On February 7th, 111 Minna Gallery opens it’s first art exhibition of 2014 with the works of local artists Eddie Colla Hugh Leeman and D Young V.
We caught up with them to learn about the works they are presenting. In previous shows and installations Hugh Leeman, D Young V and Eddie Colla have come together bringing their divergent styles to collaborate on a body of work depicting specific themes dealing with remembering death, life after the apocalypse, consumerism and advertising in our society. In this show they are coming together “In New Work by 3 Distinct Voices” with their unique styles and methods with pieces that are primarily a black and white palette with limited use of color
D Young V
This show is a way for me to go back to my foundations, and thus rethink the directions I’ve been taking with my art, like a restart.
Can you tell us how you approached the body of work and how it departs from previous your works?
The main body of work I’m showing in this exhibition is an installation of 40 micron 08 pen drawings on 19x24in. sheets of paper. The drawings are primarily black and white. For me, this was a way of steering away from everything I’ve learned and done in last 4yrs. Since the point that I entered the ‘art world’ I’ve been inclined to go bigger, better, use color, become more elaborate, etc. I feel that my last solo show at White Walls (Jan. 2013) was the end product of that thinking. Since then I’ve wanted to go back to the basics. When I started doing art more seriously years ago, it was always with the micron 08 pen and sheets of bristol paper, everything I’ve done has derived form that process. This show is a way for me to go back to my foundations, and thus rethink the directions I’ve been taking with my art, like a restart.
Is there significance to the faces and people depicted in the art?
There is no specific significance to the people represented in this particular body of work. Whereas my past work has always had a relationship, collaboration and homage to the models I’ve worked with. Although the people depicted in this work are still some of those same models, they are not meant to represent that particular model in anyway. Rather, the people and faces expressed in this body of work only serve as vessels to express my thoughts and imagination.
Is there any message you want the viewer to walk away with?
Any message the viewer walks away is a good one. I’m not trying to direct their impressions in anyway. I’m leaving it all up to their imagination.
You have worked together several times in the past. How has the time you have spent collaborating affected your work?
My time and experience working with Hugh and Eddie has changed me greatly. Both of them have influenced my work, concepts, thought process and outlook. I’ve learned several new techniques in making art from both of them, as well as new methods (and philosophies) to ‘getting up’. The collaboration process (with both of them) has challenged my work in many ways, causing me to rethink my direction/ concepts as well as forcing me to learn new techniques and media. I’m definitely a far more well rounded artist and person as a result of these two relationships.
What first brought you together to collaborate and what continues to bring you together for collaboration?
Our relationship was built on street art, since then its evolved into friendship. Eddie and I first met at a group street art gallery project we were both involved in. Hugh and I were both working with the same gallery when we first met. It all kind of started from there. I suppose the three of us had common interests, goals and philosophies. That led to our many projects and collaborations together. Though this show is far less collaborative, the relationship remains the same. In truth though the one signifying interest and moment that ties it all together revolves around the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and a camping trip.
Years ago, not long after we first met, the three of us decided to go on a three day long camping trip. It was our second night in the woods that brought it all together. Both Eddie and Hugh were not drinkers at the time. I was the complete opposite. That night I got a little tipsy while Eddie was playing ‘The Artist Formerly Known as Prince’ on a tape deck he brought with him. I drunkenly tried to dance to this and do a split to ‘Purple Rain’. I tore the crotch in my pants only to show my Teenage Ninja Turtles boxers. My mom has been buying me Ninja Turtle boxers for Christmas every year since I was a 12. It’s sort of a tradition and running joke in my family. Both Eddie and Hugh immediately noticed the boxers and got kind of stoked. Hugh apparently is a huge fan of the comics, television shows and even the movies. He also has a huge collection of Ninja Turtle toys (some still in their unopened packages) at his parents house in Indiana, he still bids on ebay for new toys to add to his collection. Eddie then (slightly embarrassed) showed us his Shredder (TMNT villain) tattoo on his right arm. Oddly enough it was a super well-rendered movie version of Shedder. He got the tattoo in 1990 after the release of the first TMNT film (without having ever watch the cartoon show previously). He laughingly and proudly claims to have seen the movie in the theater nearly 20 times! A boast, which I think is bullshit personally. He’s not a huge fan of the sequels though. That was a hugely defining moment for the three of us. It’s still a running theme joke between us.
Eddie Colla
For me this is a continuation of things I started in both “Epilogue” and “Memento Mori” although I have placed less importance on the narrative of those previous shows. These pieces are more about imperfection and endurance.
Is there significance to the faces and people depicted in the art?
There is no significance as to who the people are. There is a significance to how they are portrayed and what that may evoke in the viewer.
Is there any message you want the viewer to walk away with?
Not a specific message. I have a vague idea of what I am looking for in terms of the connections people make. I rather not be too specific about that because what I say would inevitably effect that perception.
You have worked together several times in the past. How has the time you have spent collaborating affected your work?
I think it’s interesting because we are, in many ways, different artists now then we were when we met. I have no doubt that our work together has influenced those changes.
What first brought you together to collaborate and what continues to bring you together for collaboration?
Initially, we were all sort of in the same place. We had similar goals. We ended up in a lot of the same group shows. I contacted D Young V about doing a collaboration soon after we first met. That collaboration never actually happened but we became friends and have collaborated a lot since then. All 3 of us worked pretty closely together on the Epilogue show that we did in Los Angeles.
There’s less collaboration in this show but I think it’s interesting to see the common threads that remain as well how our paths have also diverged.
Hugh Leeman
I have created work I wouldn’t have thought of otherwise such as the apocalyptic artwork I made with smoke and unused billboard ads for our show in Los Angeles…and sometimes it really reminds me how much I appreciate silence and answering only to myself.
Can you tell us how you approached the body of work and how it departs from previous your works?
I threw away all my things, gave away all my paint and started over with black and white. I stopped painting from photos or life and painted from my head with my feelings through movement. I began using brushes less and less instead keeping my paint very wet and using a rubber squeegee to remove the paint from the canvas. I would dance while I painted, I was always alone, and at the summit even I was absent from the process, my subconscious creating on my behalf.
Is there significance to the faces and people depicted in the art?
I have been the model for my paintings at times literally standing in front of it for reference of muscle structure and anatomical composition but I too am the “faces” depicted in these artworks, perhaps they are all internal perceptions of the self. These paintings are then perhaps reflections of the artist’s not yet conscious self.
Is there any message you want the viewer to walk away with?
At the current state of mind I really find beauty in leaving the interpretation open to the viewer, so that they may project their own feelings and thoughts of the self onto the “what I see in this” painting.
You have worked together several times in the past. How has the time you have spent collaborating affected your work?
I have created work I wouldn’t have thought of otherwise such as the apocalyptic artwork I made with smoke and unused billboard ads for our show in Los Angeles…and sometimes it really reminds me how much I appreciate silence and answering only to myself.
What first brought you together to collaborate and what continues to bring you together for collaboration?
I think of both Eddie and David as brothers and I will never forget the time when we were camping and David tore his pants when he did the splits while impersonating Prince in Purple rain. Once his pants tore it was hilarious to see he was wearing Ninja Turtle underwear, its the little things but that was the bonding moment that sealed the deal for the three of us because I wouldn’t ordinarily talk about this but I have never gotten over my ninja turtles crush and obviously David hadn’t either. That’s when Eddie showed us his Shredder tattoo, it sounds bizarre but its very well drawn for a shredder tattoo.
