To put it simply, Eleven is a freak. His ability to learn the numerous styles he is proficient in is at least, Super Human. If i hadn’t met him i’d have no trouble in believing that he was some Extra Terrestrial being sent from planet Fuckimgoodatshit to make people like me want to never pick up a pen/pencil/brush/spray can ever again.
With wisdom beyond his teenage years, and a hint of attitude that only the aforementioned could get away with, i’m going to tip that this wont be the last time you hear the name Eleven.
Keep your eyes peeled for more Eleven&Co on This Life in the coming months.
Firstly, thank you for your time, what’s been happening?
No problem. I’m working on a lot of works at the moment, pushing through. Wasted my day today though, camera was unavailable for me to finish off my video and i smudged some food on a big piece I was working on(took a good 3 hours of work and was still barely finished.) So overall a negative day, but this is looking to be promising.
For those who are unfamiliar with you and what you do, can you tell us a bit about yourself and walk us through your typical day?
Well, I’m Eleven&Co. The “&Co” representing my friends, family and my immediate environment. I’m an “artist” in progress predominantly illustrating at the moment. I’ve done a few small jobs here and there but at the moment i’m just doing it cause I like it. A typical Eleven day is quite uneventful. An irregular Eleven day usually consists of falling, bruises bleeding, climbing buildings, inhaling excessive amounts of aerosol paint and “decent” drawings. I pack the day with Pepsi and junk food.
You mentioned just before that you’re also into video and photography too?
An everything man I guess. I like to keep myself busy, get it from the old man. If i’m not drawing i’m taking photos. If i’m not taking photos, i’m thinking about drawing and if i’m not thinking about taking photos, i’m drawing. This video aspect is quite new, thought i’d branch out.
Did you get involved in art through your dad? Where’d it all begin?
HA my Dad hates the idea of me doing art! Whenever i’m drawing he always glares or says ” you’re drawing too much.” It began in an odd way really. Last year a couple a friends were in to the graff scene, they gloat day after day so i figured “If they can do it so can i.” So i picked up a pen and started doodling out what my understanding of a “piece” was. Of course it was all wrong. After a couple of months a friend asked me “do you only draw letters?” This struck me and my very first character was a raging Connex train suffering from what seemed to be motor rabies. Since then i’ve been just doodling, learning new styles and just growing as an “artist”.
As a kid i watched way too much cartoons so my head was buzzin’ 24/7. I use to attempt drawing out the characters and i had a strange interest in sharp objects. I entered heart world through taking it up in school. I figured maybe this would be fun. Of course everyone was doing oil paintings and such and I felt very alien in there. I kept pushing though, checking out galleries shows and researching artists until I found my niche. All I wanted to do everyday was draw. All that was on my mind was drawing. I kept a sketchbook on me all the time and a pencil and rubber in my right pocket.
Haha that’s crazy man! So you’ve been only doing this for a year?
That was a lie. A year and 3-4 months give or take.
How did that lead you to graffiti?
I had friends, good friends, who just did bad things. Inevitably i began to follow the herd. It was a new sensation, an adrenalyn rush all over. That cool air, the thin layer of frost on the roads, the hollowness of the suburb, it was where I could be at peace. It was like looking at the same old thing in a different light, it transforms from that Real Estate building, to that building you have to climb the pole to get up, quietly sneak across the tin roof, pull yourself up the ledge and so on. Then comes the act. It was a totally new energy. Sure drawing in my book was fun, but swinging my arm around like a madman just felt better.
Do you think where you grew up has had an effect on your style today?
No doubt my friend, no doubt at all. All my work reflects my life experiences or what is happening around me. Art is like an extension of communication for me. I grew up in a strict family in a suburb that already had a negative light on it. There were drugs circling around and gangs to keep everyone in line. In school you couldn’t be individual, if you were you were different and that spelt trouble. You were either the hunter of the hunted, i had my fair share of both sides. I remember back in the day i got myself into some trouble and that began my journey of mental isolation. In the end I was able to pluck myself away from everyone and create my own identity. So all my art feeds from these influences and what i see goes down ’round town. They saw you’re either a sheep or a lone wolf, i like to think i’m the sparrow.
Make sure you suss Ojae’s Blog, chance are it’s cooler than this one!
Do you put any thought in to trying to achieve a particular reaction from people when they view your work? – What goes in to an Eleven piece?
When it comes to a reaction, i don’t go over my head to achieve “happy” or “angry”. I think if you have a strong meaning or concept behind the work, the reaction or emotion will come naturally. Most of my work is heavily based on street life, for a lack of a better name. They’re more a documentation of life, I don’t like to glorify or depreciate any aspects of life, because to me that’s telling people how to look at things, instead of showing them what’s what. In a consumerist world where a giant poster of a man posing in his undies is deemed “acceptable” i think you have to be honest in your work or your selling lies just like the rest of them.
Why Eleven?
Ha I get that a lot! It’s quite a significant number in a lot of cultures spiritually or superstitiously. For me it’s a lot more simple. It’s pretty much my house number. Mum would get me to repeat my address 3 times a day as a kid, just in case i got into trouble and someone asked where i lived. Whenever she made me a password on the computer it was always my name and “11″ so i guess my name was
chosen for me. Plus, saying “number one” twice seems like a great ego dinner.
Speaking of Ego’s, how much of your work is Ego driven?
That’s a tough one. I guess as a “graffer” it’s 100% ego ey? To be honest i’m quite the modest mouse. I don’t think i’m great or even good at this “art” thing. When it comes to my artwork it’s all just straight out of my head, i take more time dressing up my characters and such than myself. I find myself liking my pieces for a minimum 15 minutes before i start to regret doing certain things, or hating it. So i guess no, it’s not ego driven.
What gets you inspired to create?
