JF-iNk, Street Art offspring

Wisdom, acrylique, spraypaint, paintmarker, 35x50 cm

JF-iNk is a multi-disciplinary painter, mixing-up several technics, from stencil calligraphy to dripping. The topics he is working with are numerous and diversified, stemmed from his very rich personal universe. The combination between realistic and abstract art makes his work remarkably appealing as he is mastering all these technics with consistency but also spontaneity.

His graphic and stunning canvases are naturally referring to Street Art movement. However, even if the artist is obviously inspired by this trend, his creations are not subject to the street hazards and the subsequent short life expectancy of a piece of art displayed on a public wall. Indeed, he is carrying out his works in a studio and exposes his art in galleries.

JF-iNk works are revealing in some extent a reflection from their apparent naïve fluidity: they are actually conveying a fresh and spontaneous feeling, although they are clearly  made with thoroughness.  

The eye, scratch card, 50x65 cm

Could you tell us briefly about your artistic path ?

I am a self-taught painter; I actually did not recieve any training or follow any workshop. I am just passionate about art and I have self-educated myself for the past 15 years. I began with tagging in the streets but I quickly choose to use paper, pencil and ink as mediums. Thereafter, I started to be more and more interested by painting, which became my main working medium. Nevertheless, I don’t want to be limited in any area because I like stirring together different technics and customize objects.

Mega munny, acrylique, spraypaint, paintmaker 

Would you define yourself as a Street Artist ?

I would not qualify myself as a Street Artist because I don’t practice in the streets. I see myself more as Street Art offspring as all my compositions are strongly related to Street Art technics and patterns. I actually prefer being in a studio so I can have time to think about my next creation and to plan how I would do it. Still, the streets are attracting me because of the giant format and the possibilities that could not be reached in a studio.

Share, acrylique, spraypaint, paintmaker, 50x70 cm

Are you getting inspiration from specific artists or artistic trends ?

Like said previously, I take most of my inspiration from Street Art. Concerning the artists, lots of names come to my mind but I think that the artists from the "9ème concept" have certainly  impressed me the most. Their manners of expressing themselves in such different ways but still with consistency, push me to keep practicing my art the way I do. Thus, I am consistently testing divergent technics from one another like ink (my first medium – hence my pseudo “JF-iNk”), drawing, traditional painting, typography and stencil. It is by looking at C215’s work 3 years ago that I get keen on practicing stencil technic. I did not perform an extraordinary job as for my first tentatives so I quickly gave up my first idea of a multi-layers stencil application and kept the single-layer as my preferred technic. One of its big advantages is that I can easily materialize the portrait global shape as a base to then be more spontaneous in the contrast and color arrangement. In a whole other frame, one of my favorite artists of the moment is Bruno Leyval who masters ink painting.

Less is More..., liner on artbook A3

Could you detail the technics you like working with ?

Most of my drawing are subsequently refine by computer. I use a graphic tablet to shape the main drawing’s lines and depending the height, I print the result or I draw them again on 200g paper. After waiting for few hours, I cut the main portrait form, apply the different background layers and colors. I varnish/gloss the whole by adding shadows and lights, thanks to acrylic paint, that give some depth to the drawing. All the process can be seen on my Vimeo profile: jf-ink stencils.

 Blackbook P1, paint liner on artbook, 14x14 cm

Blackbook P2, paint liner on artbook, 14x14 cm

Do your portraits just originate from your imagination or from pictures ?

All my portraits are photographs-inspired. If I find a picture that I like, I can create a stencil from it. By the way, I recently began to work with some friends of mine that are photographers. They are realizing gorgeous portraits and we have several common exhibition projects.  

Crying colors, acrylique, spaypaint, paintmarker, 50x100 cm

I noticed you let a great place to contrasts in your works, in both a matter of exposure and colors. Is this taking on a special importance to you ?

Indeed, I like to privilege contrasts in my paintings. I especially enjoy playing with shadows and lights to give the portrait some depth. I value the black and white format but I prefer to use bursting colors. A single-layer portrait  with stencil is very flat so the depth helps to bring it to life.

Behind blue eyes, acrylic, spraypaint, paintmarker, 140x200 cm

Do you have special projects you would like to mention?

