Artist Proof Interview with Artist: Kev Munday
Global Location:Farnborough, Hampshire, England
AP Shop URL: http://zazzle.com/kevmunday
Kev Munday has been expressing himself visually on all surfaces within reach from an early age. Amongst his obscure influences he lists aboriginal culture, fortune cookie poetry and traveling amusement rides. Kev’s artwork has been exhibited in gallery shows from Tokyo to Berlin, Barcelona to Philadelphia. His designs have adorned merchandise the world over, appearing on literally thousands of t-shirts through clothing labels UnderTheHat, Fracture Skateboards and Avalaan. Still just in his mid twenties, Kev is regularly exhibiting and live painting at events all over the world. Having recently held his first London solo show titled ‘Making It Up As I Go Along’ on the prestigious Covent Garden High-street, and collaborated with renowned 3d designer Stuart Melrose, Kev Munday is looking forward to many more years of watching paint dry.
AP: How long have you been making art for and what lead you to start.
KM: I started creating things when I was pretty young, I used to draw a lot but never took it seriously. When I was 17 I had a couple of my designs printed onto t-shirts under the brand name ‘UnderTheHat’ and sold them to friends and to people via the internet. I kept putting the money back into getting more and more made and before I stopped running the label just over a year ago I had sold over 1000 t-shirts and had it stocked in about a dozen retailers. Combining the style of the t-shirt designs and the stuff I was painting on the streets I decided I should have a go at putting some work onto canvas and now I do this full time for a living, combined with making prints and painting murals.
AP: Where do you currently live and work and how does this influence your work.
KM: I live in Farnborough, Hampshire, UK – you won’t have heard of it! I’m surrounded by tall trees and nature but pretty close to some big cities at the same time. I’m not sure if it influences my work that much but in general I like it here!
AP: Did you have formal training if so what? If your self taught can you tell us what you prefer about being a self taught artist vs having formal training.
KM:I have a degree in graphic design but from about a week into the course I knew I never wanted to be a graphic designer! I guess I picked up some computer skills through it which help a bit with the print designs.
AP: Can you tell us about where you make your work is it in your house, a studio etc.. and how it effects your work.
KM: I’m moving into a new shared studio space with some artist friends of mine in about 3 weeks, I can’t wait! Right now I work from home, it’s nice to have the freedom to start working as soon as I wake up but it’s not ideal, the bedroom looks like a warehouse it’s so stacked up with canvases!
AP: What are some of you favorite design projects/exhibitions you have worked on to date.
KM: I’ve recently collaborated with furniture designer Stuart Melrose (www.stuartmelrose.com) on a series of limited edition coffee tables, that was a lot of fun! Stuart gave me free reign with the graphics which is always the best way to work and I’m super proud with how they’ve turned out. Right now I’m on the train home from painting some ridiculously big walls at a canteen in Plymouth which again was a ‘do whatever you want’ job. A couple of years back I designed a range of skateboard decks for Fracture which was a really big deal for me at the time and got me a lot of exposure. Getting commissioned to paint a Mickey Mouse figure for a Walt Disney exhibition was awesome too, It was nice to redesign something so iconic.
AP: What is your medium of choice.
KM: Spray paint, fine liner pens and any kind of bullet tip marker pen.
AP: What is the relationship between technique and content in your work.
Answer: I don’t think the technique influences my work that much. I like to think I can produce my ideas in any medium, whether it be digital, hand drawn, or scaled up on the side of a building with spray paint.
AP: Who are some of the artists that have inspired you and or your work.
KM: Keith Haring, Basquiat, Andy Howell, C86, DBO. I also like a lot of tribal and primitive art, especially things like wood cuts and masks.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/artsprojekt/5987707565/in/set-72157627309219616/
AP: In what direction would you like to see your work going over the next five years.
KM: I’m looking to start producing some 3D sculptural pieces, I’ve experimented in 3D a bit by painting on unusual objects such as the series of bowling pins, but I’m gonna start making figures from scratch using materials like wood and resin. I hope within the next 5 years I’ve opened my own real life gallery selling my art and design products.
AP: What forth coming projects and or exhibitions do you have scheduled for 2011.
KM: I’ve currently got some prints in a touring exhibition which started yesterday at SW1 Gallery in London and is traveling across the UK. I’m Continuing to produce some different work in collaboration with Stuart Melrose, including some sculptural bits and other pieces of furniture. Other than that just trying to paint every day! I should have another solo exhibition scheduled for late 2011/early 2012 but nothings certain yet.
AP: Take us on a guided tour through a day in your life as an artist.
KM: Every day is different but most of them include:Visiting the post office, replying to emails, thinking, drawing, daydreaming and then if there is enough time left, painting!
AP: Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions.
Thank you!
