Vexta has just returned from Sydney where she took up the breath-taking challenge of a
24 metre wall. She rolled out a whole army of incredible winged beings breathing life, magic and awe-inspiring radness with her hard-hitting colour palette.
She's also ticking off an impressive list of shows which all embrace her as one of the key Australian artists moving successfully from the street to the gallery.
Vexta kindly took a breath and let us take a roam around her studio.
What unusual things happen in your studio?
My little cat is usually tearing around, hiding under pieces of paper and leaping out and attacking me and my studio partner Ainslie Fletcher.
What do you think is vital in any successful creative studio?
A good music collection with loads of creative tools on hand.
What do you absolutely love about your specific space right now?
I love the high ceilings & big front window, I love that its right across the road from a bunch of great cafes and very close to Edinburgh Gardens, which is my favourite Melbourne park. I love that I can work until I’m about to drop and then climb upstairs to my bedroom and sleep.
See Vexta's photo gallery to reference what she's discussing here.
1 - Your wall looks like an exploded diary! It's so beautiful. Is this the hub of your organization and inspiration?
This is just where I stick things that I like so that I don’t lose them! I guess it is a bit like an exploded diary. I do feel like its quite personal – it helps me put all the important pieces together.
2 - What's the balance between planning and spontaneity in your work?
I’m fairly planned in that I know exactly what I’m going to paint before I begin. Usually I start by taking photos and drawing from them, I will then make stencil layers and begin painting. That’s when spontaneity comes into it, if it’s a site specific work like wall I’ll decide a lot of things on the spot, this is a rough sketch I was putting together for a wall I just painted in Sydney.
3 - Is this white painted onto black or have you done some negative space painting?
This is white onto black, I’m into painting white onto black and then blacking out areas at the moment, as well as painting different shades of black on black… its becoming a bit of an obsession.
4 - What's the symbolic power of the moth that you're drawing on?
I like that moths are this strange creatures of the night that we don’t often see and they way that when they begin to die their wings become feathery and start to come apart, its almost like they begin to disintegrate back into the natural world right in front of you… they live these whole lives that we don’t even see whilst we are sleeping. I think they are really beautiful, like deep sea creatures of the night sky.
5 - Where did these skulls come from?
These are some horse skulls found in various places out in the countryside.
6 - What sustains you through the day?
Coffee, coffee and more coffee.
7 - Where did you find this, and what do you think it is?
This is a boab tree seed pod that a close friend of mine found in the Kimberlys and sent it me.
8 - Did you see The National when they played in Melbourne recently?
Yes I did, they were amazing! Heart breakingly spectacular.
9 - What's in your stack of reading here?
This is fairly typical of the types of books I have in my studio at any one time, The ‘Surrealism, Art & Modern Science’ book is really historical and academic and bends my brain with its discussions. ‘Sleeping & Dreaming’ it brings together work & text by scientists, artists, philosophers and historians. The ‘Bones’ book has been in my studio since I picked it up on a trip to Tokyo. I’m also really into Rainer Maria Rilke’s poetry. The vintage space magazines I recently bought online to see how people thought about space in the 60s & 70s and for making collages.
10 - Do you think that creativity springs from chaos?
Well I’d have to say yes… my studio is in a constant state of semi-organised chaos.
11 - What's the nostalgic resonance here?
This is a pair of deer horns from a deer that my father shot probably sometime in the 80s in Canada. My father died when I was 18 and I remember them being in his office at home when I was little. I think they are beautiful.
12 - What is your favourite spray paint?
Belton Molotov.
13 - These gloves look very well used. How important is using gloves in your practice?
I’ve been using these gloves for about 5 years. I use them whenever I spray paint and sometimes I use my hands and fingers to create stencil shapes when I’m wearing them as I’m painting so they are pretty important.
14 - Who is your furry friend?
This is my cat Mimi Tanuki Battles, she a street cat from the backstreets of Fitzroy, she pretends to be tough but she’s really just adorable and shy.
15 - What does your love of colour say about you?
I like using colours that shouldn’t go together somehow do I like to try to make form out of them, order out of chaos I guess.
How are you preparing for the Melbourne winter?
I’m thinking about making a trip to the northern hemisphere, Europe or America.
What happenings in Melbourne have got you inspired?
So many things inspire me about Melbourne, all the DIY happenings that people organise as well as the art exhibitions that my friends are doing. I guess in particular I’m inspired by the way people use space in Melbourne, whether that’s utilising a rooftop for a party, a laneway for a bar or putting on a exhibition in the corner of a warehouse. I think that’s a really unique thing about Melbourne.
What exciting projects do you have on the boil right now?
I just got back from painting a 25m long wall in Sydney which was pretty epic and now I’m working on a set of paintings for a group show in London, I’m also planning a collaborative installation based show with a friend, its going to take some planning but I think its going to be awesome.
www.vexta.com.au
Vexta is part of a number of amazing group shows across Australia currently including:
Unleashed : The rise of Australian Street Art
Redcliffe City Art Gallery
470 - 476 Oxley Avenue
Redcliffe
Queensland
until April 16th
The Super Heroes
Edwina Corlette Gallery
New Farm
Brisbane
Queensland
Vexta alongside Kill Pixie, Miso, Ghostpatrol, Anthony Lister, Rone, Meggs, Haha, Civil & more
until 30 April
The Space Invaders
From the National Gallery of Australia starts its Australian Tour this month starting at
UQ Gallery University of Queensland
Brisbane
Queensland
until 5 June 2011
You can also see her wall project currently at
MAY's Lane Street Art Project
9 May Lane
St Peters, Sydney NSW 2044
MAY's Lane Street Art Project 9 May Lane St Peters, Sydney NSW 2044