Author: Bradley Martinez
Now into their third instalment of the NOVABLAST series, the NOVABLAST 3 takes inspiration from geometric origami for both the upper and midsole. Improvements have been made throughout. Improved comfort has been met with a new lighter construction, this latest version weighs in a massive 30kg lighter than the previous model.
Staying true to the original, the midsole is constructed from ASICS’ FF BLAST PLUS for a more responsive feel underfoot whilst the newly designed heel cup allows for more support.
Shop the NOVABLAST 3 online at Footpatrol here…
Prince of Falls is a true visionary within his conscious music landscape. Amassing over 25 million streams on Spotify and is now growing his namesake, taking on his latest venture into his own. Releasing his first single ‘DarkTomb’ in 2017, through to his artistically pieced together LP, ‘Diary of a Lonely Knight’ (2021). Prince of Falls has accumulated a following that spans further than the British coastline, with music that captivates the senses.
To document this pivotal milestone in his music career, we follow Sam, the man behind ‘Prince of Falls’ on his debut London show. From rehearsals to the closing curtains, we wanted to find out what it’s really like to have our feet burrowed into the shoes of a prince.
[Wednesday 23rd November 2022 4:00 pm Soundcheck – 3 Hours before show time]
Upon meeting Sam for the first time. It was clear to see that the idea of a debut show in London, wasn’t something that phased him. This wasn’t just any regular soundcheck either, it was show day! No pressure, no worries, if anything he seemed to be more invested in how he can praise his fans for showing support. “You guys have been amazing, thank you very much, I mean if you’re clapping of course”, a proclamation at the peak of exhilaration after being asked what his final words to the crowd would be.
Anticipated weeks of rehearsal juggling, soundchecks, stage checks – the lot of it. All mantled down to this moment. Situated in the greazy backdrop of The Grace, North London. The periphery is fazed, vibes are blazing and all that remains is the countdown to the final few hours before Prince of Falls debuts his weeks of hard graft on stage.
“I am feeling pretty chilled for my first show. I should be a little more nervous but I feel like I have been practicing for a while. I am just worried about my body language being too closed off but I just got to see what the vibe is at the end of the day.”
“Today is a big milestone. It will forever be embedded in me because it’s a rare moment.”
A rare moment that dated back to the depths of Woolwich, music class to be precise. A ‘filler’ class that is usually inundated with supply teachers, pressing ‘DJ’ on the keyboard and spending Friday afternoons learning the Ukele. But for Sam, it opened many doors to his musical ambition. Amalgamating his own logic beats in his free periods, this otherwise doss of a lesson would cement the groundwork for what would come next.
“It was my music teacher, I wasn’t meant to have him. He was meant to be my media teacher but they didn’t have enough music teachers and he just told us to jump on Logic and play around for the lesson. At the time I thought: ‘Woah I am really enjoying this!’ We weren’t recording, I was just mixing different songs and putting them together.
From this point on, Sam would become aware of his own singing capabilities, all thanks to a trusted friend that believed in his sauce from day one.
“One time I was singing 2 Chainz ‘It’s your Birthday and a friend heard me. We skipped class, went to the park and I was singing it really loud and my friend said: ‘You should start recording!’ From there I took it as a little hobby and I lied to my Dad to buy the equipment for me, saying that I need it for school.” – A white lie, that led to a dream, and then became reality after the rollercoaster ride that is life.
“He gave me the money and I bought everything I needed and afterwards I started recording. I then went to uni, dropped out and stayed in my room but I wasn’t really recording like that. I only really took it seriously when I came back to London. I just started recording and three years ago, I started putting my music out on Soundcloud.”
After a short interlude of laughter, we digressed to the more serious topic of inspiration and the true meaning behind his ambiguous stage name.
“I mean the Weeknd was my major inspiration, early days trilogy I was kind of into the cold kind of slow winter vibe, ‘Take Care’ was part of that.”
“I felt the mood and I wanted to absorb the vibe surrounding it.”
“The Weeknd was top dog. He’s where I got my name from. He has a song called ‘King of the Falls’ and I didn’t want to disrespect him and call myself King of the Falls, but I thought this was such a beautiful name and I always work better during the fall season, and my first show is also around fall – crazy.”
