it’s all about art.

L: Yeah it’s my art.

B: Are you trying to express something?  What are you trying to say?

L: What am I trying to say? I haven’t worked that out yet.

B: Well lets look at your current show that you have on at the moment at Oh Really Gallery.  What’s it called?

L: This Is Why We Cant Have Nice Things

B: Tell me what that means

L: About two years ago this kid came up to me at the shops with his skateboard, and he was like 10, and he’s showing me his skateboard that he’s spray painted ELK onto. This was like a low time for me.

B: So he was like a fan

L: I didn’t know anyone was following me and I spent the morning going from chemist to chemist trying to find someone to give me valium. Really low point. And it just made me think - fuck this kid looked up to me I’m the shittest I’ve ever felt. I got to get my shit together,  so I spent two and a half years getting it together. I want to be a role model for kids.

(Girl in background): you’re an awesome role model

L: So yeah it’s up to me.

B: So lets look at the content you have in the new show. It's quite varied..
I saw musicians, crowd surfing, pornography.. There was also some stuff with guns and the military. So we're talking about a whole different kettle of ideas that you are working through.  I think that as far as an artist who is pushing through the technical abilities of stencilling you are often working in different directions trying to find new concepts. Its almost like the idea 3 characters in search of an author and that’s ok, I’m asking you directly what is the thing that is specific to E.L.K - to him and not any other artist?

For example i'm flying flags that represent anti-consumerism, capitalism, fighting the power, fucking with Disney and taking corporate symbols changing them around which is something i’ve been milking for years and that’s what everyone expects from the Ben Frost experience.
What is it that is the E.L.K, Luke Cornish thing that is the signature of every piece he does? Do you know what I mean? That is specific to you and not Logan Hicks or Haha?
You know Haha is about Australian culture and robots and this kind of thing. Logan Hicks is about a different thing as well.

L: What is Logan Hicks about?

B: Well I think maybe he actually is your pre-cursor, in that he was one of the first people who did these photo-real settings, and still to this day he still seems to make things more technical than conceptual and I have to say we look to him as our master, in a way, because he did it before us. He did stencils in a way that no one had seen at the time. The detail was in so many layers it was like the photo-real thing, and it just blew everyone away..

L: One thing I’ve got to say, but your probably not going to believe me, and a lot of people won't: I didn’t get the internet until 2007 -2008. I didn’t know who these people were, so I had a tin of spray paint and I thought I gotta do something with this. I was in a shit job, I hated my life, I hated my friends and hated where I lived. I needed a creative outlet to do with my life. I started cutting stencils of Bill Hicks - who is like my idol and it went from there. I just started to push myself. I loved it. Cause I could do it and didn’t have anyone to tell me- 'your'e shit' or 'you can't do that'.. It's like fuck, I found something I’m good at.

B: Right so you almost exist at that point - in the antipodes; in this world where you are secluded away, from anyone to give you negative feedback?

L: I didn’t have any negative feedback until I came up here and met you in Sydney.

B: (Laughs) I’m still flabbergasted as to how how you do all these stencils by hand and not laser cut. Some of the cuts are so tiny - I mean I know when i’m cutting stencils all my little holes look like triangles or squares.

L: Well that’s proven. But not to you and not to Logan Hicks and not to Banksy

B: Well then who are you proving it to?

L: To myself.  I’ve always been, since I was a young kid, its always been 'your'e shit',  'you cant do this',  'you cant do that',  'your'e not going to be good at anything'. Its this voice in my head that’s like, 'nah dude fuck them - your'e going to be the best you possibly can be and your going to make a lot of money out of it.'

I  can make it happen man, the world's my oyster and no one can stop you from doing what you want to do - you just got to work hard.

B: I just realised then and I think this is really pertinent, is that your name E.L.K which is this deer-like creature, with these massive horns that stretch out, is actually a perfect manifestation of what you do. Because your'e attacking the art world from a distance with these horns. You're hitting it with your antlers, but your head is actually way back here. Which is what you are - your'e like an elk, your'e like a creature with these horns that’s like all the way back in Canberra hidden from all the crap but at the same time attacking with this amazing shit and people are standing back going “ ahh fuck “

L: You need to understand when I was saying I don’t want to be a part of your scene, i’m not knocking it, i’m not saying there’s anything wrong with it, i’m just saying it is very important for me to climb my own ladder. I need to do this shit by myself.

B: You don't have to do this by yourself dude. There's people like myself and everyone out here tonight who are trying to help you.
And like fuck! your stuff is amazing, and you know everything I’ve ever said to you has always been constructive.  People can be either yes men and be like 'yes your stuff is great' and then they walk away and its all over, they say this is what I think and they hit you with it and you take that on board and move to another level you know?  I’m of the style of things where I tell people what I think and if I like it or don’t like it, I say it.
What I always want at my own shows are people telling me what they like and what they don’t like. Even some people I know, my friends, there is not always this dialogue happening. I think it’s almost a duty to be upfront and honest about what you're seeing.

