DEMSKY interview by Vittoria Benzine

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Demsky started his creative journey by getting immersed in the graffiti boom in the early 90s. Since then he has been traveling and spraying throughout more than 50 countries and still feels obsessed with twisting the morphology of his name in multiple, unconventional shapes.

Being self-taught, his artistic influences are rooted in the graffiti movement, the fluor era and his current nostalgia around the late 80s and early 90s, although nowadays these are expanding also towards obtaining a balanced mix between future and nostalgia, radical creativity and exact sciences.

As a kid, he used to spend his time playing arcade games and watching Japanese mecha and sci-fi movies in VHS mode.

Now Demsky feels eager to expand his artistic output and develop new concepts in his studio work – a new approach to develop a more conceptual side where he tries to bring new art forms around the interconnected relationship of space and time array with a strong focus on finding the glitch and animating static compositions.

More precisely, it is a glance to the future from those nostalgic times, an ongoing personal therapy exercise based on getting immersed in creating impossible shapes gravitating in multiple dimensions in an organized chaotic environment.

Understanding art as a vehicle to stimulate the senses and heal the soul, Demsky has collaborated with worldwide galleries and multiple cultural and commercial projects.

Demsky在90年代初沉浸在涂鸦的热潮中,开始了他的创作之旅。从那时起,他一直在50多个国家旅行和喷涂,并仍然对将他的名字的形态扭曲成多种非常规的形状感到痴迷。作为一个自学成才的人,他的艺术影响植根于涂鸦运动、萤火虫时代和他目前对80年代末和90年代初的怀旧,尽管如今这些也在扩大,以获得未来和怀旧、激进的创造力和精确的科学之间的平衡组合。

作为一个孩子,他曾经花时间玩街机游戏,用VHS模式看日本机械人和科幻电影。现在,Demsky感到渴望扩大他的艺术产出,并在他的工作室工作中发展新的概念–一种发展更多概念性的新方法,他试图围绕空间和时间阵列的相互联系的关系带来新的艺术形式,强烈关注寻找突发事件和静态构成的动画。

更确切地说,这是一个从那些怀旧的时代看向未来的眼神,一个正在进行的个人治疗练习,基于沉浸在创造不可能的形状,在一个有组织的混乱环境中的多维引力。

Hey. How are you, thanks for speaking with us.  Could you introduce yourself ? 

It’s a pleasure! My name is Javi, also known as J. Demsky.

I started painting graffiti in the early 90s. Since then it has been a process that has taken me to explore new creative paths. 

I describe myself as an introvert and I do not like to talk about myself, but you can find more info about me and my profile here: www.jdemsky.com.

嗨,你好,感谢你与我们交谈。 你能介绍一下自己吗?

这是我的荣幸!我的名字是Javi,也被称为J.Demsky。我在90年代初开始画涂鸦。从那时起,这是一个带我探索新的创作道路的过程。我形容自己是一个内向的人,我不喜欢谈论自己,但你可以在这里找到更多关于我和我的资料:www.jdemsky.com。

Do you remember the first experience you had with graffiti that got you addicted to the art form?

I could say my first experience with a spray can be in 1992. In fact, by that time I wasn’t aware that I was doing graffiti. I remember I used a red color spray can and I sprayed a skateboard RAT Bones logo. A few days after this I found my tag name and I started writing.  

Graffiti has given me the chance to experience the visceral power of freedom. Still today I paint with the same motivation and energy as day one.

你还记得你第一次接触涂鸦的经历吗?是怎样让你沉迷于这种艺术形式的?

我可以说我第一次使用喷漆的经历是在1992年。事实上,那时我还没有意识到我在做涂鸦。我记得我用了一个红色的喷漆,我喷了一个滑板的RAT Bones标志。在这之后的几天,我找到了我的标签名称,我开始写。 涂鸦让我有机会体验自由中的力量。今天,我仍然带着和第一天一样的动力和能量作画。

When, how, and why did you transition from illegal to legal art?

From my feelings, I am not sure, and sometimes I can’t find the difference, and even sometimes I don’t want to find it. Could art be illegal? I sometimes have the feeling that illegal painting is also art for me.

Generally speaking, there is indeed a big difference between Graffiti and Art and I decided to split both paths quite a long time ago. The most important thing for me is that I still cover both disciplines with the same love and energy.

I always try to respect the illegal side as much as I can. In fact, most of the time I do not feel I am breaking the law as I feel respect for it and always try to apply common sense to it. However, graffiti is illegal and will be illegal forever – otherwise, it won’t be graffiti. It must be wild. 

你是何时、如何以及为何从非法艺术过渡到合法艺术的?

从我的感觉来看,我不确定,有时我找不到区别,甚至有时我不想找。艺术可以是非法的吗?我有时会有这样的感觉,非法绘画对我来说也是艺术。一般来说,涂鸦和艺术之间确实有很大的区别,我很早就决定把这两条路分开。对我来说,最重要的是,我仍然以同样的爱和精力覆盖这两个领域。 一般来说,涂鸦和艺术之间确实有很大的区别,我很早就决定把这两条路分开。对我来说,最重要的是,我仍然以同样的爱和精力覆盖这两个领域。

From fashion to canvases and interior design, your style has covered a wide variety of settings. What medium or project surprised you the most in terms of its manifestation?

I always try to put the same energy into every art creation. The projects that I mostly like are those where

I have total freedom to create whatever I feel.

