On Sunday, November 1st, the sixth edition of Dreams Were Made For Mortals comes to the St. Vitus Bar in Brooklyn. This one day art event showcases the work of some of the underground’s most interesting artists. Check out the second in our 2-part interview series with some of this year’s exhibitors (Part I Here):
Matt Kepler [Cult of Hades]
What are your dreams?
I guess the question is whether you mean “dreams” as aspirations, or my true dreams whilst I sleep? When asleep it is a reoccurring place that I describe as a “Hell World” of shadow figures, tornadoes, isolation, darkened rooms within rooms, within rooms, within rooms and sense of terror that I’ve grown accustomed (and in a way, enjoy). My aspirations, on the other hand, are truly mortal ones: recognition and financial success through my art. Fights with money as snowballs on yachts in Greece. Eating gilded desserts and drinking pink champagne on a regular basis. To live a life of true decadence.
What will you be showing at the upcoming installment of DWMFM on Nov 1?
For the show I have several new pieces. One is a black, hand-embossed leather divining board in the Theban alphabet with a human scapula gilded in 23k gold to be used as the viewfinder. It will be displayed on an alter of poured black wax. The other piece is a black ostrich leather and human hair necklace.
How would you characterize the relationship between music and your art?
I feel music is not necessarily needed for inspiration in my work, although it plays an important part of the actual materializing of the work. In the past, I did create a lot of items for bands and was inspired by bands. Every now and then, a band will inspire me enough to need to create something for them, but for the most part, I now create for myself and find inspiration elsewhere.
How can we mere mortals find you?
Mortals can find me at www.cultofhades.com or @cultofhades on social media.
Victoria Montero
What are your dreams?
Oftentimes, I dream of a house I am building. If you open the doors of every room of this house you can access a different time frame, a different life. This is a recurrent dream, like a yearning.
What will you be showing at the upcoming installment of DWMFM on Nov 1?
I will be showing a number of small sculptures of my current art work.
Why did you choose to display this work?
I chose them because I feel they fit the subject of this exhibit.
How would you characterize the relationship between music and your art?
The relationship of my work and music is very close, it evolves together. Sometimes I attended more concerts than art shows in a month. Music can be way more nourishing to me at times than many other things, plus music is extremely plastic as well.
What’s next for you?
Next, continuing my art shows, the only way I achieve exposure for my work and complete the chemistry.
How can we mere mortals find you?
Mere mortals find me. We like similar things. We keep running into each other at concerts. We start sharing.
Bryan Proteau [Cloven Hoov]
What are your dreams?
My literal dreams are always really vivid and strange. I dream most about bodies of water, apocalypse scenarios, or situations where I’m failing in front of a lot of people or letting down someone I respect. My aspirational dreams are simply to do what I love for as long as possible, and that me and the people I care about outlive whatever global catastrophe is surely coming.
What will you be showing at the upcoming installment of DWMFM on Nov 1?
If everything fits on the wall, I’ll be displaying art for the bands Fórn, Deafheaven, Sumac, Wrekmeister Harmonies and Chasms.
Why did you choose to display this work?
I chose these pieces for a few reasons. With the exception of Wrekmeister Harmonies, I’m friends with all the other bands that I made these works for, and those friendships and working relationships are really important to me. They’re also the works I’m most proud of, and showcase different sides of my aesthetic. The Fórn pieces are much darker and have an art nouveau influence. The Deafheaven, Chasms and WH pieces are linked stylistically through subject matter. And the Sumac piece was a huge deal for me because working with Aaron Turner is something of a dream come true.
How would you characterize the relationship between music and your art?
At this point in my career, it’s important me to have a highly personal connection to the music I’m making art for. I really just want to make art for my friends or bands that I listen to and really like. It’s that connection between the people I’m making the work for and myself that’s become the most important thing for me.
What’s next for you?
More art. I never have sought a show but if I get another offer like DWMFM I’d be stoked. I’ve also never been to New York so I’m excited about that.
How can we mere mortals find you?
You can find me online on Instagram, Facebook, and Tumblr if you just search Cloven Hoov. You can find me in person in Oakland, California tattooing at Old Crow or eating at Burrito Express.
Dylan Garrett Smith
What are your dreams?
Mysterious cults worshiping cave-dwelling, serpentine beasts, animals that follow you throughout your entire life, waiting for you to die so they can use your bones to shelter their young, wandering through desolate moonlit forests… I can’t say whether my dreams influence my work or whether my dreams are inspired by the things I make.
What will you be showing at the upcoming installment of DWMFM on Nov 1?