I am currently participating to the Peace Helmet Project, supported by Wayne Anthony (the author of Class of 88’) and LSD (London Street-art Design) magazine. The project consists into turning an object suggesting violence in a positive art object. In that case, 25 anti-riot helmets will be painted by different artists (Best/Ever, Mr. Cenz, Dmark, My Dog Sighs, Stick…) to express each other point of view on this matter. The results will be displayed during an exhibition in London in the next few months. Through the help of an association in Quimper (France) named Trust in my art, I could also participate in 2014 in a collective charity exhibition : Safety Art, aimed for Hawaii children.

Concerning my future personal projects, I am planning a solo-exhibition in “My Première Galerie” (My First Galery), which is a contemporary-oriented art gallery in Quimper, starting Nov 29th 2014. In parallel, we are thinking with a friend of mine making portrait photographs to put together a performance confronting our medium.

Beauty, acrylic, spraypaint, paintmarker, 100x100 cm

JF-iNk’s use of colors and contrast approach is really in very original compositions he creates. Even if his professional career is somewhat recent (started in 2012), I foresee a very bright future for him. His unique visual universe deserves all reader’s attention and I strongly advise to take a look at the artist website.

 http://www.jf-ink.com/

The system’s mechanisms by Versus (VS)

"B&W Series", 26x95x10 cm, Stencil and painting on glass

Versus is a multi-disciplinary artist, creating objects’ customization and canvas by dynamic layout of symbolic patterns, like gear, cogs and mechanism but also eyes, masks as well as tribal and geometric shapes. He repetitively uses these patterns throughout his creation work although organizes them in novel forms each time. By exploring different arrangements, the artist reveals multiple imaginaries and invigorates discussions around nowadays’ problematic.

Indeed, the main sake in Versus’ work lies down the social and even philosophical questioning, highlighted by human/machine/nature combination. What strikes you the most is the uneven place of each pattern in Versus’ creations:  gears and mechanisms alluding the cause-and-effect relationship are often dominating. They are surrounding massively human forms, like eyes or tribal shapes, as if there were boxes… or traps. Ruffled gear, comparable to mechanism’s teeth give also an aggressive and cold feeling, which is strengthen by the choice of the colors in the compositions. Furthermore, amassing those mechanical elements reveals an inner system, as if the machine was a monster which almost engulfed humanity and was ready to crush it with its gear. Globally, the mechanical patterns are over-represented and seem to condemn the current promotion of the machine and the progressive individual dehumanization of our occidental society.

Gathering mechanisms and human shapes also questioned our system: by its complexity and endless movement, it is slipping from the control of man who ends up in a submissive position. Consequently, each composition can be seen as a cartography of these different problematic and could take the mean of a code to decrypt. Versus’ creations look as if they were influencing each other and thus constitute a denunciatory but consistent visual universe.

  "Blob From Space Serie"Collagraphy and spray paint, 10 x 15cm, 2015

 

"Cosmecavege", Collagraphy on paper, acrylique, spray paint and inks, 31x72cm, 2015

Could you tell us about your artistic path?

I did not feel like dedicated to art at first. I underwent a formation in graphics and visual communication in Paris, and when I graduated, rapidly began as a freelance graphic designer. As a first step, I worked for several TVs productions for which I realized fake visuals, logos, magazines, and different packaging according to different scenarios, in order for the companies to avoid paying royalties. Beyond the TV frame, I also had similar assignments within music, association, software, design, etc…

Nevertheless, this type of job is always pretty constraining as needs permanent concession. To me, the artistic process is a way to escape from the inevitable pressure and frustration emanating from the job. Under the cover of a pseudo I feel free to tell about messages I care about. I started to sign my works “VS” in 2011, and since this year, I have kicked off a professional activity, especially because of the very good feedbacks I received from my first exhibition.  In addition, I collaborate with other artists, like Lik (within the Dirty Monkey association) and also was involved in collective exhibition last October with Jean-Claude Cassier and Laurence Brigon.

"Cellarhizome", Resine and Collagraphy on Tissue paper, inks, Wood support 15 x 15 x 1cm, 2015

"Mecacollacell" Red Serie, Resine and collagraphy on tissue paper, Wood support 15 x 15 x 1cm, 2014

How are you deciding the pattern combination in your creations? What sense do they make to you?