It’s on and off really. When i want to draw it just comes, I can’t really force out drawings as much, so it’s a mood thing. It’s easy when there’s people around to get you motivated and you’ve guzzled a good 10 cans of caffeine. Seeing other artists work or seeing them in work really makes me want to create something. Feeding off energy i guess. When it comes down to individual work, i like to
have a window. I have the ironing board at the window and i spend a lot of my time there staring outside and drawing. All good things have windows. It definitely helps to draw about the world when you’re looking out at it.
You spend a lot of time at the ironing board??
Not ironing of course ! I’ve had no money and no one is willing to buy me a proper desk for drawing. So unless i’m in the studio i’m drawing on my noisey, wobbly, stained ironing board. Hows that for labor!
So what are you doing when you’re not drawing?
Maintaining a life! I have a horrible habit of eating when i’m bored or to take up slots of time. I spend a lot of my time at school and study pops up here and there. Surprisingly i have a lot of free time that i waste watching tv or staring at my iTunes library. I’ve been trying to get out on the bike more, but the weather has not been generous. When you find that one thing you love doing, it becomes a kind of addiction. You cant stop, it consumes you, beats you around and laughs at you, but you love it. It becomes your life, so anything else that isn’t your passion just seems unnecessary.
You mentioned seeing other artists work for inspiration, who are you looking at lately?What other artists are you stoked on?
Support your local artists. I’m well hooked into the Everfresh crew, each one providing creative banquets for my mind. I’ve taken a big interest in typography and calligraphy lately. Joel Birch seems to have a firm grasp on what i like. In terms of graffiti MSK/AWR/TSL were a huge influence for me and i continue to follow them. I spend a lot of time on blogs trying to find new artists there’s something about an underground artist that appeals more. I’ve been bonding a lot with the fine art students at my school and they bring new elements and aesthetics to the table. Then there’s your usual bombers and burners who keep the streets lively.
What’s in your pockets right now?
That’s probably something i should ask myself a lot more! My phone, wallet, pencil and rubber.
What have you been working on lately?
I drew a few tatts on myself last night and did some calligraphy today. I just finished my impression of the modern day “hipster” and i’m fairly happy with the result, for now. In terms of artworks, i’m halfway through a series and slowly pushing through getting some video works done. They’re more terrifying than exciting. I’m going to be making a book of photos from my graff sessions and i need
to print out photos for a series. There’s a cookie downstairs waiting for me and i’m slowly going through a Buddhism book, which i have lost and hence “slowly”.
You mentioned calligraphy work, i saw some of your Retna/Cryptik style calligraphy lettering, which is pretty dope, how’d you learn the style?
Retna! Through graffing calligraphy came to interest naturally. The arm work was similar and the energy was quite close, but the overall aesthetic was totally different. How did i learn? Trial and a lot of error. I picked up a flat head brush and just started throwing down lines. At first all of my work looked like cheap Retna rip offs. I had a look at Chaz Bojorquez and Cryptik and noticed they
all borrowed from their heritage. SO i figured i’ve dive into my own and try to manipulate them. I skimmed through some Sanskrit and began trialling letters. Eventually i had created something, that i thought combined calligraphy and graffiti tagging. I wanted the calligraphy elegance but that tagging energy. I use to tag up full pages in my sketchbooks and people would often flip the pages in
disgust or confusion. Now it’s a lot more easier on the eyes, but still illegible, which i like.
What have you been reading, listening to and watching lately?
When i find my Buddhism book, i’ll be reading that. I’m really digging a lot of rap lately: Aesop Rock, Army Of The Pharoahs, Heavy D, Dj Nomak, Think Twice, Ultramagnetic Mc’s, Wu Tang and the 49′ers just to name a few. I’ve been listening to a lot of Hardcore lately too; Carpathian and Amity Affliction especially. A friend has introduced to some old 60′s tunes and another rekindled my liking for
old American blues. The 60′s friend has got me into watching a lot of documentaries lately and the daily dose of Simpsons never fails to amuse.
We live in turbulent times, what are your views on the world and society today?
Ahhh i’m not much of a pessimist. I like to see the better side of things. I’ve found a lot of saturation in the media lately and giant posters of guys posing in undies puts me off lunch. The weather has been terrible, typical Melbourne. Street violence has only been bought to the attention of the general public now and new laws and plans are hardly working. There are a lot more laws nowadays and things like public space and freedom seem like fleeting dreams. For some reason everyone is carrying around knives, i guess are knuckles have somehow been sacked. Money is becoming precious and things are getting more expensive. All in all they’re just little bumps in the road. It’s all about the individual. A flower in a field of flowers, is still a flower. A flower in a raging fire, is still a flower.
Anything coming up or happening that we should know about?
Nothing official. Just working through until something pops up. The videos should be done in a few weeks, so those should be exciting. Going to be quite busy with other things though. End of the year and next year should bring a hell of a lot more work. Quality garaunteed, or at least, let’s hope.
Alright, lets do a word association you know the deal, say whatever comes to your mind when you read the word.
Australia – Water
Julia Gillard -Birdman
Election – Lightning
America – Obese
Obama – “So far so good”
England – Far
The Queen – Still alive?
Legal – Halfway
Illegal – Gold
Religion – Control
Time – Expensive
Greed – Desire
Humanity – Slipping
Peace – Patience
Freedom – Where?
Art – Dinner
Graffiti – Under-appreciated
Life – Priority
Happiness -
Where can people follow what you’re up to and view your work?
Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/houseofalice
blog : www.souvanthamoomoo.blogpsot.com
Eleven Says:
“Tagging is not something you do, it’s something you live. It’s raw. So you live raw.
It’s spontaneous. You live spontaneously. If you don’t do that you’re lying to yourself.
When you throw up that name you’re saying ‘I’m a liar’.
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