Dan Levin, guest artist
(version française below)
Who are you? Where are you from?
My name is Dan LeVin. I was born in Los Angeles in the 60s, grew up near New York City and returned to Los Angeles to attend art school in the 80s. In 2005, I spent a year in Australia and then a few years in Europe. My wife and I currently live in Santa Barbara, California. I have a college degree. It's framed on one of the walls of my studio, half torn and burned in one corner...
You once said "one man's trash makes another man happy". What does that mean?
I used to say that, but now it's more like "one man's trash makes another man's career". Anyway, I wrote an art manifesto 25 years ago that said: "I was 11 years old and living on a small island in the Atlantic Ocean. Like all Block Islanders, we took our garbage to a specific area called "the dump". At the entrance stood an old man who directed us to a specific pile. " One man's trash is another man's treasure" he mumbled, his mouth barely open. I've heard him say it many times. It was he who put that phrase in my head and opened my mind. All this junk began to shine: rusty parts, garbage floating in the muddy water and the debris of appliances partially covered by nature.
I'm interested in the freedom of organizing and associating objects that haven't previously had the opportunity to cohabit with one another, to create an original composition or metaphorical device. Whether I'm creating a mysterious, ironic piece or an aesthetically pleasing object, I'm always reminded of the old man's words...
Where do the objects you use come from?
I use whatever I can find. Any kind of garbage. For me, it's even better if I find "ingredients" on the street or in a skip, an object that others consider to have become useless. I'm also a regular visitor to self-help and charity stores. If I need a specific element for a piece, I look on Ebay, but it's a last resort and I even consider it cheating a little... I walk on beaches and in forests for natural materials. But generally speaking, I use human waste because the destruction of our own environment is a comedy/tragedy that attracts me.
I saw a photo of your studio. What a mess! Are you happy in the midst of all this?
I recently did a major clean-up and organized the ingredients, but I have to admit, it's still chaos! And there's a reason for that: I prefer chaos! I work better when things are mixed up. Someone once tried to organize my studio. It was well done, but I couldn't find anything. As an artist who works with found objects, I need to be surrounded by lots of things to be able to choose from. Having these ingredients in drawers is not really conducive to creation. So I've recently started scattering things around on trays. You can imagine what that looks like... You think I'm messy? Look at photos of Francis Bacon 's studio orAlexander Calder's office. Respect! While I'm on the subject of people who inspire me, I consider Ed Kienholz and Yves Klein to be gods!
Last question. Why did you agree to work with Bask in the Sun?
I said "yes" because Bask in the Sun brings a breath of fresh air. Your aesthetic, the whole state of mind around nature and travel, speaks to me. When I received an e-mail from France, years ago, saying that someone wanted to pay me to put my curious objects on tee shirts, my first thought was spam. But it was a real offer! It still makes me believe in mankind...
Thank you very much
Who are you? Where do you come from?
My name is Dan LeVin. I was born in Los Angeles in the 1960s, raised near New York City, and moved back to Los Angeles and graduated art school in the 1980s. In 2005, I moved to Australia for a year and then a few years in the U.K. and Europe. My wife and I currently reside in Saint Barbara, California. I've been involved in the arts all my life. I actually got a degree from a University. My framed diploma is on my studio wall but it's torn in half and burned on one corner.
You've said one day "one man trash is another man's treasure". Tell us more please.
I used to say that - the saying has changed a bit. Now I say " One man's trash is another man's career ". I wrote that artist statement 25 years ago. It's grammatically challenged and wordy but you asked me to tell you more, so here it is:
I was 11 years old and living on a small island in the Atlantic Ocean. As inhabitants of Block Island, we had to bring our refuse to a designated area, "the dump". At the entrance stood an old man who would direct us to a particular pile. "One man's trash is another man's treasure", he whistled through the space between his teeth. I've heard it repeated many times since but he was the first to enlighten me with that adage. From that moment forward, my template recognition was altered. All the so-called "junk" began to glow. Rust-caked, post-tech flotsam and jetsam begging to be melded with nature's slough and fallen debris. A vision reminiscent of a puzzle with no particular solution. The freedom to orchestrate relationships between objects that may never have been in the same proximity, into a singular composition or a metaphorical device, is what intrigues me. Whether commenting on the mysterious as well as the ironic or simply producing an abstract that is aesthetically pleasing, I am constantly reminded by fleeting memories of the old man that my life work will not end due to a lack of raw materials. I often find myself blah, blah, blah... whatever.
Where do these objects come from?
I'll use whatever I can find. All the table scraps. For me, it's a big bonus if I find "ingredients" in the street or in a dumpster. How do you say " dumpster " in French? An object that someone else considered "no longer viable" ... that's the prize. I make my rounds to the thrift stores or "charity shops" on a regular basis. If I need a specific element for a piece I'll check on Ebay, but that is out of desperation and it almost feels like cheating. I also source beaches and forests for natural ingredients, but I typically work with human detritus because the destruction of our own habitat is a comedy/tragedy that attracts me.
I've seen pictures of your studio. What a mess! Are you happy with that?
I recently did a studio purge and organized ingredients but I have to admit, it's still chaos. And there is a reason for that: I prefer chaos. I function better when things are a bit of a cluster fuck. Someone tried to organize my studio for me once. They meant well, but I never could find my way around the studio after that. As an artist who works with found objects, I need to have a large palette around me to choose from. It takes up a lot of room, and having ingredients in drawers isn't really conducive to work flow - so I recently started scattering things around in open trays. I'll let you know how it goes. You think I'm a studio slob? Take a look at photos of Francis Bacon's studio and Alexander Calder's desk. Respect. Since I'm name dropping, I might as well mention that I believe Ed Kienholz and Yves Klein are gods.
Last question. Why did you say 'yes' to collaborate with Bask in the Sun?
I said yes because Bask in the Sun kicks serious arse. Your aesthetic, ethos and the whole nature, travel lifestyle thing... Yeah, that all works for me. When I received an email from France years ago saying that someone would pay me money to put my Objects of Curiosity on shirts, well, I thought it was spam. Bask in the Sun turned out to be legit. Way legit. That still gives me hope for our species.
Thank you very much