Digging deeper, it was only right that we also found out his top three tunes. With ‘Secrets’, ‘Nightmare’ and ‘Faceless (Freestyle) being the three reigning projects that Sam listens to from his own discography stating : “They’re just a vibe for me.”
[6:30 pm – An hour before showtime]
Retiring from a successful soundcheck with the clock moving into the penultimate hour before the show. We stepped outside and caught a draft from the chilly London landscape, with the burning question of ‘Why did you decide to perform live after all these years?’ on the tip of our tongues, it was safe to say it all boiled down to personal timing.
“I was always waiting for a reason, I just didn’t want to conform, it wasn’t really something in my mind but I felt like I was ready and it actually happened so I am just surprised, beautiful world!”
Before the dust settled on our casual chat, witnessed by the noise of the bustling city, we had time to talk about one more important thing… shoes. “One time at Bradley’s I noticed he had so many shoes! I’ve never seen a person with so many shoes. I saw rare Bapestas which he can’t wear because they are messed up, deadstock pieces, anything that you can think of, he’s got it!”
Sharing his own tumultuous relationship with shoes in front of a judging crowd of sneakerheads also seemed like a pressing task in itself, Sam recalls: “Yeah, I wouldn’t say I am into trainers because I don’t take care of my trainers, I feel like people that are into trainers look after trainers.”
“Are they in a box?” we asked with giggly undertones inscribed in our voices.
“Only for the first two months and then after it goes past a certain point it’s just like …”
Draped in Namesake from head to toe, a French brand plucked from its true Japanese and Spanish origins were the last defining touches before Sam’s on stage debut. Dripped out and wearing a fresh pair of Joe Fresh Good 993s straight out the box. ‘No pressure’ were the last resigning words that rolled off his lips before he became Prince of Falls for the night.
[7:30 pm – Showtime]
Crowds started to arrive in their masses, the intimate gig spot darkened, and all that was left was ‘Prince of Falls’ to make his debut appearance.
Ideologies quickly surfaced to reality as he pitched himself in front of his swarm of doting fans meant it was the time everyone was waiting for. Consoling the crowd with his opening words of affirmation: “We’re just going to start man – let’s go!”
Kicking off his opening sequence with his adopted enthusiasm on stage, backed up by the yearning fans. Harmonising the background with deep rhythmic beats, reeling it up every time the crowd went off, with ‘Southside Bleeds’ causing a ruckus.
After an hour and a half of what became such a memorable performance, Prince of Falls concluded the show with instant gratification and appreciation for those who witnessed this special moment in his career. Noting back, to his previous thoughts shared during the sound check.
He told us while greeting his fans with warm smiles, a post-performance exhilaration expected from a first timer. “I feel really great, I did not expect it to go that smooth, I know I was talking a lot of trash but I just went with the vibe and everyone was feeling it – I loved it!”
To no surprise, Sam was on cloud nine and there was only one way to celebrate this pinnacle moment – an after-party fit for a prince!
We look forward to seeing what comes next in ‘Prince of Falls’ music career and on behalf of Footpatrol, we wish you the best of luck on your upcoming EP!
To celebrate the relaunch of the Nike Vomero 5, we took this technical, yet low-key masterpiece over to meet Maddie and Jack at Concept Object.
Carving out their own masterpieces, the duo at Concept Object have built a name for themselves by reclaiming and reimagining old speakers. Using a simplistic aesthetic much like the Vomero 5, Maddie and Jack bring these vintage speakers back to life with a new lease of life.
We sat down with them both to learn more about this venture and where this fascination came from.
Shop the Nike Vomero 5 in-store and online here!
Footpatrol: Hello both! It’s nice to finally meet you both, how have you been?
Concept Object: Busy! Lot’s of pop ups and Christmas parties have been chasing our sustainable sound but it’s keeping us warm and we are always ready for the next challenge.
Footpatrol: Firstly, thanks for joining us for our latest Footpatrol Discussions feature. It’s nice to finally stop admiring your work from a far and get an up close and personal look at the stunning speakers you’ve been creating.
Can you introduce yourselves and tell us how the journey of Concept Object began?
