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Book Inter-Re-View: Kustom Graphics
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Manic Rekallism   |  @   |  

Kustom Graphics: Hot Rods, Burlesque and Rock 'n' RollKustom Graphics: Hot Rods, Burlesque and Rock ‘n’ Roll
Author: Julian Balme
Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Korero Books
Cover price: $39.95; Release date: April 28, 2008

Things here in the UK can be a little tame.

Therefore, isn’t it any wonder that the missus and I seek the need to look further a field to satiate our somewhat lowbrow interests? I say this, not because I’m some kind of deviant (albeit desirable), but because as I’ve often stated in my past reviews that the UK, Britain, England offers very little compared to the likes of Los Angeles, America, or the World in general.

As much as America loves British culture, television, and humour, people do not realise how Americanized the UK has become! The problem we have though is that when we wish to get into something (predominantly American) we can only scratch the surface of the greater picture. You could say that it makes us Brits more passionate about finding out about specific cultures and lifestyles that are ultimately more readily available elsewhere.

Lowbrow art was and is native to Los Angeles, California, a visual art that is a product of the 1970s, which has over the last fifteen or so years (yes that recent) has exploded, a place I sorely wish to visit just to indulge my passions.

Coop recently stated in an interview with Bizarre Magazine (UK) “”¦Los Angeles is the American Capital of Weirdness”¦” Now though, the scene is worldwide with a plethora of artists from California, the Midwest, the East Coast, Mexico, Canada, Japan, the UK, Germany, Scandinavia, France, and Germany!

This is why, when I found this newly released book in my local Waterstones (a major bookstore owned/operated/is a minion of Amazon, similar to Borders) that I just had to have it. At £29.99 (around $40 if on Amazon) it was rather a stretch on the ol’ budget (Hell, I used to HAVE to buy expensive Psychology books but that’s what a Student Loan was for, but now I’ve got those goddamn bills to pay), but it was well worth it. A book chock full of veritable Kustom artists, some veteran, some new.

You must understand dear reader and fellow Geek, that lowbrow art is not something to be frowned upon”¦ (see what I did there?) when art such as this provokes a much more fun side and aspect to the establishmentarianism, staid approach to art. The huge public galleries CAN be interesting places to go, but a fine painting of a horse seen once, is once enough. Kustom Graphics finds its way into independent galleries, it becomes tattoos, t-shirt designs, and screen printed Rock posters”¦ the list goes on.

To quote from the introduction (by Julian Balme):

Kustom Graphics is an explosively brilliant representation of how, over the last 15 years, the genre has evolved, embracing the culture of tattoos, skateboarding, a bit of devil worship here, a dash of death metal there and a pinch of pornography, but all the time never straying too far from the core themes of speed, women, death and debauchery. Recently the genres have merged – hot rod artists are working for Rock ‘n’ Roll bands, t-shirt designers are using the body as their canvas to create brilliant tattoos, Rock ‘n’ Roll tour poster printers are absorbing the raunch of burlesque in their work.

With television shows like LA Ink seeping into our subconscious and even with Emo (infuriating though it is) music seemingly making the tattoo culture part and parcel of the ‘movement’, you can understand why the new alternative is becoming increasingly popular. You could think back to a time when sailors got tattoos of women, pinups if you will, to keep them ‘company’ on the long Navel journeys, and bikers got gang tats to identify themselves or many and varied skulls, and this went against the mainstream of normality (normality being a 2.4 Nuclear family) when this is just not so the case anymore.

Kustom Graphics-Inside Page
A page from Kustom Graphics: Hot Rods, Burlesque, and Rock ‘n’ Roll

If you look through the book, a lot of the work is what I would consider based on the simple four-colour technique employed by the golden age of comics, whereby the striking primary colours slap you in the eyeballs. The actual techniques, approaches, and styles have inevitably improved over the years with a substantial part helped by digital, but what I love the most is the handcrafted, slaved over one-off pieces created by the artists.

It makes sense then that the word ‘Kustom’ is synonymous with the scene, much in the same way that tattoo artists more and more prefer to do custom pieces as opposed to flash because each work of art is individual and is a challenge. This is why Kustom Art becomes Custom tattoos.

Ed Big Daddy Roth's Rat FinkThroughout the book, the artistes all have a specific style that you identify them with. If you don’t like one, there is always another to float your boat. The early giants such as Ed Roth and his Rat Fink are influential on the work contained in the book, and through this you will enter a world of enchantment and elation. Much in the same way music has an effect on us one way or another. So found inside nestled between your Johnny Crap and Mitch O’Connell you have your Mark Wasyl and Rob Schwager.

The great thing about this book apart from page after page of drool-over paintings and drawings is the appendix. Here is the one place where all the websites are distilled, for you to check them out (you must. Nay will), even try to find them on MySpace (necessary and obligatory mention dammit), which is what all of us has at some point done with people we idolize. The vast majority of the websites do a lot of justice to the look, appeal of the art and also the ongoing portfolios of those involved. If you don’t find something you like (a hard task indeed) then check out their websites. You may want a commission instead!

I love to advocate the very things I find interesting. You may think that this is nothing new, but remember ol’Geek that it is harder for me here. So for those who have watched The Big Lebowski, ride a skateboard to work, or have a hidden tattoo somewhere”¦ this is the book for you.

To conclude, I leave you with a quote from the book:

“Kustom Graphics is proof that, right now, Lowbrow is the most vibrant, visually exciting, visceral work on the planet.”

Rightly so.

And so without further ado ye olde Geeks, I, Sir Manic Rager, managed to fluke my way into talking to one of the artists FROM the book. Well, to use a tried and tested personal philosophy of mine; “If you don’t ask, you don’t get”¦”

Felix La FlammeWelcome Felix La Flamme!

