Suki & I were offered a space for 29 days as a studio to create a pop up exhibition. In our time there in between making works for the show we thought it would be fun to interview each other.
Be Free - So Suki when did you start doing art on the
streets and how did you get into print making?
Suki - I’ve been pasting on the streets for about 6 years.
I’ve always had a love for print making and was first introduced to it in
primary school though I didn’t really explore it much until later. I definitely
have a soft spot for relief printing and I love the magic of inking the block
and pulling back the paper to reveal the print.
Be Free - Last year was a big year for you with a couple of
solo shows as well as painting in New Zealand, Tell me a little bit about all
it all?
Suki - Yeah, last year was pretty big, in April I was asked
to come and paint a wall in Dunedin, they’ve got an excellent little crew their
raising money and organising artists from all over the world to come and paint
walls. I’m pretty stoked to be among artists like Phlegm, Pixel Pancho, Be
Free, Dal East and Hyuro who have also painted there, Nespoon is over there
painting now which is pretty exciting.
I had my first solo show Wild
Bhumi in June (2015) and I took the show on the road to Brisbane later in
the year. It was mostly printmaking based but I also did a bit of painting, and
installations using crochet and twine. I also made my first series of hand
bound books and now I’m kind of addicted to book binding.
Be Free - I see that you make clothes for yourself, how long
have you being doing that?
Suki - I’ve kind of always been into making clothes, I guess
that comes with having a dress maker for a mum. I’m interested in sustainable
fashion and making one off works of wearable art that are also practical for
everyday wear. I like to use fabric remnants, things I find in op-shops and
organic fabric. I work under the name Sayuri Mei and have been sharing a few
things I’ve made on my blog.
Be Free - What do you think is your biggest influence is in
your art and why you do what you do?
Suki - Being surrounded by so many amazing and creative
people really helps. Art has always been a part of my life in a big way,
embracing that innate need to create and express myself has always been
supported by the people in my life which has definitely made it easier to bring
my wild ideas to fruition.
Be Free - Have you any other projects coming up?
Suki - I have a show in Newcastle later this year with Tom
Civil and Lu Quade as well as a couple of group shows. I’m also really keen to
do a bunch of pasting on the streets. Plus with the prospect of cooler weather
I’m super excited about picking up my knitting needles and designing some more
clothes.
Quick Qs:
1. How long are your dreads?
Hang on… [picture me holding a meter ruler
to my head haha]… 60cm
2. What’s your favourite TV series that you’re
watching at the moment?
MacGyver (don’t judge me)
3. Your most excellent food?
Avocado on toast.
4. Ever being spotted by the police while pasting?
Yeah, they were cool, just had to take my
details but because there was no complaint from the owner there was nothing
they could do.
5. Best Book?
An empty sketch book waiting to be filled.
Suki - Other than your shenanigans in the
street what are your favourite things to do?
Be Be Free - Hmm I do spend a lot
of time on the streets but I guess I like to spend time with my family, catch
up with friends and drink beer, skateboard and play bass guitar in my band.
Suki - Tell me about the time you fell
through a roof.
Be Free - Ok, so the night started off watching
some bands and drinking a few beers with a good friend of mine, then we headed
out for a bit of a paint. We were walking down the back alleys in Fitzroy and
climbing up onto roof tops. There was this one roof top that had a bunch of
skylights, I remember saying to my friend “watch your step there are some
skylights “ and before I knew it I had fallen through a skylight, hanging from
my arms and dangling with a story and half drop under me. Somehow I scampered
up, my friend had just watched all of this but it happen all so quickly. Then
we sat together and just laughed for about a half an hour and then climbed
down.
Suki - Other than the obvious statement,
tell me about your name.
Be Free - Be Free as my name is a constant
reminder to be happy in life, be able to let things go and stay young at heart.
Suki - Some of your paste ups are epically
huge, how difficult are they to put up and do you design pieces for specific
walls or do you just make pieces and hope to find a wall that it will fit on?
Be Free - Yeah they seem to be getting
bigger. It’s all about the shape of the image to how hard it is to paste, so I think
about that a bit when I’m planning a big one. Sometimes I have a spot first but
not all the time. I’ve planned a paste up for a spot before and by the time I’d
finished it the spot was taken and had to find it a new home for it, so you
can’t always plan things to a tee.
Suki - Why art?
Be Free - I’m not sure, if wasn’t art it
would be something else like skateboarding or surfing or music, something
creative. I need that thing in my life where I can focus on that one thing for
a long time, the rest of the time I’m just a scatterbrain.
1. The Goonies or Turbo Kid?
How dare you ask that
but have to go with the Goonies!
2. Favourite Doco?
Beautiful Losers
3. A cool band you’ve been listening to?
A sick
little local band, Foley.
4. Favourite snack?
In Japan I was eating a heap of
chicken niblets just ask Jimmy about it (That’s crazy because I’m a vego) but
best all time snack combo is a banana with a Jolt cola, don’t knock it till you
have tried it!
5. What place would you most like to travel to?
Detroit
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