Nicholas Edwards and Matthew Gordon are two young Melbourne creatives who live to tattoo, be tattooed and make art. They are a pair of extremely sincere, passionately driven guys who have channelled their friendship and creativity into a new exhibition that has just opened in the CBD.
Nick took some time to tell us about the show and about what it means to be a tattoo artist in today's creative pond.
What is the premise of this exhibition? Are all of the artists also practicing tattooists?
We come from a mix of tattoo and fine arts fields. The premise of the exhibition was to fill a personal need to put out a good show with an eclectic range of work. It really came down to showing our art and extending an open ear for critical response. It's really been about the lead up and creation of the event also. Advertisement, hype, the moments of passion, means of motivation to do some art outside of the tattoo studio. So be it.
Do you think that tattooists are a certain breed of person?
Definitely, but it’s too hard to categorise. If I could put it simply, if at all, I would say: artistic visionaries, social distorters, rag tag magicians and precision surgeons. However you must know I only speak highly of those that practice this trade for its prosperity. Mental and aesthetic.
In what ways do you think that tattooing and art cross over?
I personally think that it is the direction of a new generation of tattooists/artists to really explore the possibilities within and around art and tattooing, on all artistic levels.
Tattooists and those involved are all coming from a feverishly insatiable need to create and explore their own boundaries and really push our own art, with our own story, being very heavily influenced by the mental and aesthetic buoyancy of our industry.
It’s an industry of hard work and experience. With that said it all comes from a basic need to see oneself as an individual. Create a name for one-self and making it happen.
With all emphasis on the cross over, art for the tattooist is a means of progression, it’s always been there, but more so now it’s out in the open and the personalities are coming with it.
Who are some of your favorite international artist / tattooists that you look up to?
These are people I believe really embrace the DIY ethos. In my opinion they make things happen and believe it is possible even if the means hasn’t been explored yet. Aesthetically they are exploring the visual in a new and unique way. I’ll write their names down but it would be best for you (the reader) to explore further if you have the intention ...
-Adrian Lee of Analog Tattoo (including the whole creative crew he surrounds himself with)
-Black Throne Tattoo (Clint, Rachi and Greg)
-Thomas Hooper
-Shige
-The crew at Per Square Metre gallery on Johnston street Collingwood melbourne.
-Aaron Rose (curator of the Beautiful Losers, continual bad arse visionary)
-Ed Templeton
Are the works all for sale? What price tags will we see?
All the works are for sale. The bulk of the show is made up of original works. The price tags range from $1800 - $200
Why would you love people to see this exhibition?
There is no fluff, no sugar coating. On a ground level these are artworks, but I believe the visual contrast and unification of the body of work as a whole will materialize another run on the ladder of recognition for each of the artists involved.
What would be the ideal soundtrack to this show?
Doomriders, Suicidal Tendencies, Russian instrumental, Tom Waits, Pantera, Black Sabbath, Sepultura, Chamber music, Clutch. A good range.
What's in your bag today, Nick?
My bag hmm. Let's see:
Digi camera, Jelly bean, note pad, broken pen, tattoo mags, Juxtapoz and pieces of random paper and some reference books on geometric patterns, moldy bread and a Chinese container, show flyers. (The moldy bread is gone now. Haha.)
Nicholas Edwards born 6 June 1866 grew popular in his tattooing styles by tattooing the throats of vagabond prostitutes, this being around the time of the notorious jack the ripper murders, some say that the dotted line the Nicholas incorporated into his tattoos taunted jack and allured him to his killings. others say that Nicholas himself was the nightmarish brute.
his dark art styles ring out through all of his paintings with a charm that even Lucifer himself would admire.
Matthew Gordon, birthplace unknown, is a cybernetic organism encased in metal endoskeleton, sent back in time from 1987 to bleed ink, oils and whatever else he can get his hands on into canvas replicating the people he observes in his travels, mainly people who have marked their skin in one form or another, tattoos being the main subject of his work, he attempts to capture his subjects in a way that is both realistic and a mess of fallen turpentine.
PASSION & GRACE
Nicholas Edwards, Matthew Gordon, Ben Ross, Phebe Parisia, Julian Fletcher
Workshop Bar and Gallery
413 Elizabeth St
Melbourne Victoria 3000
(03) 9326 4365
Until Saturday 19th of June 2010