ERIC ELMS JUXTAPOZ.COM (^) | 79
of artists coming from different disciplines or maintaining a
multidisciplinary practice their entire lives. I think it’s a natural
thing to put people in categories. Most of the time it comes
from people who aren’t familiar with the studio work I have
been doing. I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing. Over time,
if you put good work out consistently, it will stand on its own.
Is it difficult to break out of the mindset of working on a
computer as a graphic designer and experimenting with
various materials to make more abstract imagery?
When I left art school, I was designing for Supreme and
working on more straightforward design projects. My
personal work was a lot closer to what my graphic work was
at that time, so there wasn’t much of a conflict. As those two
have grown further apart, it has become both a struggle
and a big help in my process. Most of my artwork revolves
around an attitude of how I see the world, as opposed to
a very specific style or character that runs through all my
pieces. I think this conceptual way of working came from
how I originally thought about individual design projects.
Something intrigues me and I figure out the best materials
that represent what I am trying to achieve. Sometimes that is
very straightforward traditional painting, other times there is
tons of experimentation involved. Now the computer plays
a more technical role in the production of pieces rather than
on the visual or conceptual side.
You were pretty young when you got to work alongside
successful artists like Shepard Fairey, KAWS, Kevin Lyons
and more. How important was it for you coming up around
these types of creatives and their work environments in
terms of your own artistic path?
It was super crucial for me at that age. I wasn’t really into art
or creating things on a serious level before I met Shepard
in San Diego. I didn’t really know that was an option. Once
I moved to New York to go to art school, that opened up so
many doors. I met KAWS within a month or two of moving
to the city and started assisting him after that. It opened my
eyes to someone who was creating work constantly and
how an artist works in their studio. I think those are kind of
obtuse concepts when you are first starting out, so for me,
it was amazing to see. I look up to KAWS and all of those
guys. To see where he has taken things is so impressive, but
even what he was doing then is still impressive to me now. I
have an appreciation for the work and also for how much it
affected my path in life.
above
MJ Koons 02
Collage
22” x 29” (Framed)
2011
opposite
Excerpts from the
book Book Looks
C-Prints
2012
tuis.
(Tuis.)
#1