CO: We both design shops and events and over lock down had plywood left over from canceled projects, we also have a love for refurbishing and recycling, building up a collection vintage audio we took the plywood and our stash of speakers and started working on our first Concept Object with the help of extraordinary crafts people as part of our community and we haven’t really looked back.
Footpatrol: It’s great to see these old, reclaimed speakers being given a new lease of life with an updated look and feel. Do the certain speakers define the shapes when it comes to designing or do you have a set design ethos?
CO: We like strong and simple shapes and yes you are right volumetrically they have to be a certain size to fit a certain speaker, we love large JBL drivers that are accessible as cinemas tend to replace them and we save them from going to the scrap heap.
Footpatrol: So, let’s talk about sound… What is it about the sound these speakers produce that captured your attention?
CO: Big is big, big sound, big vibe. There’s a certain rhythmic and ritual sound that comes from a Concept Object. It’s environmentally altering and emotionally triggering.
Footpatrol: With you making speakers, do you both have a background within music or is it the carefully designed objects and sound they create that you’re fascinated by?
CO: We have a background in space design and our ambition has always been to create spaces that foster a sense of belonging and wonder and yes sound is an integral part of that.
Footpatrol: Do you have an early memory of music and speakers around the house that started this love affair? I know for me, growing up with a dad thats played in Blues bands all my life I’ve been surrounded by music. I remember him starting up his Leslie amps and them shaking the entire house!
CO: Wow we would love a Leslie amp! Having played in bands I can understand the connection that can be cultivated through playing and it’s something that I have sort after into adulthood. I think technically musicians refer to it as ‘feel’ when two people are jamming but it sounds like there are more. The rolling stones described it as the third man coming to visit and it is why Jack White’s record company is called Third Man Records. That feel never really leaves you.
Footpatrol: As you know, we at Footpatrol may be considered slightly obsessed with sneakers and we noticed in a previous interview that your dream client would be Tom Sachs. A man well known now within the world of sneakers, what is it about him that makes him your dream client?
CO: He is foremost an artist and his work across the board has been an inspiration, exploring the rituals and routine, culture and creativity through his artistic speaker sculptures is very Concept Object, as well as taking inspiration from the beauty of Asian culture and class.
Footpatrol: We recently did a discussions piece with the artist Charley Peters and we spotted she had been painting one of your speakers in the background. How do you find working on a multi collaborative project?
CO: You can’t do anything on your own, we take any and every opportunity to collaborate and Charley is extraordinarily talented. Her speakers brought Concept Object into new dimensions.
Footpatrol: Do you have any exciting projects upcoming that you’d like to make our audience aware of?
CO: We are working with sustainable plastics, Are you Mad, to make a range of horns as well as some sound sculptures for some very VIP locations that will be dropping next year.
Footpatrol: Thanks again for joining us, it’s been great to chat and we can’t wait to see more from you both.
For the launch of the Nike Air Force 1 ‘Chilli’, it only made sense to take the silhouette to revisit its natural habitat with the help of ‘Kold Sauce‘.
Originally born in the states, Kold Sauce is based and brewed within our very own city of London. Thousands of chillies and hundreds of trials later, Kold Sauce have succeeded in their mission of providing a sauce with the same reds, no frills (but provides a taste with all the frills), American hot pepper that those state side know and love. The only difference is the juxtaposition of its name. Dubbed Kold Sauce, the idea was to throw you off the sent in the hope of you splashing it across every meal with no hesitation and in the Footpatrol office, it sure has had that effect.
Now, in 2022 and with its 40th anniversary nearly coming to an end, Nike also celebrate the chilli with its very own Air Force 1. A slightly yellow hue reminiscent of chilli seeds works its way across the upper and midsole with its eye-catching red hairy suede takes dominance much like the strong flavours.
Take a closer look at our catch up with Kold Sauce below and make sure to check out the Air Force 1 Chilli in-store and online here at Footpatrol.
Last week saw the conclusion of something we’ve been working on for a while!
With some of the team heading our to New York a few months back, we caught up with multifaceted artist STASH as we helped him unveil his upcoming ‘Exhibit A’ exhibition and book launch, ‘SUBBLUEMINAL’. Bringing decades of work from his early involvement in the New York Graffiti movements to his burgeoning influence on the fashion scene, we wanted to help take you on a journey through this archive.