Mainly, I’ll be showing a large new piece, a couple of new miniature pieces, and a screenprint edition that I will be releasing in the next couple of days.
Why did you choose to display this work?
I think, together, these pieces showcase my art in a way that will feel familiar to people who are already aware of my work, but will allow new viewers to get a well-rounded view of who I am as an artist.
How would you characterize the relationship between music and your art?
Music has always played a crucial role in my life and creative process. As a teenager, I began making art for bands that my friends and/or I would be in and I taught myself how to screenprint so I could make shirts, patches and show posters. Over the years, I have continued designing for bands and produced album art for 5 releases in the last year. When I’m not designing for various audio projects, I’m always looking for new music to listen to while I’m working in my studio. And just last month, I released an album (“NIHILITY”) with my friend, David Stephen Fylstra, under the name KVØID through Anima Recordings.
What’s next for you?
I’m always working on a number of projects at once. Aside from collaborating with David on our band, KVØID, I’m making work for a solo exhibition opening February 5th, 2016 at Central Tattoo Studio in Philadelphia, and I have three more group exhibitions in 2015, one of which is a show called “The Devil’s Reign”, which was curated by Peter H. Gilmore, High Priest of the Church of Satan, opening December 5th at Howl Gallery Tattoo in Fort Myers, FL. I’m also working on a collection of original short stories, as well as a book of poetry, collaborative photographs with my wonderful partner, Crystal Lee Lucas, recording with my other music project, a depressive/suicidal surf punk band, Low Spirits, in the beginning of next year, and releasing a bunch of new screenprints.
How can we mere mortals find you?
My work and I can be found at my website, www.dylangarrettsmith.com, and on Instagram at @dylanxvx.
Cedric Victor [Special Orbits]
What are your dreams?
Often in black and white, and low contrast, I have regular poignant meetings with dead people. They are alive and well in the dream, happy to see me but troubled by something outside our control. Somehow I never agree to their absurd request, but I do enjoy spending time with them.
What will you be showing at the upcoming installment of DWMFM on Nov 1?
Paintings on wood, in some cases now rendered as multiples on paper. A combination of poisonous flora and talismans.
Why did you choose to display this work?
Karlynn Holland mentioned the project as an opportunity for the fall season. It seemed like a good moment to acknowledge the season with pictures of respite, rebirth, and vengeance.
How would you characterize the relationship between music and your art?
The music informs the work and the work informs the music. If it does not amplify, it does not qualify.
What’s next for you?
New work, new efforts for dialogue…everything new begins in the dark, doesn’t it? I’m looking forward to a cold, dark winter.
How can we mere mortals find you?
Michael Wohlberg [The Fat Kid Illustration]
What are your dreams?
I’m far too busy working to have time to dream, but when I do it’s usually for the mundane or something that can no longer happen. That’s the wonder and horror of dreams; it’s a narrative that we’ve all convinced ourselves that we didn’t personally create, and we’ve very good and brutally honest at reminding ourselves what’s lacking in our lives.
What will you be showing at the upcoming installment of DWMFM on Nov 1?
I’ve tried to put together a collection of my stronger more recent works. I have some 18″ x 24″ screen prints that I’ll be hanging as well as small ink drawings that I should be finishing up this upcoming week. Time has always worked against me and though most of the pieces I’m bringing have never been shown in New York before I always prefer to hang something completely new every time. Thankfully I can say there will be something unique to this event, about which I am quite happy.
Why did you choose to display this work?
I feel that this has been a very transformative year for me personally and artistically and these pieces are mementos of some of the most trying times. It will feel great to be able to share them in Brooklyn after such a long absence.
How would you characterize the relationship between music and your art?
Music has been such a large part of my life both professionally and personally, for the better part of twenty years now. I’ve been working professionally for the metal and hardcore communities for about ten years at this point and most of my relationships have come about from these interactions. As of late I’ve been trying to branch out to other fields but it’s hard to imagine a point in my life in which I wouldn’t want my work to be incorporated with some sort of extreme music project.
What’s next for you?
There’s always a number of projects that I’m working on at any given time, but sadly I’m never really able to talk about them in much detail until much closer to the release date. I can say that I’m working on a project for Gunface from The Red Chord, I’m participating in a group art show out in LA taking place the first week of February, and a number of shirts and posters for various other clients. There’s never a dull moment to be had.
How can we mere mortals find you?
You can find my personal page at thefatkidillustration.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/thefatkidillustration, on Instagram and Twitter as @thefatkidillus, or hiding in my apartment with my dog.
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