Sunday, April 18, 2010

Perth Artist of the Week - Elvi ArtGod

Whether he be Fairytale Creature or The Icon of non-humanity, Elvi THE Art God has time-and-time again pushed the boundaries, breaking past all creative and artistic limitations to produce breath-taking works of Art.

Based in Perth, this Nationally and Internationally Renowned, Accomplished, Celebrated, Talented and Respected Artist; has many varying styles, ranging from dark and chaotic, to airy and wistful.







I was lucky enough conduct an interview with this Aussie Gem.
                                   Please read on


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Question1.
Why are you an artist Elvi, and when did you first become one?

Answer:
I am the medium through which God/The Universe/ The Creator/ The Source speakz to the World. I am a Messenger. *THE Reflected Infinite LoVe Full-Stop*
From the moment I waz born I waz an Artist. I have been creating everysingle day I have been alive on Earth. 32 yearz. There haz not ever been a day where
I can not remember not Creating or Working on something. Work Work Work. Scribbling on wallz az a baby, Oil painting on canvazez az an 11 year old Prodigy,
Airbrush painting and sculpting 2 meter high paintingz az an awkward loner teen. To eventually becoming/Evolving into the living breathing Work ov Art I am today.

Az a little kid I didn't really question and realize what I waz doing. I juz did what I did and it juz came to me. It iz only when I waz 11 yearz ov age in 1989 and won an
Art Scholarship that I could fathom the extent ov theze gift bestowed upon me. I waz officially an Artist. The stamp ov approval.
People would constantly say I'm brilliant and that I am a Geniuz. My uncle Robbie would lift me high up above hiz shoulderz and parade me around at the
countless partiez and social gatheringz my parentz would drag me along to and he would boastfully proclaim, 'Thiz kid iz going to be THE Greatest thing the
World haz EVER seen!'. I would juz giggle and become shy. I still get very shy to thiz very day cauz I can't take credit for what I do. These are God-Given Giftz.

 



Question 2.
Could you please tell us more about your paintings, and which is your favourite era?


Answer:

When I paint I paint for Everyone. Even though the mainstream mass commercial conformity business insist on labelling and placing and chaining and pinning 'Art'
down into a niche. I don't think that way. It'z not whatz in my heart. Thatz not my life experience. Az a child and a teen I waz never apart ov a group or fad or 'Movement',
any ov that non-sense. I waz alwayz by myself.
I don't think in termz ov being a Local, National, or even International Artist. I think in termz ov Universal. My paintingz are on the level ov Moon, sUn, Starz,
Galaxiez.THE Indestructiblez.

I Love ALL My Workz. My favourite era would have to be... The DEAD Skin era ov the My Obsession: The DEAD Triptych- Book 3 age.
DEAD Eyez = The Toy Collection: 1998-2000. Obsessed with: My lost Childhood (Abuse and Work)
DEAD Heart = The Digital Being: 2001-2002. Obsessed with: My mortality/ immortality (The wordz from my dead dad, 'Art means FUCKALL in this World.', The wordz
from the ignorant massez, 'Artistz only make it when they are Dead.')
DEAD Skin = The Living ArtWork: 2003-2005. Obsessed with: My self-image (Body dysmorphic disorder and Vitilligo)

For the DEAD Skin era I went out on the road and did LIVE Showz/ Exhibitionz. Bodypainting folkz and creating cyber-video documentation for the whole-world to
see and understand Evolution. Having the skin condiiton Vitilligo made me create myself az a living ArtWork. For many yearz before those gigz I waz a recluse filled
with self-loathing and an identity crisis that finally hit breaking point. Thiz era made me confront myself and awaken to my TrueSelf. An adult man on planet Earth.
I worked and got through my obsession.
I can be Everything and Anything. Every Color, Every Race, Every Age. I can be young, old, black, brown, tanned, pale, grey, green, red, yellow, S!LVER...
I am not bound by the same rulez and regulationz that govern everyone else.
The Universe chose me to not be constrained and imprisoned by the limitationz ov thiz conformed pigeoned-holed world. Never accept. Break barrierz. Have no boundariez.
Become Infinite. THE Ultimate Artist.              

Question 3.
Inspirations always comes from people before us, places and things. What, where and who inspired you?


Answer:
Credit where credit iz due.

My Nanna Ivy for her extensive wig and hat collection...
My Aunty Julie for her obsessive-compulsive hourly uneven drawn-on eyebrowz...
and last but not least; My Long-Gone Sire for hiz wordz ov encouragement when I waz 7 yearz ov age drawing a picture on the breakfast table "Art means FUCKALL in this world" = These 3 Human Beingz created who ! am today.

The WESTern Oztralian Artist: Tjyllyungoo iz THE Western Oztralian Aboriginal Artist who made me want to become an Airbrush Artist.
I saw hiz ArtWORK when I waz 12 yearz ov age when my primary school went on an excursion to a local Art gallery here in NowhereLand.
Hiz Work blew my mind away and made me buy an Airbrush when I waz 13 yearz ov age with my Art scholarship money.

So many inspirationz... Nature. The Land from which I come from.

Question 4.
What other interests do you have outside of painting?