The most enriching project so far has been ODISEA: An underwater immersive art installation, using the sea as a space gallery. I had the opportunity to explore new senses – a deep, natural body and mind experience in the middle of a blurred digital-driven reality where we nowadays live in. I do not like to focus on one single discipline as I always believe it’s relevant to explore and research anything that is appealing to you. It’s a matter of testing, understanding and trying to add value to it.

从时装到画布和室内设计,你的风格已经涵盖了各种各样的环境。在表现形式上,哪种媒介或项目最让你吃惊?

我总是试图把同样的能量投入到每一个艺术创作中。那些我最喜欢的项目是那些我可以完全自由地创作我觉得的东西的项目。到目前为止,最丰富的项目是ODISEA。一个水下的沉浸式艺术装置,将大海作为一个空间画廊。我有机会探索新的意义–在我们现在生活的模糊的数字驱动的现实中,有一种深层的、自然的身体和心灵体验。我不喜欢专注于一个单一的学科,因为我始终认为,探索和研究任何对你有吸引力的东西都是相关的。这是一个测试、理解并试图增加其价值的问题。

We’re obsessed with your 2020 ready-to-wear collab with the legend Junya Watanabe. Tell us more about that project! How did it come together, what were your inspirations, and how does it feel to see Paris Hilton repping your gear?

I felt super excited to work with J. Watanabe and I really like the result of the garment. The idea was to design a tight-fitted piece that could simulate “a second skin”. We named it Sensorial Skin / 20:SS if I remember well. It was exhibited in Tokyo and Paris Fashion Week in 2020.

Sorry I’m not a big fan of Paris Hilton but I presume she also loves the Comme de Garçon brand and maybe the collaboration we did together.

我们对你在2020年与传奇人物Junya Watanabe的成衣合作非常着迷。告诉我们更多关于这个项目的信息!它是如何形成的?它是如何形成的,你的灵感是什么,看到 Paris Hilton 穿上你的装备感觉如何?

我对与J.Watanabe合作感到超级兴奋,我非常喜欢这件衣服的结果。我们的想法是设计一件紧身的衣服,可以模拟 “第二层皮肤”。如果我记得不错的话,我们把它命名为 Sensorial Skin / 20:SS。它在2020年的东京和巴黎时装周上展出。对不起,我不是帕里斯-希尔顿的大粉丝,但我想她也喜欢Comme de Garçon品牌,也许是因为我们的合作。

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Where and how do the past and future meet in your style?

My narrative is always based on space and time but, to be honest, I’m not sure where or when I am. I think both terms are an illusion of the world and we have to live with that anyway. A huge source of inspiration stems from the 80s and the 90s.

When I was a child I used to spend my time in the streets always looking for new adventures (arcade saloons, VHS video rental stores, skate shops…)

before I decided to get into graffiti writing. Sometimes, even though we got no money to spend, we were happy just watching our surroundings. Nowadays, I still keep part of my childhood hobbies – I like watching old movies, even sometimes in VHS format, and listening to the soundtrack of those movies.

Maybe it’s something I didn’t expect.

And maybe the future doesn’t exist at all. . 

在你的风格中,过去和未来在哪里以及如何交汇?

我的叙述总是基于空间和时间,但说实话,我不确定我在哪里或何时。我认为这两个词都是世界的幻觉,无论如何我们都要接受这个事实。一个巨大的灵感来源源于80年代和90年代。当我还是个孩子的时候,我曾经在街上花时间总是寻找新的冒险(街机沙龙,VHS视频租赁店,滑板店……),然后我决定进入涂鸦写作。有时,即使我们没有钱花,我们也很高兴只是观察我们的环境。现在,我仍然保留着我童年的部分爱好–我喜欢看老电影,甚至有时是VHS格式的,并听这些电影的原声带。

也许是我没有想到的事情。

也许未来根本就不存在。

Since you got your start in the streets, does place factor into your practice at all? What cultures inspire your art?

The first one was skateboarding. I was surprised by the designs by Powell and other brands and it still represents a big source of inspiration today. Then I left skate to get into graffiti writing. It exploded in my mind when I was 12. Today at 43 years old. I am still obsessed about finding new ways to write my name – it’s game with infinite levels and possibilities.

Space and the universe are topics that helped me explore a new vision of the world.

既然你是在街头起步的,那么地方因素在你的实践中是否存在?哪些文化激发了你的艺术?

第一个是滑板运动。我对 Powell 和其他品牌的设计感到惊讶,今天它仍然是一个很大的灵感来源。然后我离开了滑板,进入了涂鸦创作。在我12岁的时候,它引爆了我的思想。今天,在43岁的时候。我仍然痴迷于寻找新的方式来写我的名字 – 这是一个具有无限水平和可能性的游戏。空间和宇宙是帮助我探索世界的新视野的主题。

What artistic possibilities on the horizon are you most excited about?

I love physical projects and I want to explore new ideas around nature and planet earth. I do like digital but I feel the need to develop new formats in real life.

I have a new architecture project and this year I want to release my graffiti book. I’m 100% focused on reaching my highest level of energy and motivation to keep myself on track.

您的视野里对哪些艺术可能性感到最兴奋?

我喜欢实体项目,我想围绕自然和地球探索新的想法。我确实喜欢数字艺术,但我觉得有必要在现实生活中开发新的方式。我有一个新的建筑项目,今年我想发布我的涂鸦书。我百分之百地专注于达到我的最高能量和动力,让自己保持在状态中。

Interview 作者: Vittoria Benzine

Translation 翻译: Emi 

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