When I was living in this building on Eckford Street, I used to see lots of cool garbage coming in and out. There were pickle barrels, tarps, tons of tires and weird stuff I couldn't quite figure out. They were being brought into the loft at the end of the courtyard where Matt was living. I was suspecting something good was going on in that loft.
After I moved out, I googled him and found sculptures of hipsters, thugs, good guys and bad guys that Matt made with salvaged materials and hats. I really liked those sculptures because they were humorous and utilitarian-looking. I am especially fond of the fact Matt used hats as a key item to characterize types since he's also a great hat wearer (It's great when he pairs them with red striped overalls.)
Q1: Can you explain a little bit about the work?
This show at Outrageous Look was in the form of a window display in a vernacular storefront in South Williamsburg. Taking into account the location, I decided to couch my presentation in the realm of a hat display. There are several hat stores in the immediate area. I set out by creating some simple forms, figures really, to place the hats onto. They eventually became parodies of types: a couple of hipsters with boards for bodies and nails shooting out of their faces, newspaper-chubby western Good Guy and Bad Guy with knotted rope genitalia, a dirty-shirt newsboy, a burlap feed sack thug, and a big blue plastic tarp hobgoblin with a green plastic dealer's visor.
The other window had a geometric construction in garish pink and green. Inter-tangled twin replica spice racks from the pages of Martha Stewart Living. Inverted. Being the middle of winter, I had chosen the colors and the title: Ode to Spring. A little tongue-in-cheek adoration to wistful abstraction/distraction.
In place of curtains, I used commercial perforated black rubber mats like one would find in a kitchen or behind your favorite bar.
Both window displays, I'm remembering now, were sitting on a thin carpet of fresh asphalt.
The whole effort was untitled at the time, but I refer to it as Bad Goods.
I've been working on storefront ideas for awhile now. In my last residence, on Java Street in Greenpoint, I constructed a storefront in my loft to separate my studio space from my sleeping and office quarters. I had three little group projects in that storefront and four others in the rest of the loft. That space was referred to as Weather Records, a name that I keep in use now as a picture blog without words.
Q2: I always suspected you make cool art work from witnessing a pickle barrel coming in and out of your house. Do you mainly work with found objects?
This is something I've been doing for a long time and thinking about very seriously as of late. It's hard to distinguish between the fiscal necessity of using salvaged materials, the content of past use and the ramifications of removing that use-value, and the political or ecological arguments for using recycled objects. When I think of doing something, I'm usually drawn to removal/relocation rather than outright fabrication. But on the other hand, I'm very good at crafting objects and have a lot of experience in building structures and fabricating furniture and other somewhat traditional things.
I'm afraid that what you saw was someone stealing my pickle barrel and I'm very angry about that. I'm in the market for a replacement.
Q3: Where do you get the supplies?
Recently I've been very happy with a recycled building supply warehouse in Queens. And eBay. But nothing really beats going out there and rooting around. Getting out of the neighborhood is imperative. Especially if that neighborhood is New York. Though the garbage here is usually surprisingly good. McMaster/Carr is good if you have the money, and construction supply houses are probably my go-to guys. There is always something there that is really simple, familiar, and mutable.
Q4: Who are your favorite artists at the moment?
Robert Gober. H.C.Westermann. Fischli&Weiss. Magritte. William Wegman, even the later stuff. Hans Bellmer. I think about Louise Nevelson occasionally, but maybe that's because of her first big show in awhile that's up at the Jewish Museum. Roni Horn. Felix Gonzales-Torres. Frank Stella. Mondrian. I was thinking lately about artists whom I used to like, but no longer do, and it seemed like an interesting alternative to the usual "favorites" list. Like if it were music, it's more interesting to my friends that I used to listen to a lot of ska than that I now occupy myself with the Hold Steady and Pere Ubu. I'm just saying that it's just as important to know what you hate as what you love. Just as long as there's more love going on.
Q5: What are your favorite museums?
Triple Candie. They've got more of an idea of what they're doing and how they're contributing to dialogue than just about anyone going right now. And their last show cost about twelve dollars to produce.
Q6: I often saw you wearing red striped overalls and you looked cute in them. What are you wearing today?
