Right, Maya Hayuk. She’s a very nice person that happens to be an even nicer artist. No, scratch that, when Maya creates something, it will change the lives of those who come in contact with it forever. The accessibility of her work belies the significance, layered motifs and meaning her art contains. Ok. That was probably the most pretentious introduction of a MiniMail ever. Sorry.
This is not funny any more. Everything you create is awesomely beautiful.
“Dammmm! Thank you!”
I can imagine the critics: ah but Maya is such a dreamer. She is so boringly positive. Where is the grit, the harshness of real life in her work!?” Is there a recurring issue they have with your work?
“You are the first critic I’m aware of to say that – but I wouldn’t know cuz I’ve never read a review of my work. I guess I would say is look deeper and also the alternate is FAR more boring.”
Has it ever happened that someone fell in love with you through your work?
“I sure hope so! But I would hope they would fall for my ridiculously slamming body first.”
I’ve noticed that falling in love and keeping a relationship puts a strain on my output as a blogger/writer. As an artist, do you fear the moment you want to start a family?
“What are you, my mother?”
Gosh! Ehrm. You’ve done some collaborations with brands. Why would you do this apart for the money?
“It’s another level of information-sharing and propaganda in a way that I find fascinating in our symbiotic blender of culture. For example, I am about to go to China to paint a mural in a store. Considering that last month China’s exports grew 46%, and they seem to supply the world with everything, it’s a trip that I am an IMPORT to China.”
Wow
“Aside from that, I am really into using new materials, surfaces and environments to paint on and in and I love the challenge. I certainly draw the line at things I won’t / can’t do because they go against my ethics or because they are physically impossible.”
Does your mood influences the type of work you do? Can you make a mural when you’re angry for example?
“Sure, why not? I’m angry right now! (I’m actually not). but yeah – of course my moods influence how and what I’m making and doing. I listen to a lot of BBC and National Public Radio news on the radio while I work and sometimes I’ll totally be grinding my teeth in anger while making these gorgeous colors overlapping that look and feel so peaceful.”
Do you enjoy realizing your work as much as sketching or conceptualizing it? Was the build up at MU gallery a nice experience?
“The whole thing was amazing. I’ve never had so much support before – I kind of felt like I had won a prize.”
Hehe
“I prefer the actual building and painting, though I guess my brain’s always sketching in some way. For a project like at MU, there were raw sketches for the architecture that Ben Wolf and I developed that Kor Smeenge and all of the artists working at MU turned into well engineered designs and fabrications.”
Right
“I don’t sketch anything on paper beforehand if it’s a painting on a wall or on paper. Sketches totally defeat the purpose and process and fun of painting. I mean – if you’ve sketched it out and already figured out the puzzle, why would you want to do it again? Then it’s just a job.”
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