I can’t remember the last
time I had to physically run away from a situation. But there has been
THOUSANDS of times that I have simply wanted to escape.
When I was asked by
JUXTAPOZ MAGAZINE to curate another issue, I wanted to do something different
than the “Halloween” theme of last year. With the Halloween-theme, I featured
artists that I have loved for years and that have influenced me visually and
technically. This year I wanted to feature artists that have influenced my imagination,
in some cases even since I was a child, in more ways than their visual
techniques. After discussing this with Evan Pricco, the Editor In Chief of
Juxtapoz over lunch, the theme of “imagination” pretty much birthed itself
right there in a bowl of noodles.
The theme of “imagination”
gave me a great launching point for curating this issue of JUXTAPOZ. And
understanding the fact that the term “imagination” can be so broad, especially
when applied to the world of art, I knew immediately which direction I wanted
to go in and what specific faction of “imagination” I intended to focus on. At
first, I was convinced the common thread between all of the artists I wanted to
feature was that each one has created some kind of imaginary “world” with their
art. But over this 3-month journey of assembling the issue, interviewing these
artists, exploring the worlds that they have created, the stories written
within those worlds, and discovering just WHY these artists have admirably
built these universes without any promise of success or recognition, I realized
that in addition to a passion for imagination, we all had something ELSE in common: a desire to escape.
Every artist and creator that
I've gathered for this issue, despite any roadblocks, social opposition, competition
or conformity, has spent a lifetime utilizing their imaginations, forging their
own extravagant worlds to inhabit for when they wanted to escape reality. And
when their worlds got large enough, these creators shared them with the rest of
us, in turn giving US more places to escape to both as viewers and fellow
creators. I have ventured in to each one of these artists’ extraordinary worlds
consistently throughout my life and have continued to feed off of them while
spending a lifetime building MY world that I hope to continue sharing forever.
This special “IMAGINATION”
issue of JUXTAPOZ is NOW IN STORES and on newsstands everywhere, or you can get
this issue FREE when you subscribe to JUXTAPOZ here at their website.
Just some of the
“world-builders” and imagination based features in this issue include: David
Copperfield, Charlie Immer (whose amazing JELLYFACE painting appears on the
cover), The Lonely Island (and their secret 4th member Barry
Langsfield), Lisa Hanawalt (who is interviewed by an intoxicated Santa Claus), Edible-artist Wolvesmouth, Craola (and his love for Dr. Seuss), Matt Ritchie’s tiny
overpopulated world, Tim Schafer (creator of some of the most innovative video
games ever), Scott C, Tara McPherson, BUNNYWITH, filmmaker Stephen Reedy,
Ransom & Mitchell, John Gourley from Portugal.The Man, Kristen Lepore, Franky
Aguilar and more.
Plus beautiful portraits
and photography by Chloe Rice, Homer Liwag and Bryan Derballa.
Go get it before it becomes a figment of your imagination!
PS. You don’t need to rely on inspiration if you know how to harness your imagination.
