KMNDZ Returns With To All My Dying Friends

1xRUN Thru Interview
To All My Dying Friends by KMNDZ

1xRun: Tell us a little bit about this original painting, was it part of a recent show or theme of work?
KMNDZ:  The piece was for my first solo show at Merry Karnowski Gallery which was titled One Step Beyond, and yes it’s pulled from the Madness song. The piece itself was titled ‘To All My Dying Friends”. It was created in 2011, if my memory serves me right, using acrylic on birch.

1xRun: Tell us how the idea and execution came about?
KMNDZ:  It comes from many places. My love for type, dirty painted-over walls, the celebration of life.

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1xRun: How long did the piece take?
KMNDZ: On average my pieces tend to take a month. If I were to consolidate that in to working hours. Hmmmm, maybe 40 hours kindaish.

1xRun: What is unique about this piece?
KMNDZ: Aside from the fact that there is only one of them, I’d say not much. Wish I had some fancy creative director mumbo jumbo answer for you. However it is done in typical KMNDZ fashion. Same color palette, same beads, same skull, same love and pride went into the piece.

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1xRun: Why should people buy this print?
KMNDZ: As one can tell I’m not much of a salesman. I can only hope that, type, dirt, skulls, and this color palette speaks to your soul as it does mine.

1xRun: Describe the piece in one gut reaction word.
KMNDZ: Honest.

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1xRun: When did you first start making art? What was your first piece?
KMNDZ: Pre K… that would’ve made me around 4 yrs old. A black Pontiac Firebird followed by a heart for my teacher. Ms. Linda, she was hot.

1xRun: What artists inspired you early on? How about now?
KMNDZ: Early on it was Bill Waterson, Dali and Rembrandt. The current list is always changing but a few include Louie, Date Farmers, Crayola, Rembrandt and Jose Parla.

datefarmers

1xRun: Do you listen to music while you work? If so what?
KMNDZ: Yeah Music is king. From Marley to Piaf to Anna Gabriel. I like it quiet, dark, and dangerous.

1xRun: If you could collaborate with any living artist who would it be and why? Any deceased artists?
KMNDZ:  Jose Parla…why? Colors, texture, size, story. For the latter, it would be Basquiat. Why? Same reasons as I would want to with Parla.

1xRun: What was the first piece of art that you bought? Do you still have it? The last?
KMNDZ:  I believe it was a Thomas Han piece, from gallery Nucleus. Yes I still own it and still love looking at it. I’ll never forget the feeling of buying my first piece of art, it was infectious and special. The last? hmmmm, I think It was a Travis Louie piece. He’s so good it hurts.

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1xRun: Where else can people find you?
KMNDZ:  – Website

-1xRUN