INTERVIEW: Kyle Hughes-Odgers aka ‘creepy’

By | April 17, 2012 at 4:37 am | No comments | Featured Post, Interviews

I recently discovered a beautiful mural tucked away in a Venice Beach parking lot signed ‘creepy’. I did some research and discovered the Australian artist Kyle Hughes-Odgers, who also operates on the street under the handle ‘creepy’, who was kind enough to let me interview him through email.

Alexis W: Basics first! Name, location, and favorite time of day.

Kyle Hughes-Odgers: Kyle Hughes-Odgers, Perth Western Australia. Midnight.

AW: How would you describe your work to someone?

KHO: Narrative based patterned folk art.

AW: Where does the name creepy come from?

KHO: Early on when I started doing street work, I liked the idea of having a word that was the opposite of my work. Contrast.

AW: I discovered your work after encountering a beautiful piece in Venice Beach, in the parking lot across from James Beach on North Venice blvd. There are few more of your pieces in Venice Beach as well – what is the story behind these? What was your experience like in Los Angeles?

KHO: I headed over to L.A in August 2011 for the “street art saved my life: 39 new york stories” group exhibition curated by Brooklyn Street Art at C.A.V.E gallery. While I was in town I got to paint some walls in conjunction with the show. The carpark wall being the largest. I had a great time in L.A although I quickly learnt that I couldn’t just walk everywhere like I thought I could.

AW: From what I have seen, Australia seems to have a really unique graffiti culture, and we are so lucky here to be exposed to it online and through a strong presence of Australian graffiti artists in Los Angeles. What is the graffiti and street art culture like in Australia? Did you find that your experience painting, that people are more receptive and accepting to public art in Australia?

KHO: Graffiti and street art in Australia is really progressive. There are a lot of amazing artists that are doing really interesting things at the moment and it’s great that the rest of the world is starting to be exposed to the amount of talent here. I don’t think people are anymore or any less receptive to public art in Australia compared to anywhere else.

AW: Does folklore and textiles play a role in your work?

KHO: Definitely- I base all of my work on narrative, it might be a story I have heard, experienced or been inspired by. I also have a huge interest in pattern making, textiles and visual repetitive sequences.

AW: I absolutely love all the patterns, where do these come from?

KHO: Keeping my eyes open, looking for patterns and visual sequences in the environment or city I am in, taking lots of photos of textures and unusual shapes.

AW: What inspires you about the street?

KHO: Texture, scale and problem solving.

AW: Do you find your narrative or intention changes from large public works to smaller scale/gallery pieces?

KHO: Not at all – I think complex or simple ideas can work on any scale.

AW:There often seems to be a very delicate balancing act going on in a lot of your pieces with ladders, chairs, pulleys, even houses!

KHO: Yeah, I’ve been working on these ideas for awhile – The characters in the stories aren’t equipped and don’t have the skills to change the situations and environments they are in. So the solutions they create are fragile and temporary, everything could go horribly wrong at any moment. It’s more about the will to keep going. I guess it’s my way of showing that existence is very fragile and everyone does what they need to do to survive.

AW: Tell me about different walls in different cities around the world that you have encountered.

KHO: I love traveling, checking out new cities and meeting new people. Some of my favorites have been rooftops in NYC. Painting in the snow in Berlin, getting to see amazing abandoned houses in Paris…anywhere in Europe actually. Painting in Australia is always good.

AW: Current projects? Upcoming adventures? What’s next for you?

KHO: I’ve been working on a 50m laneway in Perth Australia, that will have 7 large lenticular prints installed into the final painting so that sections of pattern are animated. I’ll be heading up the North West to paint some big walls in the desert in July and have also painted a children’s book, which will be out in September through Fremantle arts press. Plus a few other projects that are in the early stages.

 

We look forward to seeing more work from Kyle! Check out his website kylehughesodgers.com, its definitely worth a look.

-Alexis W.


Portrait by Lars Bormann

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