I've always collected instruction manuals, and never known what to really do with them. Once I cut out all the little tools from an ikea manual and used them in a collage. (It took ages). Px(c) knows exactly what to do with the manuals for toaster ovens, tvs, and microwaves that seem—for some reason—too good to throw away. I love his use of kraft paper and white gouache, it works so well with the white background of instruction manuals. And of course, the clever drawings that he adds to his collages really give his work that spark.
Name (Real or Screename): Px(c)
URL (Blog or Website): http://www.pxcorporation.com/
Location (Where are you from?): Contrecoeur, Québec, Canada
Q: Describe your work in 10 words or less.
A: Papersweets described my style as "sketchyscratchy." I like that.
Q: What do you like to work with (magazines, photographs, vintage)? Be specific!
A: I mainly work with instruction booklets, commercial packaging, newspaper images and first aid books. I usually look for bargains in used book stores. This summer, I bought a box full of science magazines from the 60's and the 70's for 2$. Since then, I had much fun surfing the vintage wave. Also, I sometimes use found items, like the religious card on the "st-badminton" collage.
Q: How long have you been creating collages and what made you start?
A: I always used collage in my sketches, mostly to work on the composition aspect. The result would often be screen printed or reproduced on my paintings. But in 2005, I slowly started to use collage not only in the process but as an art form on its own.
Q: Are you solely an artist, or do you work in another profession?
A: I sometimes take teaching contracts at a school for visually impaired children. I also screen print t-shirts, posters and cds now and then.
Q: Do you have any formal art training?
A: I studied arts at Université du Québec à Montréal (uqam) from 1998 to 2001. Four years during which I was told that my art was not conceptual enough to blend in the art galleries' system.
Q: Explain your favourite techniques.
A: I like to take images out of their original context and place them together in an absurd or dysfunctional way. On the visual aspect, I sometimes cover the areas between items with white gouache. I have done some pieces with other colors but white remains my favourite. I think its transparency and texture suit my work well. I use this technique a lot in collages but in painting and printing as well.
Q: Describe your favourite piece ever created.
A: That's so hard! My "wrecked car" painting, the "tv memorial" diptych and the appliance catastrophes series are amongst my favourites but it changes regularly.
Q: What other artists do you admire?
A: Duchamp, Warhol and my collagebox friends.
Thanks Px(c)!