I work as I write: automatically, as if I would be able to establish a form of communication between my subconscious and my intellect. When I am finalizing a composition, I prefer to get influence from my day-preoccupations and my feelings or simply from a music or rhythm that can inspire me better than a long and steady reflection. I make a point of remaining open to unexpected outcomes, incidents and uncertainty. This way is much more fun and can even sometimes transcend our mind: sometimes a simple strain developed by incident is more interesting than a mastered drawing. Nonetheless, I like to think my creations are indeed paving the way of a metaphoric thought.

The patterns of human, machine and nature are systematically embedded in my arrangements. Those three themes are interlocking to evoke a metaphor of what could be our actual world. The gears represent the system’s complexity and continuous movement giving its origin. This is also a good pattern to symbolize and accentuate the cyclic aspect of the system we are living in. The eyes are obviously representing the human side, the man stuck in the middle of the system, both actor and witness. They are directly referring to the tribal shapes, way to evoke the primitive tribes who were destroyed by the advent of machine area. The global intricacy of forms, shapes and patterns suggests the intimate chaos characterizing the system. If we were to consider to it as a whole, pieces are often structured in an organic manner and make me think of a living chaos in permanent mutation. Some of my creations are actually designed as living cells macros.

To summarize, my works illustrate critics about the merging relationship between occidental society and machines and subsequently the underlying dehumanization. Above all, this is an analysis of the current system we are living in but that somewhat does not seem to run properly.

"Mecazoïd red and white serie", 15x15x1 cm (each), Resin and Vinyl (cutting machine ), wood

"Mecacollacell Brown Serie», 15x15x1 cm (each), Resin, collagraphy on silk paper, wood

What are the main technics you work with?

I do not have a favorite technic. On the opposite, I try to mix several technics to create my own one, to end up with a unique visual impact. I can use digital features as well as manual tools like stencils, paint throws, drawing, collage, etching with acid…

"Geisha", 50x50x4cm, Stencil on canvas (4 layers), paint spray

3 Rings with jewel box engraved, diameter 12mm, 2015

What kind of relationship are you supporting with street art?

My work is strongly related to street art and more globally to underground culture but I would not describe myself as a street artist as I simply do not paint in the streets. That being said, I happen to use similar process in customizing decorative objects and everyday life tools like would have done Warhol or Keith Haring.

Ring Steampunk, diameter 25mm, 2015

"Torn Serie II Red" 1/2, Resine and collagraphy on silk paper, Wood support, 13 x 24 x 1cm

Are you inspired by specific artists or trends?

Of course, I have already mentioned the street art and underground culture among my inspirations. I have been fascinated by Jérôme Bosch, Dali and Escher works since I was a child and maybe later on by Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and HR Giger.

Influences from more recent artists may be also noticed: Bansky because of his protesting and cheeky side, Mr Zion (who I discover just last year) for his alikeness and colorful universe. I also like Blu for his amazing performances and his mutant universe of wild type.

On the movies side, directors like Ridley Scott, James Cameron, David Cronenberg and Stanley Kubrick keep challenging my imagination and questioning. Finally, I am massively inspired by some comic books as Ranxerox by Tamburini and Liberatore fascinated me with his cyberpunk universe.

"Sans titre", Resine and Collagraphy on Tissue paper, Wood support 13 x 18 x 1cm, 2014

The engaged art of Versus is invited the audience to globally reflect the place the machine is prominently gaining in our today’s occidental society. Of course this questioning is not new: from Modern Times with Charlie Chaplin to the ludicrous machinery of Jean Tinguely, many voices already raised against the machine’s oppression on human kind. However, the originality that lies in Versus work reveals the complexity of this destabilization and its macabre fusion. His creations are exceptionally striking in the sense he is contesting this relationship in a brand new way. As a matter of fact, his art deserves all reader attention and I strongly encourage to take a look at the artist’s page and to follow the progress of his starting career.         

http://www.versusworkshop.com/

Les rouages du système selon VS (Versus)