Geeks of Doom: Could you give us a brief artistic and life history?

Felix La Flamme: My Name is Felix LaFlamme and I was born on July 26 of 1980 in a town called St-Hyacinthe. For those who might not know, it’s in the middle of Quebec, Canada, where we all speak French with a strange accent called “le Joual”. I am the youngest kid of the family behind my two older brothers Hugues and Blaise. Younger I was a very solitary boy and enjoyed playing alone in my own little world. Drawing was also one of my main and favorite activity (yep, another activity to do alone). But my true passion for art started when my father introduced me to the airbrush techniques when I was about 10. Until that time I never stopped doing art and it became more and more serious over the years. Now, I am always hiding behind my drawing table or my computer creating art pieces for clients or just for my personal pleasure. You won’t see me often out of my home. My life turns around art”¦ so I would say “I live for art and art makes me feel alive!” That’s the short and sweet story.

GoD: How did you get into or break into the Lowbrow Art scene and what is the scene like in Canada?

FLF: To be honest I don’t know how I got into Lowbrow Art scene. I know the word Lowbrow since about only a year or so… then it wasn’t really planned to be part of that specific art scene and I don’t think I still am. I just do what I love to do: Drawing Flashy color monsters and zombies. In other words, I don’t categorize myself. Other people do. And it’s ok like that!

Concerning the scene in Canada, I don’t really know how it is and I am totally honest. Being in front of my drawing table all day long, I don’t really know what’s happening out there. The only thing I know is what I saw on the internet and I don’t really saw much about artists and big art events from Canada… and I really hope I am wrong on this. With the internet we can discover so many interesting stuff from all around the world… why being restricted to an area in particular?

GoD: Do you have any direct influences?

FLF: My Dad is and will always be my main influence because he’s the one who transmitted the original fire to me. Other than that, I really admire and respect the art of Jim Phillips, Shannon Wheeler, David Hartman, Jeff Gaither, Eric Pigors, and anyone who can bring something different and unique to my eyes.

GoD: Reading your Bio in the ‘Kustom Graphics’ book, it was great to see you like comic characters like Judge Dredd [a personal favourite] and Lobo, so what it is about the these specific characters that appeal to you?

FLF: Ahahah, I am not sure why exactly. I was a kid when I first saw those characters and I was shocked! (in the good way if it makes sense hehehe). It was violent and had a strange kind of humour mixed up with blood and creatures. That was enough to keep my attention and get stuck in my subconscious. Also, the unique style of Carlos Ezquerra really impressed me.

GoD: You will be busy of course, but what new work do you have in progress at present?

FLF: As I am writing these words, the main projects laying around on my drawing table are:
– an 8 page graphic novel about a teenager werewolf dealing with his parents and the police in the middle of the night — to be release only in French but I’ll try to come up with a translation for my Website.
– In Collaboration with a Monster Maker/Sculptor, we are working on a special and limited edition Halloween mask – to be release during the year or near Halloween 2008.
– I am always working on skateboards artwork and I am currently drawing some designs for the Area Skateboards 2009 series.

GoD: What medium do you prefer to work in”¦ hand drawing, digital”¦?

FLF: Both are really important to me, just like the yin and the yang. I really enjoy the hand drawing part where I can feel the pencils scratching on the paper. It’s the traditional way. It’s unique. It’s the powerful moment where the idea pops out of nowhere and take form on the paper with simple elements such as graphite and an amalgamation of fibers called paper.

I also enjoy the digital part a lot. I just take it relax and freely color the Black & White line art while listening to music. Digital is also easier and quicker to adjust details and errors than with real paints. It’s the technological way. Unique in it’s own way. And of course these days, having a computer help for many things. So having a digital part to my work help me to be up to date with software — internet — computers etc.

GoD: How long does the average art piece take; do your give yourself a time limit?

FLF: When I do art just for fun, I never give myself a time limit cause I would never respect it. I prefer to let the creative flow leading everything. When it’s for a serious client, we need to determine a deadline and then I have to work within a certain delay that I usual broke. But I can’t really say how long it takes. Every art piece is unique and takes a different time to create. Inspiration doesn’t always come.

GoD: Where do you see the Kustom Art and Kulture going in the future?

FLF: Honestly, I think it’s just the beginning of everything. With the World Wide Web there is no limit. We can see thousand of Artists emerging from everywhere around the world and we can notice the same effect in every artistic sphere like music, video, literature, etc. So of course it will affect the Kustom Kulture! It will be BIG!

GoD: Would you consider yourself a Geek? And Why?

FLF: I’m a collector and I totally love action figures, comic books, animated movies, video games, and music. Do I need to consider myself a Geek? I prefer to say that I’m a little boy in an adult body.

Thanks a lot to you and GeekOfDoom.com for giving me the opportunity to talk about me, myself, and my ART. Keep up the good work. PEACE!

Thank you kindly!

LaFlamme on the web: http://felix.laflamme.org
On myspace: http://www.myspace.com/laflam

Rock on!

3 Comments »

  1. Great job, Mr. Rage!
    You put more thought and effort into a single article than many authors put into entire books!
    It’s always interesting to get a U.K. perspective on our “low-brow” culture — I always thought our “pop-culture” was something we inflicted upon Europe. I had not idea that people outside America enjoyed our cars and skateboards and graphic arts so much until I read your work.

    Comment by Some Call Me "Tim" — March 5, 2008 @ 12:33 am

  2. AWE-SOME! Thanks for the mention!

    Comment by rob schwager — March 5, 2008 @ 8:17 am

  3. Rock n Roll.

    Comment by Manic_Rage — March 7, 2008 @ 7:56 am

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