INTERVIEW WITH LEROY STEVENS
April 2009
LeRoy Stevens (b. 1984) graduated from UIC Chicago 2007. He works with conceptual photography and sculpture and he is currently finishing "The Scream Project" that will be an LP of screams from music selected by every music store on Manhattan. He lives and works in New York City.
Questions (picture left, click to enlarge) marked with pink are LeRoy´s choices and the yellow ones are Marianne´s choices.
1. Can you pinpoint the exact moment you get an idea? Do you get ideas like that, like the stork with the baby?
Some projects begin with an clear idea about a final product or outcome. These usually feel the most complete because I know exactly what I'm working toward and it is clear when I'm finished. Initially when planning, I leave some room for fine-tuning the project, but once I begin I follow through completely. Projects that don't begin with clear ideas about a final output are more difficult for me. I think the difference is knowing exactly what you're doing and another working method that's more about research and play with materials. Then it becomes a question of finding a meaningful form.
2. What inspires you, i.e. what do you read, look at,
think about, listen to, surf to get in the mood?
My ideas tend to come from whatever it is I'm doing. I grew up playing lots of sports so my background in handball, running, and swimming creeps into the work. Lately I've been working at a bakery and can't help but be inspired there. Everything seems to be about sculpture at a bakery. From the process of making the bread, to the display, to the communication with customers and sale; it's all sculpture.
I listen to a lot of music as well; lately a lot of Tropicalia music. Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso. German rock like Faust. The Beach Boys have always been a meaningful band for me.
Is it the mood in beach boys that is meaningful to you? You seem to have the same mood as their music a lot.
Definitely. From one standpoint their music is cheerful and upbeat - the lyrics so simple they can almost be disregarded. But beneath it all the songs are really honest and sincere. And funny. There are lots of little jokes in all the songs.
And simple in a relieving way?
Right. They don't knock you over the head with deep content. It's already there. And you can sense that in the music and the lyrics. Some of the music is very experimental. For being the arguably biggest band in America at the time they took a lot of risks.
I like that band a lot too. I also like the less cheerful little brother who had an alcohol problem. Dennis.
He was the wild and cool one. The only actual surfer! Do you know about his connection to Charles Manson?
No.
Dennis picked up two cute ladies who happened to be part of Manson's family and took them back to his mansion. After a couple phone calls the whole family arrived and moved in! Things were ok for a while. Manson was actually a good songwriter and the Beach Boys even covered one of his songs. Manson recorded some material w/ Capitol (I believe) but it wasn't going to be released. He started putting the pressure on Dennis to the point that he feared for his life and abandoned his mansion. A few days later (if I have the story right) the Sharon Tate murders happened
Dennis moved because of Manson´s threats?
Yes. He just left his place with the whole family living there
4. What is abstract art?
It isn't necessarily painting, but whenever I think of "abstract art" the first thing that comes to my mind is painting - and I assume most people think of painting. I think of abstract art as a reaction to a set of conditions at a given time.
You think its time specific?
Yes, but it comes in and out for different reasons.
Reasons that are specific to a time?
Maybe so, but not like a style. Or a trend. Abstraction seems to fall into design and fashion but that isn't where it belongs.
6. What is the perfect setting for you to make art in – to work in?
The ideal place for me to make work in would be a place nearby a library, a photo lab, and other people working on creative projects. I have an idea about a dream studio that someday I hope to build. It would consist of two handball courts w/ a room in between - glass ceilings for light to come through, a color photo lab with good exhaust and a swimming pool nearby (not necessarily mine) but one that I can use. That's the dream ... haha!
Sounds like you would never have to leave that place.
Which could be problematic...I don't like sitting around the studio. I tend to get all of my ideas from doing other things, but it would be amazing. Have you heard about transparent concrete?
No. Sounds good, like blurry thick glass.
Totally. It has fiberglass mixed in. Could be nice. The concrete takes the form of the mold and
you can still have that nice woodgrain trace on the surface while allowing light to come through.
7. What is the perfect setting for your things to be shown in?
MOMA!
Ok! Why?
No I'm just kidding...
Contemporary art gallery?
It depends on the project. For some works of art a gallery is perfect. For others, such as my record project, the work functions better in the record store than in an art gallery. Your YouTube videos might be kind of similar.
They can be shown in a gallery, but they make sense as YouTube videos as well.
Gallery is good for getting a certain audience too. I think it´s important to find a right setting for work, not necessarily have the gallery as a default at least.
9. Do you look up to other artists or cultural producers? Who?
I certainly look up to a number of my peers from school. I can't get enough of Isa Genzken's work.
Haha! How unexpected! I like her too.
I know.. I don't make work like her at all, but I love it! A lot of artists from Chicago; Shane Huffman, Dan Peterman, Philip Von Zweck. Kind of a boys club..who else?? Francis Alys.
I thougt you´d say that artist who split houses.
Gordon Matta Clark?
Yes.
I like him a lot too.
What other artist do you think most about? (the work)
Bruce Nauman. Specifically the 11 color photos project.
10. You´re from suburbian Chicago. Is that inspiring, or does it mean anything to you artistically?
It means a lot. Especially after moving away from there. A lot of my work comes from coming to terms with where I grew up. It's a place with nothing to do, relatively wealthy people, very
conservative...but while living there I made the most of it. My friends and I spent most all of our time skateboarding. Finding ways to make use of the architecture and parks that fit our needs. I was happy to go to school downtown and pretty quickly realized I wouldn't go back. But I don't want to dump on my town completely...
I have seen some works of yours that are from the specific place you grew up or that use + show a car that you had from there.
Right. One photograph titled "Mt. Prospect" was shot in the high school parking lot on top of a huge snow pile at sunset. It was a pun -Mt. Prospect- the highest elevated suburb in a very flat area- and was partly about longing for a place more exotic or meaningful... but realistic too. The snow pile is clearly a snow pile.
12. What do you want to do?
I want to keep busy and finish up some art projects I've been working on. Go swimming. Maybe form a band sometime soon.
Can I write the lyrics?
Ok. With a highlighter!
13. What are you doing now?
I'm about to get my scream project records pressed within the next week or so! Just finishing up the editing.
I also heard you are working on a week of missed calls-photos for a show?
Yes, but no one's supposed to know!