In celebration of Stash and his latest book launch ‘SUBBLUEMINAL’, the New York based artist flew over the pond to join us and you, the community for an in-store book signing. With a range of limited edition merchandise on offer and the book itself, a massive thank you must be said to everyone who came down and joined us for what will go down within Footpatrol history as a memorable evening. Many books were signed, many smiles were had.
We continue our Frequent Players series by shedding light on some younger faces in the scene. Rowan Pacey who goes by name of Pacemaker is next in our eclectic line up. Entering the scene with a bang, her uptempo beats and techno vibes have helped her create her own lane in music that knows how to tantalise those senses.
Surrounded by musical influences her whole life, music has always formed an instrumental part of her identity. Now fresh out of University and taking the centre stage, she now takes the decks as a fresh faced female killing it in the DJ game.
Check out the mix below!
Footpatrol: Hey Rowan, it was lovely to meet you at the shoot earlier on today! We would like to start all of our interviews with a simple question of how are you?
Rowan: Lovely to meet you guys too. Thanks for coming over. A simple but very important question! I am good, enjoying life. Feeling grateful to have so many amazing people around me.
FP: For people who don’t know who you are and what you do, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Rowan: My name is pacemaker! My actual name is Rowan Pacey. When I was 15 I told my mate, “when I learn to DJ my name will be pacemaker” and here we are. I try not to take myself too seriously otherwise life gets boring!
FP: Can you tell us a bit more about your journey, when did your love for DJing first start for you?
Rowan: I think I have to give my Dad some credit for my love of DJing – he’s a bit of a party animal. When I was younger, he had a section of our garage designated to his turntables and records. He used to run an old school hip hop radio show with his friends. As a child it was kind of surreal seeing all these middle aged bald men in my house, playing super loud hip hop. The first time I actually had a real interest in DJing, I was about 13. My older sister was playing a jungle tune in the car. I remember being mind blown. Once I got to about 16, I started going out. That was the breaking point for me. I was like I neeeeed to do this.
FP: You also have a shared love for fashion, through your chosen university degree at University of the Arts London, in your opinion, how do you feel like the fashion and music world collide with one another?
Rowan: Fashion is all about identity and expression, exactly like music. The fashion and music worlds are always influencing one another and go hand in hand.
FP: Do you think that there is female representation for women like yourself in the DJ industry?
Rowan: Hell yeah. There’s some sick female DJs right now but there could always be more. I feel like we need to see more all female lineups!!!! Women should be shown from a young age that you can make a career out of music. The people around me that helped me learn to DJ are all men. Giving young women the same sense of confidence in music as men, is so important.
FP: How does your style and genre of music affect the venues you play at, and have you got a favourite place to play?
Rowan: I’ve played in all sorts of venues! My gigs vary at the minute as I’m just trying to say yes to anything. I would say I’ve played the most in the SE London venue, Corsica Studios. I definitely have a soft spot for there. The security are friendly and the soundsystem bangs!
FP: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Rowan: Hopefully happy and with some gigs up north – the motherland. I want to start teaching women how to DJ and possibly, maybe even a record label / collective. Top of the list is to get some bookings with my DJ other half & best mate, Clara. We go by Clarified Pace!
FP: As a young DJ yourself, what advice would you give to someone starting out in the industry?
Rowan: The things that are working for me are putting myself out there and never being shy to ask. You have to big yourself up! No one else will do it for you. The best piece of advice my mum gave me is you don’t ask – you don’t get. Tell the people you meet that you DJ! At the start, say yes to everything (within reason) and you can figure out what kind of a DJ you are 🙂
FP: Before we let you go! Rowan, we like to ask our guests if they have anything they would like to share with the Footpatrol community and readers. Whether that’s something to get people gassed about or just a general message of positivity it’s up to you?
Rowan: Shameless plug of the insta of course @rowan.pacey and tell ur friends u love them <3
“Did you see the game last night?” A question asked by many, every Monday morning in the UK… For this latest project, we partnered up with Mizuno up for a second time this year, centering our focus on the nation’s favourite sport, Football.
We pay homage to the love of the game with the arrival of the Footpatrol x Mizuno Post Match collection. Designed with both sneaker enthusiasts & football fans in mind, this eclectic range combines seamless astroturf style with Mizuno’s timeless functionality that continues to inspire a new generation of sports enthusiasts.