"B&W Series", 26x95x10 cm, Pochoir et peinture sur verre

Versus est un artiste polyvalent qui réalise des toiles et des customisations d’objets en agençant de manière dynamique des motifs symboliques,  tels que des éléments mécaniques, rouages et engrenages, des yeux, des motifs tribaux, des masques, des formes géométriques, etc. Il emploie ces motifs de manière récurrente mais les articule différemment au fil de ses créations. L’artiste explore les différentes possibilités d’association entre les imaginaires que transportent ces motifs et parvient à forger différents discours autour de problématiques très actuelles. En effet, l’intérêt principal du travail de Versus réside dans les questionnements sociaux et même philosophiques que posent l’association de motifs liés à l’Homme, la machine et la nature. Il est frappant que la place laissée à chaque motif est inégale : les engrenages et éléments mécaniques imbriqués, qui évoquent des relations de cause à effet, sont souvent prépondérants et enserrent parfois les motifs liés au thème de l’Homme - comme les yeux ou les symboles tribaux-, à la manière d’un écrin ou peut-être d’un piège. Les dents hérissées des engrenages renvoient une impression d’agressivité et de froideur, renforcée par le choix des couleurs. De plus, l’accumulation de ces éléments mécaniques révèle un système interne, cellulaire, comme si la machine était un système organique, un monstre prêt à broyer l’humanité dans ses rouages et qui l’aurai presque englouti. L’aspect envahissant de ces motifs mécaniques dénonce l’actuelle survalorisation de la machine et la déshumanisation progressive de l’individu dans la société occidentale. Leur accumulation et leur association aux autres motifs, plus  humains,  posent également  un questionnement sur le  système  actuel, complexe, en perpétuel mouvement et qui échappe finalement à l’Homme, qui y participe et le subit. En somme, chaque composition est une cartographie interne de la vision de Versus sur ces différentes problématiques et peut être comprise de manière métaphorique, comme si les motifs étaient associés à la manière d’un code qu’il faut décrypter. Ainsi, ses œuvres semblent s’influencer entre elles, formant un univers visuel esthétique et dénonciateur parfaitement cohérent.  

"Blob From Space Serie", Collagraphie et bombe de peinture, 10 x 15cm, 2015 

"Cosmecavege", Collagraphie sur papier, peinture acrylique, bombes et encres, 31x72cm, 2015

Pourriez-vous dépeindre les grandes lignes de votre parcours artistique ?

Je ne me destinais pas à l’art de prime abord. J’ai suivi un cursus graphisme et communications visuelles à Paris et j’ai rapidement démarré une activité freelance. Dans un premier temps j’ai travaillé pour des productions télévisuelles. Je concevais de faux visuels, logos, journaux, packages en fonctions de différents scénarios afin d’éviter des droits à l’image inutiles. J’ai également réalisé divers travaux de ce genre pour des clients d’univers complètement différents (musicien, association, éditeur de logiciels, décoration d’intérieur, etc.). Néanmoins, ce type de création répond toujours à des contraintes et nécessite des concessions constantes. Pour moi, la pratique artistique est un moyen de me détacher de la pression que me causent les frustrations inévitables du travail à la commande. Sous mon pseudonyme, je m’accorde une totale liberté et je m’autorise à faire passer des messages sur des sujets qui me tiennent à cœur. Mes premières œuvres signées "VS" n'ont vu le jour qu’en 2011 et ce n'est que depuis cette année que je m’y consacre professionnellement, encouragé par les retours très positifs de ma première expo. J’ai également réalisé quelques collaborations avec un artiste nommé Lik, pour le collectif Dirty Monkey et j’ai aussi participé à des expositions individuelles ou collectives, notamment le mois dernier avec deux autres artistes, Jean Claude Cassier et Laurence Brignon. 

"Cellarhizome", Résine et Collagraphie sur papier de soie, encres, Support bois 15 x 15 x 1cm, 2015

"Mecacollacell" Red Serie, Résine et Collagraphie sur papier de soie, Support Bois 15 x 15 x 1cm 

Comment choisissez-vous les associations de motifs qui forment vos compositions ? Quels sens ont-elles à vos yeux ?

Je travaille un peu comme si je pratiquais une forme de l’écriture automatique, un peu comme une forme de discussion entre mon inconscient et mon conscient. Mes sensations, mes émotions du jour ou simplement le rythme d’une musique vont d’avantage déterminer l’aspect final d’une œuvre qu’une longue réflexion conceptuelle et maitrisée. Je laisse une place à l’imprévu, l’accident, l’incertitude, cela rend l’exercice plus amusant et plus vivant, cela permet parfois d’aller plus loin que ce que notre esprit avait prévu au départ. Une simple tache accidentelle est parfois plus intéressante qu’un dessin parfaitement exécuté et maitrisé.

Néanmoins, il y a bien un acte métaphorique au travers de mes créations abstraites.

