INTERVIEW | Curtis Santiago
Getting to know Curtis Santiago in almost 21 questions…
Three out of six. Our third interview is a view from a window in a room devoid of time and space, and revolves around a performer with the last name Santiago, first name Curtis, middle name Ass Kickin Susan (or ‘Jaques’, in order to appeal to the heterosexual French fan base which would better identify with this ‘name’). Painter, Singer, Writer, Lover… of many things, Curtis granted us an interview while visiting Vancouver for the Red Bull Thre3 Style Tour, a few months back.
We even tried stealing one (or more) of his wonderfully detailed ring boxes, inspired by artists such as Matisse, Dali, and Magritte, but hotel security decided on a different fate for these awesome creations. Nonetheless, here is what transpired between one jet lagged dude and a writer who forgets how to spell her own name on an irregular basis.
1 | Let’s elaborate on your memorable experience with the artist now known as Prince a.k.a. “the artist formerly known as Prince”
Prince touched my hand once, and that was memorable because when I was a little kid I always dreamed that he’d come to my house and say: “Hey, Santiago. I need a backup singer!” …and he’d take me on the road with him and it’d be the start of my career.
He never showed up.
But he did play a concert in Edmonton. We were sitting in the first row of regular seats, cause there was the VIP section and the regular section. Are you looking at my bed diagram? (There is an imaginary diagram materializing on top of the crumpled hotel sheets). Look at the diagram. I made a bed diagram. Here is the VIP section. Then here, was the section we were sitting in. Can you show me where I was sitting?
Right there.
No. (Pointing at a different the fold in the sheets)
This is where I was sitting. Prince was on stage here. He jumped down, came up on the ledge that separated the VIP section and us, and he stopped right in front of me, looked down, reached out, touched my hand and went back onstage.
And what did you do?
I screamed. It rocked my world. It was at the moment when I was sending out my brainwaves to Prince saying: “Prince I love you. You influence me so much!” Then he touched me.
What happened when you went home?
I felt inspired. I felt happy.
2 | Would it have been different if he didn’t touch you?
Yeah, it would’ve been completely different. I would’ve known that he didn’t hear me. But he heard me, all those years; this little kid singing in the basement.
3 | Does Prince still influence you today? How much?
Have you even listened to my music?
4 | Do you listen to him when you paint?
Sometimes. I listen to other stuff when I paint. Dylan, Bon Iver, Boards of Canada. You ever heard of them? They’re an electronic act.
5 | A question for Skewed: My lips are dry. I don’t want dry lips in this photo. You’re gonna airbrush them, right?
No, I don’t really do that. I’m not that person. Haha.
6 | Are you gonna photoshop me to look Caucasian?
Probably.
7 | Is this recording?
Yep.
Oh, god, I have to be careful with what I say.
8 | Tell me your thoughts on the “multidisciplinary” artist. Do you think it’s a new trend? Or a more universal occurrence than we think?
I think there have always been multidisciplinary artists. I think to say you’re an artist is to understand the many facets of creation, not just brush, paint and canvas, but I’m sure it translates to cooking… it translates to the creation of so many things. I don’t think it’s a new thing at all. Dylan painted, Tony Curtis painted, Myles Davis painted. Dennis Hopper, Anthony Hopkins… all these people who are out there, they do many things.
9 | How do you know about them?
I’ve either heard about them online, or seen their work personally. I also look to see what others are up to, because when I first started doing it, I always struggled, saying: “Oh, I can’t do both. I have to choose one.” And then my friend pointed out that many people do many different things. One thing will sometimes gain more prominence than the other, but I don’t think they should stop.
10 | What is a healthy way to approach this tendency of working, so that the different art forms don’t clash with one another? Some people might get easily distracted and not be as good at time managing as yourself. What’s your process like?
Deadlines. If I have this show, I’ll get myself in painting mode, if I have this recording session, I’ll work on getting the songs ready. For me it’s deadlines right now. As the projects arise, getting them done on time is important. When I’m on my own cycle, I like to rotate, do all those things in a day. I don’t necessarily like to just do one. Or sometimes, I’ll just paint all day, and just let it be. Just know that I’m doing all that I can and each day I’m just trying to be comfortable with whatever comes.
