Frank Kozik on art as commerce, freedom of speech
In a 2007 interview [video here] with Frank Kozik in his San Francisco art studio, Sean Stewart — who runs the highly addictive blog Babylon Falling — talks with the iconic artist about art as commerce, freedom of speech, and perhaps most interestingly, his lucrative entry into the designer toy market. The opening quote sets the tone, and gives a crash course in Kozik’s philosophy:
“I don’t have a political problem with making money,” Kozik says in the opening minutes of the interview. “Because if you have money then you can do cool shit, right? That’s how it works.”
And in explaining how it works, Kozik goes on to underscore how his anti-establishment viewpoint has never been censored in the course of his career:
“I have been producing sexual, anti-authoritarian, psychotic, crazy, fascist, communist, anti-fascist, pro-church, anti-church… every kind of graphic art work and opinions in interviews and every media magazine source, millions of websites. I have just fucking talked shit out my fucking ass against everybody and for everybody for 25 years and nobody has ever tried to suppress me, or fuck with me, or tell me what to do. I love America. There’s no bones about it.”
Watch the full video and interview here.
[Kozik portrait by Shaun Roberts]
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Refreshing philosophy … It’s the insistence on opposing art and the market that hobbles a lot of young, creative, and talented people.
That’s true Marcelo. It’s also very subjective as to what artists consider ’selling out’ versus retaining integrity in their work.
In response to another comment. See in context »So many artists look at the market, see mediocre crap, and think unless they produce that, they won’t do well. This is where the Long Tail comes in. Plenty of people want quality, and will pay for it, just they don’t get the publicity.
That’s true Chris. Especially when you consider vinyl toy culture and how it has exploded over the last decade. Kozik was at the forefront of the movement, along with folks like Michael Lau and Eric So. All those guys have continued to use designer toys as a medium to push their art while retaining a high standard of craft. Then, when you stop in to say an Urban Outfitters, you see the glut of designer toys and how the medium has been so watered down. So much of the time it’s a matter of an artist having confidence in his/her original idea and having the courage to put it out there, regardless of public response. That’s what really appeals to me about this Kozik interview.
In response to another comment. See in context »