The first time I met Ray Young Chu he talked a lot of shit about my eyebrows.
This threw me initially, but once the topic of conversation turned to ice emulsion, then back to eyebrows (a friend’s this time), then to PBR, I diagramed that Chu wasn’t really talking shit, he was just full of shit — the really, really odd kind that helps people make unbelievable art.
It’s been equitable over a annual since Ray slammed my facial traits, merely in that short period he’s made some serious headway. Read on as Ray slows down long ample for us to catch up.
Joshspear.com: You found your way to sheet like a lot of today’s most awesome artists — via graffiti. Tell us about your arty history.
Ray Young Chu: Things kicked off with a spiral laptop in basic school full of Transformers, Spiderman and Garfield. Graffiti got me back in to art while I was in high school. From then on, art history taught me about fine art. I learned a lot in institute.
You can definitely see a lot of influences from other artists in my work. My favorites in art history are Rembrandt, John Singer Sargent, Leonardo Da Vinci, Roy Lichtenstein, Jean Michel Basquiat, Norman Rockwell, Ralph Goings, Girard Richter, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami, Yoshitomo Nara and the list goes on.
JS: You’re in L.A. now, which is an completely different scene. Pop contemporary (et al.) is both more fashionable and more pursued out there — have you felt that in your transition?
RYC: Definitely. There’s just a big population that’s down for present-day — and more specifically urban — type of art. They’ve too had their training (as in getting to watch it first hand, as disapproved to seeing it in journals and on the network). Some of the trendy art can be overwhelming though ’cause there’s a lot of redundancy out here.
I’ve learned that the idea backward the art is pretty opener. The one that stands out are the elementals. The epic. The quality-filled, well marketed, or all of the on.
JS: Your style has surely evolved since we first met. Back then it seemed like you were much more anime-inspired. Today you’re still in that game, but in a more subdued means (principally by way of color palate). Was there anything of special note that drove that change?
RYC: I guess it’s just growing, knowledge and getting bored. The cartoon “studies” I did were just studies. I wanted to replicate and learn how to paint anime colossal. I just like learning different techniques and understanding how to do it well. I was cerebral of eventually mingling the vigor style with photorealism but we’ll see — but Jeff Koons is doing it just fine.
I’ve always had trouble sticking to one type of color palette as well as one particular style or subject matter. I surmise it’s just my identity. I’ve capable to approve it and use it to my convenience. However Audemars Piguet Replica, I see more and more artists emerging with multiple styles (like Girard Richter and the Vitamin P artists). A lot of conceptual artists do it all the time (Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst, for example). I predict that build up people will have an array of styles due to the fast-paced technology of internet and technology.
… But as distant as sensations, sometimes I’m happy and sometimes I’m down. That’s what I paint. My converge seems to alteration often but I’m attempting to mallet to someone long enough to establish a larger, more committed body of work. Right immediately I’ve been doing movie style poster artwork so I’ll be on that tip for a morsel.
JS: Some of your paintings have your little dogs, Poopie and Rosie, in them, and they just … ugh. They rip my heart out. Why so sad?
RYC: Hmm … you’re one of the very few that have said that almost my dog paintings. I’ve forever thought they were pretty merry, although there are some that I’ve done behind I felt pretty down above life. I’ll relay that in a Rosie painting ’cause she seemed (recess in dog paradise, July 2008) like she was bummed being blind and old. She eventually died at 19.
But then there are the dog paintings that express a happy outlook on life. I’ll routinely use my additional spunky dog Poopie for that viewpoint. She likes to swing her tail a lot.
JS: You worked on a pretty colossal mural with Christian Rex van Minnen not too long antecedent, and it’s interesting as me to imagine your two mad imaginations working attach. What was that experience like?
RYC: I was startled how awesomely well Christian got the concept of The Yummies. It was to paint a decisive style below one of the concept characters of The Yummies–like how people paint under Murakami, Koons Jaeger Lecoultre Replica, Kostabi, Warhol, Caravagio, etc … but under a fictional character or idea. By the direction, this is haphazard but did you kas long asRon English painted for Mark Kostabi?
But Christian is a great, hard working painter. He’s really menial, zealous, and exceedingly gifted.
JS: For awhile, you were very focused on The Yummies, a great collective that let you express your neatness in a few different ways. You still do this — though less lately it seems — but it’s been really awesome to watch you amplify all those different sides, then bring them together. What has that approach done and what does it persist to do for you?
RYC: The Yummies allows me to paint as differ monikers to browse manifold styles and interests. It’s been great and been one of my maximum complicated conceptual art pieces to realize. I enjoy it ’cause it’s challenging to me and it’s one idea that hasn’t really been explored.
I want to bring out The Yummies to L.A. with a extra complete reach in the arts. Like how I did it in Denver — I want to have paintings, musical performances and clothing characterize The Yummies so folk get the whole motif that’s it’s kind of a collective. With that, it’s nailing up with the right people. People that are talented and down to get impeded. I muse I’ve base a Ninja Nate that can DJ and be comic in a ninja costume.
I’ve been painting as just “Ray Young Chu” lately ’cause I’ve been wanting to paint entities that don’t eligible The Yummies’ messages. It’s easier for people to digestion as well. It kind of takes work from the spectator to comprehend The Yummies’ conception as a whole. I’m looking amenable to doing shows here with their artwork up (along with their sale schemes and flap performances).
JS: You recently got into more mercantile work, and you’re kicking tons and tons of ass. You have pretty free rein, creatively speaking, when you take those kinds of clients on … correct? Is that a usual thing, or are you just that good?
RYC: Thanks. Yeah, I’ve been working with my associate Quang Le act some rad projects namely are pretty inspired. I don’t want to do everything that’s not namely.
I’ve been honing my skills in my nice art with ideas and improving my technique. Quang’s been awesome in plugging me in to interesting yet challenging projects, like doing a tall educate stylized painting of Murs as a wizard with flying dragon and Steve Aoki on it’s back.
And right now, I’m working on the single “Guilty as Charged” cover for Gym Class Heroes. It’s kind of a blackxploitation movie style poster. It’s also working to be painted for a show in L.A. next month!
JS: Now that you’re in CA, have your goals developed? Hotel Des Arts? Copronason? Any particular location you’re dying to be?
RYC: Recently, I got apt assist out Kelsey Brookes at New Image Art Gallery. I was incredibly challenged at his work ethic and seriousness in his art. I truly like what New Image does and who they show. I like Honor Frasier, Blum and Poe, Roberts and Tilton; beautiful many where always my favorite artists are showing by. I’d be credited if I could sweep their layers and wash their lavatories.
Attention George Foreman, you’re after hours be knocked out. At least, it would is the inspired collective that visits NOTCOT had their way. In an venture apt fuse fun