Kicking off this authentic partnering is our recreation of the ‘95 Mizuno Contender silhouette, arriving in Premium nubuck material in irongate grey that sets the tone to this football focussed design. Premium football boat leather is applied to the toe box – a nod to the Mizuno’s football boots with the same material equipped on the tongue that is further spot-varnished with Mizuno and Footpatrol brand logos. Washed suede outskirts the toe cap and outer heel collar, while reflective detailing graces the lateral heel.
Patent leather is the material of choice for the Runbird insignia, hallmarking the sidewall with some brand heritage, with further Footpatrol branding etched to the heel in gold. Pops of Turquoise outline the Runbird moniker as well as featuring on the insole, inner tongue, and parts of the treaded outsole. To finish, an EVA moulded midsole supplies cloud-like cushioning with each stride.
Championing football nostalgia, we continue our Mizuno ‘Post Match’ collection with the addition of a football jersey sitting alongside the footwear. The jersey takes inspiration from the 2001/2002 Fiorentina kit, which was produced by Mizuno and worn by the likes of Adriano. Arriving in a split grey and black colour combination, our Jersey features an ‘FP’ monogram adorned to the left side of the chest, accompanied by our own recreation of the Scudetto moniker, taking colours from the progress pride flag to promote equality in not only football but all areas of life.
Respective Mizuno labelling adorns the other side of the chest in a turquoise hue with local Soho-based record store ‘ Reckless Records’ acting as a shirt sponsor that is featured across the mid-chest. Additional features include ‘EST. 2002’ lettering that appears on the left arm signifying the year Footpatrol first opened, our bar logo that is printed on the right arm, with a brand lock up logo completing the front with some co-branding heritage. On the reverse, the ‘20’ printed squad number was designed to call out our anniversary year, with inspiration taken from early premier league numbers.
The Mizuno x Footpatrol collection will be launching in-store and online on Saturday 10th September.
With the Air Force 1 being one of the most staple shoes within the sneaker industry, with the likes of Travis Scott and the late Virgil Abloh putting their twist on the silhouette. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the shoe. As this year comes to a close, we are set to see Drakes iteration. Keeping it simple but putting his ‘Certified Lover Boy’ twist on things Drake opts for a traditional Tripe white colour way, replacing its outer sole ‘AIR’ with ‘Love you forever’ and replacing the stars underneath with love hearts. Complete with charms to put your own custom words on the laces this is definitely a grail for the hardcore Drake fans.
PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ THE BELOW!
The London in-store draw is now CLOSED!
All online draws will now be housed over on the Footpatrol Launches app which can be downloaded here.
To enter, you’re required to sign up via the above forms, these WON’T be available in-store to sign up on.
In-store winners will be contacted via email informing them of their win. Within this email, winners will be given a set of dates in which they must collect their win from our London store. To collect, you will need to provide the winning email and a valid photographic government ID matching the winners name. NO ONE can collect on the winners behalf. Failure to provide this, or failure to collect within the given dates will mean failure to purchase your win.
Nearing the end of our 20th year anniversary, what a year it’s been! From hosting panel talks and events, as well as adding to our eclectic catalogue of collaborations, we continue to keep our foot on the acceleration pedal to the very end, with yet another surprise up our sleeves to commemorate this special occasion…
Introducing our latest collaboration with American-born headwear brand New Era, working on an exclusive cap offering that pays sentiment to Footpatrol’s identity throughout the years.
As the headwear originators, New Era surpasses its century landmark with innovation in mind, adhering to its high-quality manufacturing practices as well as boasting a timeless slew of designs and collaborations. We believe the brand’s strived efforts of authenticity is also something that Footpatrol takes pride in, therefore we wanted to emulate this through our latest collaboration.
On offer, is the 9FIFTY Snapback cap that pays continuous ode to the cultural landscape of our store. Landing in a dual-toned cotton construction, doused in a relatively black and grey colour scheme. Cap details include an embroidered Footpatrol monogram logo on the crown, signifying Footpatrol brand heritage to this otherwise muted construction. Other adornments include a hand-drawn ‘20’ graphic in a felt design that reiterates our landmark year, further accentuated with an embroidered lamp post graphic sitting near the strap-back closure.
