the street is our gallery

This Interview of Eddie Colla, a fine street artist and traveler, comes as a suprise. The simplicity and vibrant depictions in his work reveal the true nature of people. Find out what inspires him and a few more interesting things about this inspirational artist from Oakland.

 

(ISSA) – Hi Eddie, what do you choose to drink? Coffee, Tea, Beer, Soda or something else?
(Eddie Colla) – In the Morning – Coffee
Afternoon – Perrier
Night – Vodka

-Introduce yourself to us! 

I’m Eddie!

-How do you define yourself? Artist? Street artist? Anything else?
Artist.

-How did it all start for you, and what is it nowadays?
– I was working as a freelance photographer. It became routine, boring and more over
I was tired of making things look better than they really are. I took some time off. I started screen printing and designing posters. I was making t shirts as well. I started selling shirts and pasting up posters, and I never went back to commercial photography.
Nowadays its been traveling a bunch and doing illegal pieces mostly on those trips. I do a few gallery shows a year, some print releases, sell t shirts and do commissions.

-What is the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?
Make some coffee.

-Street art is mostly a visually stimulating form of art. To add one more sense to it, what
music would you pick to accompany your art work?
Maybe the soundtrack from “28 days later.”

-In all forms of art, inspiration is crucial. What is it that inspires you?
It really depends. Often it’s some current event or news report. It might get me thinking
about a political issue, something about the environment or just the way the future of
our society is unfolding. That along with my personal experiences. Over time most of what we do fades and has little impact on our day to day. Certain experiences, some decades old always seem to play into our decisions and our path. My work is generally inspired by the point at which current events and those experiences intersect.

-What is the hardest part while working on a piece of art?
Waiting for shit to dry.

-Do you have an artist(s) you admire and what for?
There are hundreds and for myriad of different reasons. I’ll name 2 here, because they always
stand out in that hierarchy. Christian Boltanski and Mike and Doug Starn.

-Which cities are the most inspiring for you?
Paris. It’s in a class by itself.
Hong Kong would be 2nd.

-What other passions do you have apart from art?
Talking to people who are smarter than me. I also occasionally enjoy setting things on fire.

-Do you have a wild project that you dream of achieving some day?
I have this animated film I would like to make one day with the bike girl character.

-Tell us about your art, does it include symbolisms, messages or repeated patterns?
I use masks and gloves a lot. The masks and gloves are indicators. They represent fear, danger and protection. It may be fear of the environment, other people, external dangers. They are protective devices from a hostile environment. Beyond the obvious external dangers is the social and psychological impact they present. Operating from a survival mentality drastically alters peoples value system. Alienation is a byproduct of protection. How disconnected will we have to become in the future to be safe and at what level will that disconnection affect the collapse of natural order?
Most of the images I make recently deal with what characteristics are inherent to humans if all the constructs of order and civilization are removed. The body of work is called Atavisms. In biology, the term atavism is defined by a return to ancestral traits within our DNA — even after thousands of years of absence, they act as a kind of evolutionary throwback. These are essentially portraits of what lies at people’s core, strength, survival, endurance, fear.

-How long time does a piece of art work of yours usually survive for? On The Street?
Sometimes it doesn’t make it through the day, other pieces have lasted for over a year.
It’s a crapshoot.

-What do people first think of, or feel, when they see one of your works on the street?
I have no idea. I wish I knew.

-Do you have a secret you would like to share with us? 🙂
If I share it it won’t be a secret.

-What are your creative plans for the future?
Be patient, you’ll see.

-Is there a specific thought or message you would like to pass to our audience out there?
If you want to achieve greatness stop asking for permission.

Thank you Eddie, it’s been great to get to know more about you and your inspiring works.

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Check out the Eddie’s profile here!

Or visit his personal links: 

instagram: eddiecolla
https://vimeo.com/eddiecolla

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Check out Eddie Colla related posts:

Eddie Colla and D Young V in Mexico

Nite Owl And Eddie Colla in Goldfield Nevada

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