Answer:
I have so so many. I collect the death list noticez from the daily newspaperz. I have scrapbookz filled-with'em.
Stamp collecting from ALL over the World.
Swarovski Crystal Collecting. I Love the light refracting thru the anglez... mezmerizing.
I love to study. Knowledge iz Everything. I am a sponge for information. Mathematicz, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Existence in general. I can't get enough ov it.
Architecture, it iz the source ov ALL Art. I studied for 3 yearz, Buildingz Structurez Housingz that surround the human body.
Aviation. I have had a keen interest in aeronauticz since I waz a kid when my Aunt Julie gave me stackz and stackz ov bookz and magazinez on aviation to read. I alwayz wanted to be able to Fly... Levitate.
My Love ov travel stemmed from that... itz all interconnected. Life.

Question 5.
What inspires you to paint and how do you keep motivated when things get tough in the studio?

Answer:
My Gudigaz. My faith in myself and my strong spirituality keepz me motivated.
I Love to create Magick. To create something so unusual, Unique, Unexpected, that it blowz peoplez mindz away.
I pray alot. I pray at different timez. When I see something that makez me well up with awe like a sunset,, or someone makez me smile,, or seeing people laughing and having a goodtime, I say, 'God bless. That iz Amazing! Thank U with all my heart.' I say prayerz like that thru out the day and night. Alwayz appreciative ov the time and experiencez I have becauz itz all apart ov a message from the devine.
When I'm having a tough time and feeling upset with something not workingout/ not clicking into place **And there iz alwayz a reason why thingz don't workout, that frustration iz becauz I'm in the way ov the devine message. When I get out ov the way EVERYthing Workz out.** but usually during thoze timez ov ego, I'll get on my BMX and ride to the playground, run around playing chasy with Voila (My dog), climb treez, lay down on the grassy field and stare up at the cloudz and or starz. When I come back to the studio to Work I am ready to rocket off into space again. Itz Magick.

Question 6.
It's been two decades for you in the artworld already. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Answer:
In 10 yearz time that will make THREE DECADEZ ov being THE Art God. and I will have MY Last and Final solo-exhibition. It will complete the trilogy ov solo-exhibitionz I have set out for myself from the very beginning ov creating MY Magnum Opuz.

Secretz ov the Worm: BLACK Temple/ WHITE Temple = First ELVI Solo-Exhibition 1997.
Axiom: ART God = Second ELVI Solo-Exhibition *2nd decade show to be announced very soon!*
? = Third ELVI Solo-Exhibition *3rd decade show to be announced*

Question 7.
What's the best and worst parts of being a full-time, working artist?

Answer:
Love. Love iz the one and only force that drivez Everything in the Universe.
There are no worst partz.
Thiz iz what I ALWAYZ wanted ever since I waz a baby. A wish. A prayer. A dream come true. To be THE Art God Full stop.
I am blessed, happy, honoured and thankful I am who I am. To have ALL these abilitiez iz unbelieveable becauz it didn't hav to be me. The Universe could hav given theze giftz spread out to many different people, but out ov ALL humanity I waz chosen. The Universe believez in me 1000% to get the task done and I would NEVER let it down. I treasure and cherish and Love my giftz from the bottom ov my heart. Everyone can clearly see that. My history speakz for itself.
Art iz not juz for me. It iz for Every single one ov us ALL.
What an awe-inspiring feeling?!

Question 8.
What advice would you give to an artist just starting out?

Answer:
I hav said thiz many timez and stated it publicly many timez and I will continue to until it getz thru peoplez thick skullz and it irradicatez the LOSERZ from thiz beautiful planet forever and the only beingz left ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTE AND HELP IN THE EVOL-U-T!ON ov HOME, Planet Earth.
I was told juz the other day (and I've heard thiz lie spoken from the mouthz ov LIARZ many timez before thru out my life) "There is nothing new under the sun... Everything has been done." But that iz not true at all.

Being yourself and creating from your TrueSelf has never been done before. There is only 1 me telling MY story, sharing MY dreamz and making MY wishez come true.

Honesty, Truth, Integrity, Love is not taboo unless you care for catering to what Loserz think.

There are Billionz and Trillionz and Zillionz of NEW thingz under the sun, U ME US! and that IZ the Truth.

Anyone who sayz otherwise IZ a LIAR. A TALENTLESS, GOOD FOR NOTHING, LIAR.



Thank you for the wonderful answers Elvi! You're a true treasure.



  • Born in Perth, Western Australia in 1977
  • Child prodigy Received an Art Scholarship at the age of 11.
  • Group-Show at THE Art Gallery of WA for Young Originals exhibition 1995.
  • Second group-Show at THE Art Gallery of WA for The Perspectives exhibition  1996. 
  • First solo Exhibition in 1997 at the age of 19 SECRETS OF THE WORM, 1997 at the ARTS House GALLERY/ Art Rage in Perth, Western Australia
  • Participated in the Awesome Children's festival: Alter/Ego exhibition                                                                                                           
  • Conducted numerous Interviews and featured with Zines such as Malefact Zine Washingto, USA,  Cthulhu Sex Zine New York USA, Vial Zine SanFransisco USA, and Xpress Magazine AUS, ReAKT ! Zine =Perth, AUS.; plus numerous others
  • Commissioned by numerous Over Seas patrons, namely EVIL THREADS USA, BurningWheel.org, and ChaosMagick Tokyo, Japan
  • Collaborated with many Artists; both local and International. 
  • Still resides in Western Australia.
Be sure to check out the rest of Elvi's beautifully airbrushed creations. Everything from Canvas to skin!


 

1 comment:

  1. This man's work is amazing. Seriously, the only airbrush artist who's work isn't cartoony or mediocre or simply an illustrator. HE'S AN ARTIST!!

    ReplyDelete

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