King For A Day by Meggs
Initially recognised for his multi-layer street stencils and posters, Meggs has become a well respected member of Australia’s street art culture. With a background of graffiti, skateboarding, heavy metal and graphic design Meggs has developed his painting skills from street to galleries with a mixture of aerosol based character work and stencil based expressive canvases. Read on for more on Meggs including photos of past works and our short interview where Meggs talks about early influences, the first piece of art he bought and what else he has on the horizon. Check out Megg’s latest print King For A Day which is available exclusively on 1xRUN.com.
12 x 12 Giclee on 330gsm 100% Archival Cotton Paper
1xRUN: When was the piece drawn/created?
Meggs:This piece was created in June 2010 as the hero image for my Melbourne ‘King for a Day’ exhibition.
1xRUN: Let’s talk this print “King For A Day” specifically, is there anything immediate you would like us to highlight that would help collectors know all they can about this piece and eventually purchase it from you?
Meggs: The artwork itself is an abstracted form of Captain America and a skull, which reflects the duality of eternal heroism vs. finite mortality. The exhibition itself explored and questioned the idea of heroes, celebrities
and fame, so this piece was like the simplified iconic representation of the whole show.
1xRUN: How long did the piece take?
Meggs:This piece probably took about a week from start to finish, I tend to paint quite fast and expressive once the idea and form is drawn out.
1xRUN: What is unique about this piece?
Meggs:I think it’s just really graphically iconic and strong and I was happy with the end result of all the fine textural details in the piece. Although it’s hard to tell in a photo, it’s painted on black stained plywood and clear
coated which gives it this extra dimension and the detail of faint wood grain running through the background.
1xRUN: Describe this print in one gut reaction word for us.
Meggs: Symbolic.
1xRUN: When did you first start making art?
Meggs: I’ve been making ‘art’ in different forms, on-and-off, my whole life but my street-art habits took full flight in about 2003 and my move to take art more seriously probably happened around 2007.
1xRUN: What artists inspired you early on?
Meggs: All my fellow Everfresh artists: Sync, Rone, Reka, Phibs, Prism, Maktron,Wonderlust and the Tooth, of course. And many others like Brett Whiteley, Francis Bacon, Anthony Lister, Dave Kinsey, Craola, Dave Choe, Banksy etc.
1xRUN:What artists inspire you now?
Meggs: That’s a hard one but right now I’m really into the works of Dave Choe, Conor Harrington, Blu, Kid Zoom.
1xRUN: Do you listen to music while you work? If so what?
Meggs: Definitely, I couldn’t work without music. Usually it’s metal or punk or something fast as well as atmospheric soundtrack stuff and 80’s style synth instrumental. So many bands but to mention a few right now I’d say Russian Circles, Tool, Zombie, Suicidal Tendencies, The Bronx etc…
1xRUN: What was the first piece of art that you bought? Do you still have it?
Meggs: Does a big print of an airbrushed Lamborghini Countach in the 80’s count?
1xRUN: What was the last piece of art that you bought?
Meggs: The Toshikazu Nozaka tattoo on my right calf. Inevitably I’ll keep that for life!
1xRUN: What else do you have in the works currently?
Meggs:Working on some new artworks and commissions, more snowbaords for Endeavor. In February I head to Hawaii for Pow Wow 2012, a solo show at Above-Second Gallery in Hong Kong in March/April, then a lot of work toward my solo show at White Walls in SF in July. Solo show at Backwoods in Melbourne in October, Art Basel in December and a bunch of things to fill the spaces in-between.
-1xRUN