For some years now, the droopy eyes and twisted moustaches of Yok’s black-lined characters have been staring aimlessly from Melbourne alleyways, zines and gallery walls. They seem to sleepily go about their business like everyone else, either happy or resigned to a life they didn’t choose. With his new exhibition ‘Ikko Banquet’, Yok’s characters have become spectacular, ethereal beings – no longer like us, they float around in shapeless blobs of colour, their thoughts hovering around on display.

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What first got you into drawing? Was graffiti the first thing, or did something else lead to graf?

I guess I just enjoyed drawing. Maybe MAD magazine. Graffiti came after, I was quite inspired by the medium and I guess I saw more of it as I wasn’t going to galleries to seek out art. After I left high school, I began to hang out with a crew of writers who inspired me and taught me the techniques.

You grew up in Perth. What else did you get up to over there?

Perth was great for sunshine, going to the beach and drawing on a few walls.

So you’ve been in Melbourne for a few years now. What motivated the move? How did the change in environment affect your work?

Being a bit bored in Perth and with Perth motivated me to move to Melbs. I came to Melbourne because of the art scene here and wanted to be a part of it. I found once I got here, I worked a lot harder and felt more at ease working all day on my work. I don’t know why, it seems people are more supportive and encouraging of art bums here.

The crossover between the graf scene and the gallery scene is becoming more and more blurred. How have you found it making the transition? Do you feel more comfortable in this world now, or do the two sustain each other?

I can’t really say I was ever a writer, I just painted characters and haven’t really worked with tags. So crossing into the gallery was always kind of in my mind. I guess painting is quite solitary, so I still enjoy doing graffiti as you get to do it outside in the sunshine with your pals.

Your work, especially the newer stuff with the watercolours, reminds me of Barry McGee and Mark Gonzales. Who/what are your influences? (Not necessarily artists!)

Yep Twist has been a big influence, the Gonz not so much but his creative approach to life I admire. I guess now it would be travel going to a new country with a unique culture always inspires me. Seeing places with fresh eyes is a buzz.

On the subject of newer stuff, can you explain the motivation behind the new work in ‘Ikko Banquet’? There are two very separate groups of work.

Ha, well, my studio was taken down for a rent inspection mid working and so I was painting small on my screen printing paper with these great new shellac based inks and reading about ancient religions (well not really reading they were picture books mostly). And I loved the results so I worked some of them up to bigger pieces.

Working on distinct bodies of work like this, how do you feel about breaking them up with the process of selling work? Is it easy saying goodbye? Are there any pieces you get too attached to?

Sure, some I love and want to keep but I don’t have the wall space and I keep moving around too much.

What about the blow up dudes (huge monotone inflatable characters)? That must have been an interesting process, kind of like making a toy.

Yeah have always wanted to make a figurine, so thought would be fun to make a giant one. Thanks to the giant inflatables wiz, he helped me get them together. It’s quite a process with mapping out all the shapes and sewing them together.

You edit Kingbrown magazine. Can you tell us a bit about that?

This ones a love job for sure, it’s fun working with artists from all around the world, I enjoy working with type and doing layouts so it doesn’t feel like work. I have always wanted to start my own magazine ever since I found my first copy of lodown mag.

Plans for the immediate future? Another move is on the horizon?
Travel, and get issue 4 of Kingbrown out.

Show Details:

Yo - Ikko Banquet –9th November – 1st December
Don’t Come Gallery, Lvl 2 Royal Arcade, 314 Little Collins St. Melbourne Ph 9639 2227
www.theyok.com
www.kingbrownmag.com