INXX X Jeremyville Exclusive Interview

INXX teamed up with New York based artist, designer and author - Jeremyville, whose art is about simple, thought provoking messages told in an instantly recognizable style.

(Artwork: Find Yourself By Getting Lost in Your Imagination)

I：When did you find yourself interested in painting/drawing?

J：I’d say from a very young age, when I grew up at Bondi Beach in Sydney Australia. Drawing and painting was a part of my general interest in play and art. Making things, exploring creatively. Not just drawing, but model making, set designing, dioramas, creating whole worlds with Lego, imagining and dreaming. Loving to spend time with myself. That’s mainly what I did as a child.

(Artwork: MoreSkatin',LessHatin')

I：Do you give names to the characters you created? Who’s the one you draw the most and who’s your favorite?

J：Jethro! He’s a bunny representing the element of play, surrealism, lateral thinking, and the limitless imagination in all of us.

Jethro Bunny is the alter ego of us all. He's a manifestation of the part of us that we have forgotten, that's gone missing and is lost: The playful, the surreal and the childlike imagination and wonder within us. Play is serious business, and at any age the implementation of play and lateral thinking solves problems, reduces stress, and opens channels to alternate thinking, and a path to rediscover our innate creativity. It's an essential tool to rediscover within us, to help navigate these complicated times in our world. And Jethro is a key to that rediscovery.

(Jeremyville X BE@RBRICK)

I：You have extraordinary imaginations, if you can become a character, what you expect yourself look like?

J：I’d love to be broken down in a limitless number of characters, with each character representing an atom within us all. When all atoms, or characters, come together, they add up to the spirit of the human condition.

I：You reposted a photo on Instagram that other people use your work as a tattoo, how you feel about it?

J：It’s great when our studio’s art can be brought into people’s lives so intimately. Our message is all about connection, so this makes sense.

I：As an artist, how you understand the relationship between art and fashion？

J：I feel that the main difference between art and fashion is that art should not be trend-based, whereas with fashion it’s ok to be a part of a trend. I think you can take more risks with art because the stakes aren’t as high, but with fashion sometimes, it’s more of a business, and any mistake in following the wrong direction can be costly and lose an audience or customer. With art, the audience expects the artist to change, explore, experiment, surprise. With fashion, is more about maintaining your brand’s look. With INXX though, there are some brands like INXX that explore, push boundaries, try new things, experiment. And that’s why I loved this collaboration. It didn’t feel safe, it felt more experimental, more risky, and that’s why to me it felt more like an art project.

(Jeremyville Raymundo Ceramic Container)

(INXX SuperstrINg/超弦 Art Display)

I：We are very happy to have a collaboration with you, please tell us the story behind this character that you customized for INXX.

J：It’s about continuing on your own journey and holding on to your own spirit and vision, in the face of difficulty. Getting back on your skateboard and staying on your path, when times get tough, and life knocks you down. Art is sometimes like that, it’s a lonely pursuit, and you need to be brave to continue on, no matter what. Feeling like only you can stop yourself, and that no one else can stop you from getting to where you need to go.