We’ve been following Prefab77 for the past few yeas and we finally caught up with them to work on an exclusive 1xRUN release. Read on for the full interview and studio visit.
1xRun: Was this piece part of a recent theme that you had? If so how did it fit into that given grouping?
Prefab77: Happiness is Expensive is part of a theme we are developing, keeping our hard, fast edged style and mixing with portraiture. We want to explore the iconography and the power of the female form in traditional art, music and fashion.
Throughout the ages portraits are used to reflect the subject but also the time period that the subject inhabits, with secret messages, religious affiliations and iconography woven into the piece. We want to take this forward and use the main figurative element reflect these messages into a powerful piece.
1xRUN: What materials did you use to create this piece?
Prefab77: We want to bridge the gap between street art and traditional art by using a mixture of Acrylic, Spraypaint, stencils, wheat pastes and various screen print inks in our work layering these into luxurious prints and originals.
1xRun: When was the piece created?
Prefab77: The piece is a part of a new development in our work but was created solely for 1xRUN and the image is exclusive to this release.
1xRun: Anything immediate you would like us to highlight?
Prefab77: The quality of the print itself. We have an amazing 10 years relationship with our print house who, although we cant divulge the names, works with some of the best artists on the street art scene. These guys worked hard with us every step along the way advising colors, layering and inks which shows in the finish.
1xRun: Tell us how the idea and execution came about?
Prefab77: We have always used icons, patterns and images ripped and torn within our work but the central figures were a mixture of portraiture and object i.e. Rolls Royce, Phone Box etc. We have always loved the portrait and the different ways it can be interpreted by different artists and with a background in fashion we wanted to combine our loves and fascinations. At the last Lazarides show we explored the portrait using reflective material, spray paint and stencils ripped and torn into portraits, this is a continuation of this work…
1xRun: How long did the piece take?
Prefab77: The piece took a little longer as it is part of a bigger development but around 14 days in design, paint and print total.
1xRun: What is unique about this piece?
Prefab77: We attempt to stay within our formula and the recipe we have developed but this piece is unique in the fact that, within these developments, we believe we may have fine tuned our paint and print techniques that may become the new recipe going forward.
1xRun: Why should people buy this print?
Prefab77: We hope that the overall image, subject, and design itself will attract the right attention but the sheer beauty and luxuriousness of the finished piece is definitely worth investing in. The layers and texture, showing the work which has gone into it will hopefully make many buyers very happy!
1xRun: Describe the print in one gut reaction word.
Prefab77: Gorgeous!
1xRun: When did you first start making art?
Prefab77: Its been a lifetime in the making I guess, from slinging crayons around as a kid all the way to art school, but the main real buzz came whilst living on Elizabeth and Houston in NY ’97-2002 when street art started making a cheeky appearances in the doorways and walls of the city at the end of the millennia. These were subsequently ripped down, tagged over and replaced in an endless game of creating public beauty fit for a vibrant city. This had us hooked. Then our first serious show sold out in 2006.
1xRun: What was your first piece?
Prefab77: We didn’t do one piece, we did 20 pieces for our first show at the Electrik Sheep Gallery in Newcastle, England. The show was called Ripped and Torn and was an amalgamation of work satirizing British institutions and culture.
1xRun: What artists inspired you early on?
Prefab77: I was inspired massively by the 90s YBAs (Young British Artists) of the Saatchi stable, Hirst, Emin, Hume, Lucan, Landy etc. and loved the balls out approach of art as a concept not just a piece. We saw this reflected again in the early 2000s street art movement, Banksy, Fairey, DFace, WK interact, JR, Insect, Faile etc. and just loved the whole thing. The images were great but what they did with them was true wonder.
1xRun: What artists inspire you now?
Prefab77: Still the same ones. I saw a show of Jonathan Yeo recently and was blown away at his story and level of skill, especially being all self taught. I think, personally, I’m in love with Cleon Petersons work at the moment and don’t know why. The simplicity of the style mixed with the complexity of the message appeals to me perhaps?
1xRun: Do you listen to music while you work? If so what? If not then what is your environment like when you work?
Prefab77: Ha! Definitley! We have a very relaxed approach to the music we listen to and have pretty much the same which is if its good then its on, J.Cole, Wu Tang, the Smiths are gods but firm recurring favorites are Scottish miserablists “The Twilight Sad.”
1xRun: If you could collaborate with any living artist who would it be and why?
Prefab77: Alaric Hammond (an original founding member of Insect) – his work with metal is unreal. For him to take a piece of ours, chop the patterns, acid etch and piece together would produce something amazing. Cleon Peterson would be sweet too.
1xRun: If you could collaborate with any deceased artists who would it be and why?
Prefab77: Klimpt, his figure work and technique is totally unique. We all share the same love of gold.
1xRun: What was the first piece of art that you bought? Do you still have it?
Prefab77: Banksy, Happy Chopper was the first piece of art I bought. I won’t part with it. I also bought a bunch of Obey posters in a very off the beaten track store in Tokyo in the very early days. So early that they were only $20 each retail.
1xRun: What was the last piece of art that you bought?
Prefab77: Alaric Hammond.
1xRun: Any big shows or events coming up that you’d like to share?
Prefab77: We are planning a show in Hoults Yard in Newcastle for end of May – this is a huge shift in direction for us so we want to preview here (our shows are always balls out, have a great vibe and a good turnout on our home soil) and move to London in July, we are working on a few venues but will keep updated for all those around at the time.
1xRun: Where else can people find you?
Prefab77: Website – Facebook – Instagram@Prefab77
-1xRUN