Mes compositions articulent systématiquement des motifs liés à l’homme, à la machine et à la nature. Ces trois thèmes s’imbriquent à mes yeux en une métaphore d’un « Système », représentatif du monde actuel. Les engrenages représentent sa complexité et le mouvement perpétuel dont il tire sa source. De plus ce motif permet également de valoriser son aspect cyclique. Les yeux représentent naturellement l’Homme, au centre de ce système dont il est à la fois acteur et témoin et font écho à des motifs tribaux, qui sont une manière de rendre hommage à ces peuples dits primitifs que le règne de la machine détruit. . L’enchevêtrement fourmillant des formes et motifs suggère le chaos qui caractérise ce système. L'ensemble est souvent structuré de manière organique car ce chaos me semble vivant et en mutation permanente. Certaines de mes œuvres sont d’ailleurs conçues comme des macros de cellules vivantes. En somme, il s’agit d’une critique de la relation fusionnelle qu’entretien la société occidentale avec les machines et de la déshumanisation qui en découle mais surtout d’un constat par rapport au système actuel, qui ne me semble pas fonctionner correctement.

"Mecazoïd red and white serie", 15x15x1 cm (chacun), Résine et Vinyl (machine cutting), support bois

"Mecacollacell Brown Serie», 15x15x1 cm (chacun), Résine, collagraphie sur papier de soie, support bois

Quelles sont les principales techniques que vous employez ?

Je n’ai pas de technique préférée. Au contraire, je les mélange pour obtenir ma recette personnelle et un rendu visuel unique. J’emploie aussi bien le numérique que diverses techniques manuelles telles que la réalisation de pochoir, des jets de peinture, le dessin à la main, le collage, la gravure sur verre à l’acide, etc.

"Geisha", 50x50x4cm Pochoir sur toile (4 layers), bombes de peinture 

  

3 bagues dans écrin gravé, diamètre 12mm, 2015

Quel rapport entretenez-vous avec le street art ?

Mon travail est lié au street art et à la culture underground d’une manière générale mais je ne suis pas un artiste "street art" à proprement dit car je ne peins pas dans la rue. Je n’hésite pas à utiliser des procédés similaires en customisant avec mes motifs des objets de déco ou de la vie de tous les jours à la manière de Warhol et Keith Haring.

                                              

 Bague Steampunk, diamètre 25mm, 2015

"Torn Serie II Red" 1/2, Résine et Collagraphie sur papier de soie, Support Bois 13 x 24 x 1cm 

Vous inspirez-vous d’artistes ou de courants particuliers ?

Hormis le street art et la culture underground que j’ai déjà mentionnés, mes artistes favoris sont sans doute Jérôme Bosch, Dali et Escher, qui m’ont fasciné dès l’enfance, auxquels se sont ajoutés  un peu plus tard Andy Warhol, Keith Haring ou HR Giger. Des artistes plus récents m’influencent aussi: Bansky pour son coté contestataire et insolent, Mr Zion, que j’ai découvert cette année, pour son univers coloré et ses thèmes proches des miens. Blu pour ses performances et le côté complètement déjanté de son univers mutant. Au cinéma, des réalisateurs comme Ridley Scott, James Cameron, David Cronenberg ou Stanley Kubrick entretiennent mon imaginaire et mes interrogations. Les multiples bandes dessinées que j’ai pu lire ont eu aussi beaucoup d’influence. Par exemple, la bande dessinée Ranxerox de Tamburini  et Liberatore m’a profondément marqué en me plongeant dans le monde cyberpunk, dont je suis toujours passionné.

"Sans titre", 13x18x1cm (chacun), Résine, collagraphie sur papier de soie, support bois, 2014

L’art engagé de Versus invite à une réflexion globale sur la place de la machine dans la société occidentale actuelle. Bien entendu ce questionnement n’est pas nouveau, des Temps Modernes de Charlie Chaplin aux machines absurdes de Jean Tinguely, de nombreuses voix se sont déjà élevées pour dénoncer l’oppression que la machine peut exercer sur l’Homme. Néanmoins, le point de vue de Versus a ceci d’original qu’il révèle la complexité déséquilibrée de la relation entre l’homme et la machine et l’aspect malsain de leur fusion. Son travail, particulièrement percutant, s’inscrit ainsi dans une perspective contestataire innovante et mérite toute l’attention du lecteur, que j’invite à se rendre sur la page de l’artiste et à suivre la progression de sa toute nouvelle carrière.

http://www.versusworkshop.com/