Red-and-white striped overalls. I found them on the trash by the L about five years ago. Neatly folded. They're the exact same kind that my friend Tyler Bush wore when he was on the cheerleading squad at Wabash College called the Sphinx Club. They wore beanies. I usually have a newsboy's cap or some other thing to keep the sun out of my eyes.
Q7: I was wondering you must be a good curator. Tell me what about the high and low of organizing art shows.
Organizing shows is great, at least how I do it. Come up with an idea. Plan to change the space you're in to carry the concept of that idea. Invite able-bodies and elastic-minded folks to make things expressly for that idea/space. Get some cards printed up and make sure the beer is cold. Simple.
I distinguish this process from curating by choosing artists based on their abilities and potential, rather than choosing specific works, and also by the absence of editing on my part. Once you're in, whatever you want to contribute is in the show. This is where it gets interesting as some people play well with others and some just don't play at all. The lows are when people who showed interest don't bother to do anything at all. I won't mention names, but they know who they are. The highs are when people totally blossom under the circumstances and do something good and out-of-the-ordinary.
Q8: Any new show coming up?
I just finished installing three new outdoor pieces at ArtOMI up in the Hudson Valley for a show curated by Max Goldfarb called Bivouac.
I'm also working on a suite of half-a-dozen group projects that will be looking at products of American identities, the lies we tell ourselves about ourselves, and the lack of supporting evidence for the American Dream. The first two shows have their roots in the pages of The Great Gatsby and are titled Daisies and Valley of Ashes. I'm shopping them around to a few spaces that I think might be interested in hosting them.
Q9: What is your plan for summer?
Not to accidentally kill myself. Not to go completely broke more than twice. To drink a lot of water. To go fishing with my father. To make a good trip or two. To go to Hale County, Alabama. To eat well. To make some good work while nobody's watching.
Q10: Anything we should know about you?
I play left field for the Mendoza Line softball club in theWilliamsburg Softball League and I love my life.
Thanks, Matt!
Check out Matt's picture blog Weather Records
See matt's portfolio onWhite Columns and Artists Space.
Bad Goods: Q&A with Matthew Lusk
Tagging the width of Manhattan:
Q&A with Momo
Last November Momo tagged the width of Manhattan by using its landscape. He dripped the paint for two miles across downtown from the Hudson river to the East river. The scale of his piece is easily beating landscape art maestro's work such as Robert Smithson's Spiral Getty. For me, his piece is way better because it's transient and more substantial because it's his name, not whirly trail of rocks. So I emailed Momo for Q&A. My coworker Dan warned me that the chance of getting his answers might be slim because the guy's unpredictable... Wrong, Dan! I got his answers, Yaay! But he was still right... He hijacked my Q&A.
Milton rewrote these questions for me, to spur my beleaguered creativity -Momo
1: Did you really tag the width of Manhattan or is that just photoshopped? I also heard that there have been sitings of your line in other major metropolises?
The tag is real & it took only two nites (& 10 gallons of paint). The photoshopping took two or three months. This project was very popular.
Something similar was done in Germany this year by an artist I've never met
(!)
2: Are you gay?
MOMO sounds like HOMO but has nothing to do with my being gay.
3: Where is the most odd/cool place you tagged?
I lived in Granada Spain's Sacramonte (Sacred Hill); a warren of Gypsy caves mostly 500 years old. I painted this giant El Greco inspired piece there in the ruins that was visible from most of the city.
4: Have you got busted?
In tiny island Key West Florida, I was busted with two other friends, we're all shirtless with bleach blond hair in the mugshots, it was ridiculous.
5: EVR or Viva Radio
Viva
6: Tell us about your wife? Does she know you're gay?
My wife is fantastic, a singular inspiration, lovely and kick ass.
7: Why is wheatpasting so popular now? Are you "jumping the bandwagon?
There was a film shot in Williamsburg just last month and they installed loads of fake wheatpaste crap for urban scenery. Its really really funny!
Search "fakemoviegraffiti" at streetsy.com From the inside, you don't know what the general perception is- but it looks like they're onto us. I've been sticking posters since 99.
8: Tell us about the "Grey Ghost".
