MY NAME IS KLAAS LAGEWEG

IN CONVERSATION WITH THE VISUAL ARTIST AND GRAFFITIST KNOWN AS CLYDE THAT PRODUCES ALL OVER THE WORLD AND HAS DONE CUSTOM WORKS FOR THE ROLLING STONES, TESLA, NETFLIX AND MANY OTHERS

HOW DID YOU APPROACH STREET ART AND GRAFFITI?

In my early days, skateboarding brought me into contact with graffiti. It grabbed me right away. I started working under the pseudonym Clyde. At first, flat letters but soon I got interested in 3D letters and started making sculptures myself to understand the balance between light and dark. A logical next step for me was to discover and practice realistic painting. Themes such as rusty spray cans, animals, hands and portraits went well for me. Nowadays I work as a visual artist, creating murals and paintings.

WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF STREET ART?

Street art to me is a more luxurious edition of graffiti. Both are on the street in public space. But I think street art is more understood by people. I don't consider one better than the other.

The fact is that through street art you can convey more story and emotions, for example through figurative images.

And once it has been realized it is free and accessible to consume. It brings color and dialog to the streets. Art is my means to function autonomously in this society.

STREET ARTISTS – IN PARTICULAR GRAFFITI - SOMETIMES ARE STILL CONSIDERED TO HAVE A SORT OF ANARCHICAL MATRIX, WHEREAS YOU TALK ABOUT FUNCTION IN THIS SOCIETY, SO SOCIETY IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU? HOW AND WHY?

Creating and developing help me experience conflict, euphoria, disappointment and pride. But most of all, it gives me freedom and relaxation.

In other words: paint keeps me going.

AUTONOMY AND FREEDOM WHAT DO THEY MEAN TO YOU?

Working as a professional artist encourages you to use your intuition and make your own choices, both creatively and professionally. This feels like an autonomous existence in society to me.

The best life is that of an artist, but you must dare to walk the path.

I follow my instincts and intuition – in doing so, I get to turn my ideas into reality. My goal is to create something unique and inspiring, and my focus is always on the result while I enjoy the process.

BIRDS AND STILL LIFE SEEM TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN YOUR POETRY

You can see a lot of animals, especially birds, in my work. I think it's a beautiful symbol of freedom, but also an illusion because birds can't leave the planet either. Lately, I also have been very interested in still life, there is so much to discover and tell in the silence.

As I find inspiration in my day-to-day environment, my work generally contains an observational outlook.

WHEN YOU PORTRAY IT SEEM THAT YOU WANT TO DISCLOSE THE INNER PART OF THE MIND OF THE SUBJECT PERSON BY USING THE TECHNIQUE OF MACRO PIXELLATION

Whether I am painting portraits, hands, or animals. In my finishing I use multiple forms.

Imagine a pyramid: I place a square, a circle, and a triangle on the left. These are the last shapes, namely, and when I pull them apart it's a line.

Look on the other side of the pyramid and make a circle in mind, it becomes a smile and ends up with a hyper-realistic face. You can't go beyond this.

I place abstract shapes at the top. In between all forms play out.

By analyzing my work, you will see that I combined these extremes.

Putting these contrasts together gives me great satisfaction, a kind of anti-boring. It also brings different states of mind in the elaboration. From very rough abstract work to tight pixels and then alternate to realistic art.

I like to get to the essence of things, it could be happiness, sadness, humor, freedom, illusions, or philosophy.

In combining seemingly opposing styles, such as realism, pixel art and abstractions, I am always pushing away the boundaries.

Through my work, I am seen for who I truly am, and that is what any human being craves.

WHAT SHOULD AN ARTIST DARE TO DARE?

Create your own truth, dare to have your own style, both in thinking and in doing.

by RA for Dare Clan

images provided by Klaas Lageweg