11 | Where do you think the multidisciplinary artist denomination is going, now that people are slowly becoming aware it is happening, from ‘mainstream culture’ to the underground? For example, I didn’t know that Anthony Hopkins painted, but now that I do, my perspective might change again. Now everyone is able to try so much, from video to photography to so many art forms… Is this gonna shake up the art world? Another example is the appearance of so many indie labels. How will that trend influence, say, painting or photography?
I’ve seen music festivals that have galleries and they’ll feature the visual art of the musicians in the festival…Where do I see it going? I think there’s just more exposure. Bringing the disciplines together. Chad VanGaalen for example, draws and paints, and plays the instruments extremely well, so that creates more awareness. I think you have to be resourceful. Not everyone in the music industry is a Britney Spears, blowing up, making lots of money. You have to be able to think: when I can’t get bread money from my music, then I paint. And I sell a few paintings, and then I sell some records, and vice versa.
12 | Is that still the case now?
Yeah.
How long have you been doing that?
Living just off of art? Probably since 19.
How old are you now?
I don’t like to talk about my age. I’m probably like 58, 212 or 6.
You haven’t counted?
I probably haven’t counted since my 400th birthday.
Alright.
13 | What was the first thing you did when you were 19, to support yourself?
I had a band. And we’d tour and play in the streets. We loved to play, so we just set up on the streets.
14 | What was their name?
The Hi –Phoniqs
15 | Are you falling asleep right now?
I could if I wanted to…. Sleep is important too. I like to work from my sleep state.
What do you mean by that??
I read somewhere that Dali used to fall asleep in his favourite chair, with a big gold key, and when the key hit the floor he’d work on the idea he saw in his mind. I like doing that. When I paint, I’m totally comfortable with falling asleep while working, and laying down with a little ring box in front of me, staring at it and falling asleep, seeing what ideas come to mind. I can fall asleep instantly anywhere, anytime. I can fall asleep in a few minutes.
Do you write your ideas down like Dali used to or do you just go for it?
I write them down. I do a quick storyboard.
16 | From storyboard to finished product, how long does it take you?
It really depends. Sometimes when I’m feeling super motivated, and I have all the pieces, so I don’t have to order anything, then I can get it done in no time flat. I can get a ringbox done in about a week. It really depends on the size and the pieces. A lot of times I order pieces, and I have to wait for them to show up.
17 | How does that affect the process?
Stockpiling. I come up with a bunch of ideas, so that the next time I order them together, and I’m continuously working. I like to work on 10-12 pieces at the time. I have them set up and cycle through. Unless, I’m working theme based…
18 | How does that change for music? Do you make it right away?
I’ll record my idea right away on my Dictaphone. With the music process I am open to coming from wherever. I don’t have a traditional process of “oh, I sit down with a pen”. Sometimes lyrics come to mind, sometimes the music comes. Who really knows? You know?
18.1 | What about the studio aspect? How does traveling so much influence the way you do things?
Well, I didn’t bring my art stuff on this one. I brought my music stuff, because during the last tour I brought my art stuff and I worked on ring boxes. With that, I have to work small, I have to work clean. So this time, I brought that keyboard over there so I can work on music. And it changes… my studio changes depending on how long I am going for, how many clothes I have to bring, how much space I have to leave for other things, be it art supplies or music supplies… But I realize now, I only like to work on one, because I still like to go and explore the city.
18.2 |Tell me a bit about this ringbox… (see above)
It’s inspired musically by Kanye West’s Love Lockdown. His reflection on failed relationships, the search for love and his career. And my understanding of the idea of always being on the road and being unable to…Well, what woman wants a man that is always traveling? They assume that there’s this woman in every port, but that’s not really the case because you can’t meet anyone, since you’re only there for a few days. I feel like I’m this troubadour. And I have magnifying glasses now that come with the ringboxes. You can see that tiny figure that has my tattoo and my painted jeans. And it’s me.
18.5 | Are you falling asleep right now?
I could If I wanted to…
19 | If you care for Wikipedia CLICK HERE.
20 | If you’re into myspace, download the Have Mercy Mixtape right here.
20.5 | If you love what you do, you will be inspired by these:
Clothes Acoustic
Why I Paint
Cover: The Police and the Private
21 | Don’t forget to check out Curtis’ piece, Moon Dip Skinny Light, as part of our Remix Project. Make something new, submit it, and win a prize, will ya’? The extended deadline: May 12, 2010.
|skewed|
Interview & Photography by Lexa Naicu
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