1xRun Thru Interview
Everything Is Fine by Niark1
1xRun: Tell us a little bit about this piece, is the original still for sale?
Niark1: No cause this is a digital illustration ;) all the artwork has been done on illustrator in vector. The illustration was created at the end of the last year. In fact it was something I have created to celebrate the apocalypse of the 21 December 2012. But apparently everything is fine.
1xRun: Tell us how the idea and execution came about?
Niark1: Like I said the idea was to make something totally crazy and chaotic to represent the upcoming apocalypse from back on the 21st of December 2012. This is like a kind of “ Horseman of the Apocalypse “ but in a crazy version. A mix between Jérôme Bosch and Walt Disney on acid haha. With this kind of illustration, I generally will start from scratch with no idea really other that just to create some shapes and test some combinations. Then I set aside some time and come back occasionally over to add some elements, stuffs, etc make some changes. The idea is to have at the end something totally crazy with a lot of details and textures etc.
1xRun: What is unique about this piece?
Niark1: This piece represents a very specific period of my life.
1xRun: Why should people buy this print?
Niark1: People should buy this print cause this print is cool and funky! (but at the same time scary and dark too ;) )
1xRun: Describe this print in one gut reaction word.
Niark1: Raaaeuuuaaargh !!
1xRun: When did you first start making art? What was your first piece?
Niark1: Well it has been quite a while now. I have always drawn since I was a kid. When I was kid I loved to draw monster and dragons.
1xRun: What artists inspired you early on? What artists inspire you now?
Niark1: Early on there were a lot of artists that inspired me like Picasso, Francis Bacon, Jérôme Bosch, MC Escher and Basquiat. There are still a lot of artists who inspire me now too ! To name a few: Alexone, Tim Biskup, Femke Hiemstra, Mark Ryden, Junko Mizuno, Aryz, Charles Burns, Stephane Blanquet and Tomas Ott.
1xRun: Do you listen to music while you work?
Niark1: Of course I listen a lot of music. This is a really important for me. That puts me in a atmosphere. Also I listen many styles of music. Like jazz, hiphop, experimental music, electronica. I’m always looking for new music, new songs, new tracks, new mix etc. Just to name a few I like Bjork, Amon Tobin, the Budos Band, Boards of Canada, Hidden Orchestra and Erik Truffaz.
1xRun: If you could collaborate with any living artist who would it be and why? Any deceased artists?
Niark1: I don’t really know. There is so many artists who make great art. Most deceased artists I have in mind and I love the work are “masters”. I think it would be rather presumptuous from me to imagine working with one of them. Then of course artists like Picasso or Basquiat could be part of my first choice;)
1xRun: What was the first piece of art that you bought? Do you still have it? The last?
Niark1: I don’t remember exactly. I suppose it was a silkscreen print from Miss Van. The last original piece was a illustration painting from a Romanian artist named Saddo. I have also bought a print from Femke Hiemstra last week.
1xRun: Where else can people find you?
Niark1: Website –Blog – Facebook – Tumblr – Instagram @Niark1
-1xRUN