Interview to the Chinese street artist DALeast, whose artworks are exhibited in "Fever of the worn land" until May 23rd in Carugate (info: http://www.urbanpainting.info/)
Let’s begin from the title of the exhibition in Milan: “Fever of the worn land”: what does it
mean?
It's a sentence that helps to convey how I feel about the world I see around me today.
Three words to describe your work and your style?
3 words is not enough.
What are the subjects and themes of your artworks?
I like to use different subjects to present my themes, they come from the world.
Sometimes I like to display creatures which are the carrier for the soul, but other times I describe the carrier for the creatures.
Is there any of your works you particularly love? Why, what does it mean, how was it born..?
I love most of them as I feel they are like my children.
What would you like to express and convey through your work?
I like to share my experience and emotion to people through my artworks. That's why I really like
to put my art in public space. I don't like to tell other people about right or wrong from my own point of view, but I try to be a mirror which stands in the middle.
Where do you find inspiration for your works and how do they born; do you have some
particular artistic sources or artists that inspire you?
I think the inspiration of my artworks comes from the reality of the world around me, I also have dreams which give me inspiration while I am sleeping. I like to read ancient eastern
philosophy, I can get a lot of energy and ideas from that, not only for my art. I think Nature is the best artist, I am inspired a lot from her.
Which technique do you use to paint?
Mostly I use spray paint for public space. I like to use tea and ink inside the studio.
You studied sculpture, how do this influence your painting? Is there a sort of 3d enquiry?
I got to know the 3 dimensional world better and what’s behind the surface when I was
creating sculptures, I think it has influenced my paintings, also it's changed the way I see
things around me.
Can you tell me something about your style: you use a very recognizable and essential style; how did you come to a similar stylistic choice? All that spirals, do they mean something
particular?
I like to use monochrome color as black, white and grey. Because I prefer to focus on
the sharp physique, it has less illusion without color surface. Monochrome color is strong
enough for me. Skeletal is foundation framework, spirals are the growing trajectory for the
material elements. They naturally work together create our body and the physical world
that the body can feel. So I just learn from nature about that.
Often the subjects of your works are animals: why, what do they represent for you?
I like painting different subjects, not just animals, but I am painting a lot of them because
I love animals, they bring this world more vitality, also animals show the onlooker the
condition of the world. It is so hard to see them around us now. You may feel cold and sad if
you land on a planet which only has one kind of creatures with their machines, so painting
animals is a carrier to share my mind and memento.
Which is the best thing to be an artist and what does it mean to you to be a street artist?
I think “artist” is one group of human that are kind out of system, the vocation for them is too think
unusually, so it is a gift for the person who is an artist. Street artist have so much fun when they are
creating the work, because when you work in public space, everything can happen to you, so it is
more like a challenge for artist. After the works finish, all the public can see it. How great is that. So being a street artist is never getting bored.
How do you choose the place where to paint and the subject in relation to that place?
It is good if I can paint some spots where many people are around, I like to paint on old wall
as well. I like to change my original plan when I am painting the wall if I have some new
inspiration come out. Place and walls are also like person for me, I need to meet them and
talk to them, then start to know what they want from me and what I can give to them.
Is there a particular place where you’d like to paint?
I love to paint in the old buildings or abandoned buildings where are full of stories and rest energy. I can crossover with time to make my works.
What are the reactions of people in front of your works?
I like to see people staying long in front of my works
Your future projects?
Me and my wife Faith47 are travelling a lot together, we travelled and painted around different countries almost every month this year, so we are always part of same projects. We just had a show in Australia together last month. Also few projects are coming up this year. Hopefully we will have good time in Israel this month.
Artist portrait
Name: DAL EAST
AKA: DAL
Nationality: Chinese, 1984
Studies: Institute of Fine Art in China
Active from: 2004
Technique: spray paint, ink, tea
Subjects: creatures, object, energy, emotion
Style: a “sketchy”, recognizable style; the shape of the subjects comes from spirals of black, white and silver lines
Places: Australia, France, Denmark, Germany, Italy, USA, South Africa, Greece, China.
Italian version and photos