The "Grey Ghost" is an anti graffiti vigilante in New Orleans - he's been so aggressive he really is a graffiti minded outlaw like the rest of 'em.
Barely funded and rarely legal. I think he's a Southern Outsider Artist
type. See the story I penned here - with pics.
9: When is the last time you bought new shoes/underwear/pants?
HA! ! Yesterday I sewed one of my dwindling threadbare boxers... I've had these 5 years I'm sure, and one of em I bought used. Same with my shoes I guess. I discovered this powder in Spain that knocks down the odor. My pants cost $11 brand new so I was able to afford these just last year.
10: Why is your wife a vegetarian?
She wants to be able to kill what she eats.
11: How did you meet Milton?
We met in a special "fame" high school in North Carolina, more than half our lifetimes ago! We were a tight knit group, Smoking grass & four-wheeeling in the quarry mud, I'd get jumped in the shower singing Morrissey.
Thanks, Momo! Also very special thanks to Milton!
It¹s the best Q&A ever.
Watch the documentary of momo tagging using the width of manhattan.
Visit MOMO's world at www.momoshowpalace.com
Free Food: Q&A with M. Carter
I secretly admired graphics of M. Carter's T-shirts when I go window shopping at Steven Alan or Spacial etc. I was curious what kind of person makes them.
I found these cool prints of food on his website last year surfing online at work. Yesterday I got so lucky to get some questions answered by him via email. His answers are so amazing. I felt like I went to stranger's attic and found really cool knickknacks.
Q1: Can you explain a little bit about the piece?
I was taking a screenprinting class a couple years back and i wanted to make it really worth my while (I was real broke) and also do something in a series that would sit well together. I have been obsessed w/ reproducing objects at lifesize for some time now and snacks & fast food lent themselves to the time and size constraints I was faced w/ as a novice printer. It was a helpful process that informed my work since then and I think they are still quite cute (my faves are the shrimps and oysters, oh and the weiner).
Q2: Where can they be purchased?
They cannot be purchased, however if someone is interested, they can contact me as I have a few sets left.
Q3: You seem to be into food since you also had the photo project of everything you ate in 2002. What are your favorite restaurants in town?
I am into food, but perhaps not as adventurous as I would like to be. I cook a lot, sort of a mixture of the american south and south of the border. I'm always on the hunt for the perfect BLT, hamburger and General Tso's chicken (authentic tacos too but have kinda given up). I ate at EGG (they started doing lunch recently) 3 times last week. On a good day, I would say their burger is the best. For BLT's go to the Stage restaurant on 2nd ave.
Q4: Do you work out?
HAAAA. Thats a good one. Started running last year but when I met my running partner after a few beers at Turkeys, she sent me home and I haven't tried again since. Still have the shoes though. My roommate and I have a collection of bikes including a couple of tandems, I pretty much ride everywhere once the weather is warm.
Q5. What are your favorite museums and galleries?
I've really been getting into the idea of a day at the Met lately. You can go there and explore many different things, maybe you wanna see something specific, but if you have some time you always discover something unexpected. I'm really getting inspired by ancient Greek and Roman art and I need to get over there to check out the recently reopened galleries ASAP. I would say that I dont go to galleries as much as I used to. I have a lot of Artist friends and I try to stay current by picking their brains / digging their scenes.
Q6. You design the best t-shirts. Do you normally dress in T-shirts and jeans? What are you wearing today?
Been kinda broke lately so I've gifted myself the entire Spring collection. Once the weather is warm enuf, I pretty much wear corduroy board shorts and flip flops everyday. Today, I had a meeting so I'm dressed office casual: Sweet vintage blue gigham s/s western shirt w/ loud green chinos (a gift from Chris' mom) & Rainbows.
Q7. What's your background? What's the story behind designing T-shirts?
Failed graphic designer / handyman falls in w/ a fashion crowd and dyes t-shirts in garbage cans to save money...
Q8. Any personal interests?
Right now I am feeling: Tiki culture, tourism, antique postcards, colonial islands, the UN, ropes & pulleys, nomad culture, nautical waste... I better not give it all away!
Thanks so much Milton!
For inquiries on the prints contact miltoncater.com
Check out Milton's awesome T-shirts