Other highlight details include the Footpatrol Rat mascot graphic created by Brooklyn-based designer/illustrator Dirty Dermot hallmarked on the back – culturally nodding to the vibrant streets of Soho. Completing the list of cap details are the words ‘Twenty Years Deep’ appearing on the reverse above the adjustable leather strap debossed with Footpatrol bar logo detailing, and embroidered tally graphic totaling to the number 20 indicating the anniversary year adds the finishing touches to this bespoke fit.
To celebrate our latest project with New Era, we wanted to work on a design we could keep exclusive to Friends & Family of Footpatrol and to many of those who have supported Footpatrol over the years. We decided upon creating our iteration of New Era’s staple 59FIFTY silhouette.
The design arrives in a stealthy black colour scheme, accentuated with the Footpatrol monogram logo (designed by Kingsley Hayward). We referenced several classic Baseball monogram graphics during the design development stages of the project. Cap features include a lamppost graphic sitting next to the Footpatrol monogram on the crown. This graphic is a reference to the lamppost that is situated outside the Footpatrol London store, but also an ode to the lampposts in and around the Soho area. We’ve always wanted to have a team mascot at Footpatrol – we decided upon a rat as our mascot character as a reference to our city’s central dwellings. Footpatrol London is situated amongst alley-ways and side streets, all areas you could imagine a street rat to wander around in! The Footpatrol mascot sits proudly in embroidered construction on the left side of the cap
Just before you see the mascot patch, there is an embroidered, hand-drawn ‘20’ patch graphic signifying the anniversary year. To the right of the cap, we have Footpatrol and New Era branding in white, and at the back of the cap are the words ‘Twenty Years Deep’. The final external detail on the Footpatrol 20th Anniversary F&F 59FIFTY is the exposed top button. The Footpatrol Gasmask logo is laser-etched onto the natural colour metal finish, giving the design a very unique look.
Internal design details include an tonal embroidered tally graphic on the under peak chartered in a ‘Kelly’ green hue. The luxury satin lining graphic inside the cap features montage images taken over the last year of the Footpatrol London team.
Whilst over in New York recently, we couldn’t stay away from the bustling art scene that has been dominating the city and its streets for decades. With that said, we recently linked up with Harlem born, NY based artist Kip Omolade. Beginning his career on the streets as a graffiti artist whilst interning at Marvel Comics and The Center for African Art, Kip’s work has been shown across the globe. Having studied at The Art Students League of New York, Kip’s work has flowed effortlessly from Good Morning America to Juxtapoz, Nike and even the Versace Mansion.
Take a closer look at his work below from when we caught up with the artist himself.
Footpatrol: Hi Kip, hope you’re well, firstly thank you for taking the time to let us come by the studio and see the work up close, we really appreciate it. Could you please tell us a bit about yourself and the work you produce?
Kip Omolade: It’s a pleasure being featured in Footpatrol. I appreciate what you are doing. Your program combines two of my loves: art and sneakers, so this is awesome.
I am a product of New York City. I was born in Harlem and lived in the Bronx, the Lower East Side and midtown Manhattan before spending most of my life in Brooklyn. I attended City-As-School high school which was the same school Basquiat attended. I also attended the School of Visual Arts, the Cooper Union Saturday program, The Children’s Art Carnival in Harlem, and The Art Students League of New York. When I started oil painting from life, I lived down the block from the Brooklyn Museum where I would visit often to study African and European art.
My work is a product of those experiences. The use of chrome is connected to my internship at Marvel Comics where I was influenced by shiny, metallic characters like the Silver Surfer. The bright saturated colors are influenced by my graffiti writer days. The sculpture and oil painting techniques are from my training at SVA and The League.
FP: One thing that specifically captivates me is the image within the faces, is there a reasoning behind each mirrored reflection?
KO: Usually, the image within the face is determined by my curiosity and self-challenges. “What would this chrome face look like in the snow?” “Could I paint images of Times Square in the face?” Sometimes a model’s face will dictate which direction I’ll go. Some sculptures look better enclosed in a space while others look better with the outside environment being reflected in the face. Other times, the choice is more conceptual, like when I did several paintings with graffiti backgrounds. With the Luxury Graffiti project, I wanted to establish my graffiti roots in an organic way. I also saw some of my favorite artists like Takashi Murakami and Jenny Saville use graffiti with their work and thought why not? I was actually a part of the movement that they were referencing.
