From leaving free trash art on the street to designing custom Vans, Chimp is always moving and creating.
Dave the Chimp
From leaving free trash art on the street to designing custom Vans, Chimp is always moving and creating.
Dave the Chimp doesn’t just paint eyes, monkeys, and robots; circa 1998 began making paintings out of trash and posting them around town. When he first discovered that people were taking these home, he was thrilled. When he spotted one of his trash pieces hanging in a stranger’s loft peering at him through a window, he got serious. And thus Finders Keepers Crew was born.
Dave questioned the notion of street art and art as a commodity, joining forces with the likes of D*Face to put on illegal street shows. But this was years ago, and he has long since taken these principals to new extremes. Long time zine aficionado and skate junkie, Chimp chooses a lifestyle of creating, producing, and moving, even when it means forfeiting steady cash. After all, being British doesn’t mean you have to break your balls trying to live in London forever, as Chimp has recently discovered.
TCR: Are you ever pigeonholed by the term “street art”?
I’m not a street artist, I just sometimes make work in the street. I’m not a graffiti writer, but I sometimes paint letters. I’m not an animator, but I sometimes make animation. I’m not a writer, but I’ve written a book, various short stories, and magazine articles. I’m not a cartoonist, but I have a regular strip in a UK music paper and self publish little comics/zines. I do all these things and more, so why would I call myself a “street artist”?
95% of so-called “street art” doesn’t warrant being called “art.” And the same goes for a larger percentage of what I produce. But hell, the “street artist” label makes a few more people pay attention to my work because it’s “fashionable” so it’s not all bad. A double-edged sword maybe.
TCR: In 2005 you ranted about not wanting to paint eyes anymore, although they were recognizably yours. Why did you use the eyes/holes on your new Vans shoe?
I “interviewed” my boss at the ad agency I worked for. He told me that with my work I had a really strong “brand.” When pitching for the Vans job I chose the “eyes/holes” as my “logo” or mark to identify my “brand.” A hole is a very versatile graphic tool, representing a strong image I can apply to almost anything. Plus they are kind of nothing, I don’t feel strongly attached to them, so I’m happy to apply them to products if necessary, while remaining comfortable that I can still have my “art” as a separate thing to any merchandising required of me from collaborations with brands (i.e., I’m happy to “sell out” with the eyes, without it effecting how I see my more personal work).
TCR: How has the 243rd Skateboarding Support Battalion succeeded in unifying skaters, keeping kids busy, and providing affordable hardware?
Hell, I don’t know, we barely had any (paying) customers, let alone did any customer surveys! I saw a lot of happy faces, that’s all I care about.
TCR: What is your current level of contribution to Big Cheese Magazine?
I helped set up Big Cheese in 1996, and was one of two assistant editors and the art director. I art directed the design, created illustration, wrote stories, made interviews, found designers, drew comic strips, reviewed records, etc. Over time my contributions became less as I moved on to other projects and Big Cheese moved away from covering so much skateboarding and underground art towards being an almost purely music magazine. I contributed to every issue for at least the first five years, but no longer am I a contributor (I made a CD cover for them a year ago, but nothing since then).
TCR: What was the outcome of your residency at Fold7?
I managed to pay my rent for several years while doing a minimum of work. I got to use the company equipment to put out a bunch of zines, make stickers, print flyers, and thus give away free shit and promote skateboard jams and gigs. I got some of my favorite unknown artists to make exhibitions in our studio. Hopefully I kept a bunch of designers, creatives, and producers stimulated.
TCR: What’s up with the mask?
What’s up with everyone wanting to be recognized? If I were a model or an actor I’d want people to see my face. I’m not- I make stuff, and it’s that stuff I’d like people to see.
TCR: What has been the latest endeavor of Finders Keepers Crew?
In 2001 I set up my first free art gallery in the street, as I wanted people who don’t go in galleries to have the chance to have some “art.” In 2003 D*Face had the idea we should do this with a whole bunch of other people making work in the street. FKC hasn’t been operational since the end of 2004. I no longer wanted to continue after our Milan street gallery only attracted artists, and no real people. I was never doing this for other artists, the idea was to do something for “the people.” And then in 2005 D*Face opened a gallery, which, after he’d screamed on a movie about FKC “FUCK THE GALLERIES” meant we couldn’t continue anyway, even if we’d wanted to!!!
TCR: Would a crew like FKC still be relevant in 2010?
I think it was perfect for the time, maybe inspired a bunch of kids, got some more interest in this kind of art from the public. It couldn’t happen now – the “street art” scene to me just seems about getting some free advertising and street cred so you can sell your new screen print. I can’t imagine people giving away art for free. Plus the shows would be crawling with collectors and investment bankers hoping to grab a piece by the next Banksy or Adam Neate. I just don’t think it could work in now the way it did in 2003. The innocence has gone.
TCR: How did you choose which “collectors” at the illegal street shows got to take home a piece?
We didn’t – it was first come first serve (no one was allowed to take anything until the end of the evening when we declared the work was free to take) and the rule was “one piece each.” We trusted people to be honest. And the artists who contributed weren’t supposed to take work either– if they wanted to own a piece by another artist they could arrange a trade with each other. I don’t have a single piece from any of the shows.
TCR: Which city is the best for skating?
I like the concrete parks in London. Stockwell and Cantelowes. Bournemouth has a great bowl. Barcelona used to be a great place to skate, but I haven’t been there for 3 or 4 years now.
TCR: What is the most that any individual piece of art should be sold for?
Money is relative. Right now I have 27 Euros and a few cents in my pocket. My ex-boss probably has around 200 Euros in his wallet (plus a credit card) and Bill Gates probably doesn’t even know how much money he has. For Bill to drop 50 million bucks on a piece of art is the equivalent of me investing three Euros. If someone is happy to hand an artist 50 million bucks, why should I care? That artist could be one of my friends, and if my friends can earn some money and have a better life then good for them!
TCR: You are a champion for creative lifestyles, yet in every interview you drop comments about needing more cash. What makes your lifestyle worth the struggle?
Money gives you the freedom to spend more time drawing, singing, riding skateboards, playing with children, dancing, dreaming, and less time busting your ass trying to pay the rent. So I don’t understand how me wanting to do more fun stuff means I should also be poor. The whole “struggling artist” idea is bullshit. I don’t want to work in a bank, I want to draw and dream and make– because I enjoy drawing and dreaming and making. It makes me happy. So what if I can never buy clothes or records or own a car or a stereo or take holidays– every day is a dream come true, so why would I complain I’m struggling? It would only be a struggle if I needed to fill the hole in my life that comes from not doing what you love, by spending money on material possessions.
More money equals one thing to me– more freedom. It’s the main reason I moved to Berlin– my rent is a third of what it was in London, and general living expenses are about a third cheaper. I no longer have a day job, and I don’t have to work seven days a week. It’s incredible!
Dave the Chimp and his website.
Original post: http://www.thecitrusreport.com/story/dave_the_chimp_1975
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