L: See this (takes out Iphone), it’s an interview I did a few years ago

B: Who with?

L: Spader. These guys are giving me clothes now.

B Yeah I was looking what that is on your hoodie.

L: Read that man. I was thinking about this before.

B: Just explain it to me because no-ones going to hear me reading this

L: Well it’s an interview and one of the questions is who is the ultimate Spader to you?

B: Wow i’m reading this now and it says: what is the ultimate Spader to you and you said, “I like Ben Frost he is an Australian artist, I don’t look up to many people but this guy is pretty awesome - nice guy too”

Nice guy .. haha, I bet you don't think that anymore (laughs)..

L: This is around the time I met you to so it’s a genuine admiration its not jeez I want to give you a blowjob.

Who did you look up to?

B: When I was younger there was this artist when I was up in Queensland called Rod Bunter who I did a lot of work with subsequently after that. Then suddenly he wasn’t on a pedestal as much anymore. There are heaps of people I look up to.  I’m really into this film maker that I found out about recently and who I ended up meeting on Facebook and I was totally fanning out.

--------------------
BEER BREAK
--------------------

B: What does the future hold for Luke Hornish aka E.L.K?

L: I just want to stay true to myself

B: Are you thinking about moving to Sydney?

L: Thinking about it

B: I hear your'e going to be on the cover of Art Monthly

L: Yeah next month - April issue

B: What image did you give them?

L: It’s the Jesus with the gas mask, the future for me: I guess its how hard I work           

B: That’s pretty amazing that Art monthly would use that particular image because its the street art/ stencil thing.

L: To be honest I still don’t believe it

B: Yeah it’s unheard of. It’s an absolute breakthrough I’m so proud of you, that you got that man.

L: I don’t know - you look at people like Kid Zoom who are actually legitimising what we do and actually putting this shit in galleries. Not the novelty street art in galleries that isn’t street art - this is fine art.

We talk about street art going to be the next big thing, but its not.  It's now - its happening right as we speak, what is going to be next?

B: That's the million dollar question. .But what's happening with E.L.K and Stupidkrap?

L: I’m pretty stoked to be offered to work with Stupidkrap. I think it’s a milestone.

 

$8,370.26 raised from the Ebay auction sales of the panels from Paste-Modernism 2 !

A massive thanks to all of those who bid on the items, as well as the artists involved
in the exhibition.

Pure Evil, Copyright, Anthony Lister, Vexta, Bridge Stehli, SMC, Skel, Bunkwaa, Ben Frost, Jumbo, Zap, Simon Lovelace, Catface, Houl, Creon, John Doe, Numskull, Leet, Shannon Crees, Felix, Mini Graff, RJ, Bennett, Beastman, Numskull, Roach, Max Berry, Konsume Terror, Mason Marcobello, Sprinkles, Bei Badgirl, Deb, HA-HA, Uno, Urban Cake Lady, Bella, Marissa Ziesing,Tim Andrew, Esjay, Anton Benois, Tez, Rico, PigeonBoy, Mr Skel, Jake Klarnet, Half Star, Dboe, Olive Fortyseven + more.

The proceeds will now be forwarded to the Queensland Premier's Flood Appeal.

www.pastemodernism.com

 

Kid Zoom is in Sydney this week for the Project 5 event.
A new batch of his signed prints are finally now IN STOCK !

VIEW KID ZOOM PRODUCTS

'Here Today, Gone Tomorrow'

Solo Exhibition by ABOVE

+ LAUNCH of 3 NEW EXCLUSIVE PRINTS by ABOVE

(PRINTS WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT STUPIDKRAP.COM

FROM THURSDAY 24TH FEBRUARY)

Above's debut Australian exhibition - A series of new arrow mobiles, stencils and wordplays.
Above is known for his consistent global travels with his artworks.  He weaves through the world with his relaxed mantra
of 'Here Today, Gone Tomorrow'.  Above's endless travels have landed him on Australian soil this summer,
where he presents sydney with his debut Australian exhibition.

FIRST 50 PEOPLE THOUGH THE DOOR, RECEIVE A FREE ABOVE GIFT PACK

LO-FI COLLECTIVE - 383 Bourke St, Darlinghurst, Sydney

Thursday 24th FEB, 6PM.

Paste-Modernism Charity Auction 

The online Auction will begin: midday Thursday January 20th and will continue until February 1st 2011 at StupidKrap's Ebay Store :

 


Some photographs from the exhibition Pastemodernism 2 (October 7th 2010 at Lo-Fi Gallery, Darlinghurst, Sydney):
Additional photos of this event can be found at :
 www.pastemodernism.com

 

 So we're starting to transfer our site over onto a new shopping cart provider ..  looks smoother and has more bells and whistles .. stay tuned for more cool stupid krap ..