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 MATT BRADY catches up with Sydney artist, designer and photographer BRAD EASTMAN, aka BEASTMAN, prior to the launch of his new exhibition Intrinsic Nature at Nine Lives gallery.
For those who have not have heard of you, who is Beastman?
I’m an artist, illustrator, designer and photographer from Sydney. I live and work out of the front room of a terrace house in Surry Hills. My paintings are mostly all on mounted plywood, made with acrylic paints and ink pens and usually feature among other things, my bold black outlined ‘beast’ characters living in a world controlled by fear. I have exhibited my work in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Wellington, London and Germany. I am the founder, editor and designer of the [weAREtheIMAGEmakers] website (watim.com) and I also do boring freelance graphic design work to help pay my rent. In my rare spare time I like to ride my skateboard, draw stupid pictures, watch movies, listen to music, chill out with friends and party.
What influences Beastman?
I am influenced by everything around me – friends, family, skateboarding, music, movies, heraldry, folklore, patterns, nature, the ocean, symmetry, relationships, magazines, design, other artists from all over the world, and the media’s influence on human behaviour.
Besides Beastman, tell me about [weAREtheIMAGEmakers] and your involvement.
[weAREtheIMAGEmakers] is an online publication I founded in 2005, it features interviews with Australian artists, illustrators and photographers. I try and put out a new issue with five features every couple of months, and keep the blog running regularly. The site acts as a database/collective of Australia’s best creatives and keeps people informed about upcoming exhibitions and projects all over the country. I also organise, curate and promote art exhibitions all over Australia including the annual 12x12 exhibition, New Eyes Open and Sidewayz.
Your Nine Lives show is in Brisbane this week, what’s next?
After Nine Lives I’ll be doing two solo shows in Sydney, one at the National Grid Gallery in Brookvale from May 23-25, the other at Oh Really Gallery in Newtown from May 28 to June 3. I’m also participating in a few upcoming group shows at 19 Karen Gallery on the Gold Coast, Nice/Nice Gallery in Hanover, Germany and also Overgrowth 2 Exhibition at Last Chance Studios in Perth. Also look out for the WATIM 12x12 Show I’m putting on in Sydney in June and Melbourne in July – busy busy busy…
What can we expect to see at your Nine Lives exhibition?
The show is titled Intrinsic Nature and will include up a range of paintings on mounted plywood, some new and some not so new, as well as a series of framed black and white photographs shot over the last 10 years. And I’m also looking forward to doing a wall painting/installation at the gallery as well.
You’re driving up from Sydney for your exhibition, (which shows great commitment to your craft) – is this your first time to Brisbane?
Yeah, I’ll be driving up to Brisbane for this one, I figured it would be cheaper to do this than courier all my work up and fly. Its not my first time to Brisbane, I came up on a skate trip in 2002, so I guess it has been a while since I been up there. I’m pretty keen to check out some new skate spots while I’m there and party with some QLD heads.
BEASTMAN – INTRINSIC NATURE opens at Nine Lives Gallery (above Mellino’s in the Valley Mall) on Friday Apr 17. Check out www.beastman.com.au, www.watim.com and www.wehaveninelives.com.
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