FP: I’m curious why just the face? And why expressionless?
KO: The face is universal across time, place, and culture. It’s what we are all attracted to. We look for faces in everything, even the surfaces of the moon or Mars. We are wired to recognize faces as a way of survival and communal living. The faces were a way to unify people- to show our similarities despite racial differences. I wanted to disrupt racial constructs and show humanity. As a result, make-up artists from Russia, Japan, and India, etc. have used their own faces and cosmetics to reproduce my paintings. They see themselves in the work.
I don’t see the faces as being “expressionless”, but I think I know what you mean. I prefer a neutral expression because it’s more iconic and timeless. Ancient Ife sculptures, the famous headpiece of King Tut and The Mona Lisa have subtle expressions. Another reason for the look is that I want my use of color and lighting to elicit an emotional response from the viewer rather than from an overly dramatic expression. However, some of my portraits do overtly show emotions. The Kittys seem happy, the Karyns have a sense of melancholy and there are some others that even have wide smiles.
FP: Why do you choose to continue to paint your work? Do you consider diving into a virtually creative side of it? Or like to keep it as raw as possible?
KO: I love to paint! I love the challenge of mixing, blending, and applying oil paint to canvas. It’s deeply satisfying to create an image using real life tactual tools. I appreciate digital work, but brushes, paint and canvas are centuries old technology that allow me to still make discoveries. Ironically when I first started the Diovadiova Chrome project I was attempting to use traditional materials to make images that looked like digital avatars. There is also an amazing satisfaction knowing I hand painted something that looks three dimensional physically and conceptually to the viewer. In person the work has a level of depth, color and texture that conveys a sense of transcendence.
FP: Can you elaborate on the process, from casting to photography to the final painting?
KO: The process is about different uses of time. The casting is the most interactive part- collaborating with the model while my assistant and I work quickly. This is a time when I don’t know what someone’s face will look like when the cast is finished. Once I have the cast everything slows down. I sculpt the eyes and prepare the sculpture for chroming. The photography stage speeds up again as I take hundreds of images of the sculpture. This is the most experimental part. I’ll try as many approaches as possible. Everything slows down again as I ponder which image to paint. Lastly the painting process is the slowest part as I apply layers and layers of paint to achieve details and form.
FP: Are there any subjects you would love to cast specifically?
KO: I would love to cast LL Cool Jay, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, and other Hip Hop icons. We should have our own Mount Rushmore. As Hip Hop celebrates its 50th anniversary, we need works of art that reflect our rich history. My way of giving flowers would be to create large-scale paintings of our icons.
FP: Does your day to day mood influence your artworks? Perhaps in the colours or graphics? How much of YOU is also In the works of art?
KO: My day-to-day mood is pretty much the same. What influences the work are questions. It’s about: “Why do this piece?” or “How could I represent this idea?” My love for beauty, my calmness and my spirituality manage to seep into my work. Somehow the paintings seem to show my personality. My actual image is in the reflections of many of the works. When I do this it’s like an elaborate selfie.
FP: You’ve amassed an extremely healthy client portfolio from the likes of Nike, Sony and RedBull to name a few. Who is at the top of the collaborative wish list currently?
KO: I would love to partner with Nike or Adidas to make a chrome sneaker like the Dada Supreme CDubbz. I think my use of chrome and color would be super impactful. My work could also easily translate to fashion. From streetwear companies like Supreme or high fashion houses like Louis Vuitton I think there’s an organic place for my work.
FP: Finally, we would like to open up the floor for you to praise or even set on blaze anything you believe can help the current arts industry.
KO: We are in the best time for artistic expression. Never, in history, have artists had access to as much information about creating work. In the past you would have to travel and work as an apprentice or go to college to gain skills that you can currently learn online. We can share our work worldwide with the press of a button. We can learn about art movements around the world in real time. Of course, this doesn’t replace the real-life experiences that I had. And of course, this means that it’s even harder to stay focused on one’s own path, but now artists can draw from so many different sources to make educated choices about what to do.
