We interviewed David like 6 years ago... We thought now would be a great time to catch up with him since he has a big solo show opening up at the Jonathan Levine Gallery in NYC Saturday January 6, 2007... Other that, Dave doesn't need much of an intro. Read about the show, his CCA experience, his relationship with Heidi Fleiss, the films he's working on, and check out some of his current work.
So your show opens on Saturday. I imagine shit's pretty hectic right now. Any last minute tasks? What's your mental state before opening up such a large show?
It's really intense, because besides the jail art show I did in new york last year, I've never done a huge painting show that flexes all my creative bones in the big apples and people been asking for it for years so I hope I don't dissapoint... plus the fact that some of the work sells in the 5 figure range it alienates a lot of my deadbeat fans that can only afford my one dollar zine's... You try to please everyone, but in the end I just end up making shit that makes me happy, and hopefully someone else likes it too. Plus, it doesn't help that people say shit like, "I admired and connected wth your work because it was raw, fresh, unglamorized, and a "not giving a fuck attitude towards it". Your work was the level I wanted to be on. I'm over it now though. No offense, but you shouldn't get too comfortable doing the same type of shit over and over. I know it sells, but cmon, man." It's like, do I like the work or the story of the artist? The line became blurred for me in regards to you."... whoa?! that's fucked (some guy wrote that on my blog 5 minutes ago http://davechoe.blogspot.com)... Bottom line though is that I don't give a fuck, I make art that I like for myself, to express myself, and if my personality gets in the way of that then don't read or watch any more interviews. If you think I'm reapeating myself your fucking tripping. Also, I'm tripping on security, I got my friends and family and some undercover on look out, but the loonies and crazies have been jacking my paintings at my last few shows. We caught one at the Upper Playground show and really did a number on them. It's not ok to steal paintings. You will get fucked up... Anyways, right now my house looks like those crazy peoples house when they die, and the police come in a year later and the trash is stacked a foot deep and everthing smells like milk and furry meats.
How would you describe the work in this show?
Really mental. A lot of painting right before I go to bed and right when I wake up. A lot of dreams of far away places... places I want to go... places I'm scared of. A lot of watercolors and tons of mixed media shit... tons of subliminal erotic dirty styles.
Your monster Scion truck was pretty sweet. What happens to those cars after Miami? Did you get to keep it?
I was at soul assasins studio last month and cartoon has his car, so I can't wait for the day I get mine. I'm gonna wreck that shit in the first week.
Where are you living now? Heard you're bouncing about.
I was living in New York to help art direct Jewcy. After that I flew to LA to hitch hike and frieght hop from downtown L.A. to miami. I slept a lot in the street last month (that was for http://www.vbs.tv) then I've been lecturing and demo-ing alot... so I end up seeing the inside of a lot of hotels. I'm hardly ever at home in San Jose.
You went to CCA. What's your opinion of the school? Would you recommend it?
Sure. Take Barron Storey and Vincent Perez. Try to get laid and then drop out.
Speaking of Barron Storey, I noticed him in the documentary that's being made about you. Your work seems similar. How did he influence you and your work?
Well my whole life I've been dirty Dave. So barron worked right into my dirty styles. The dirty styles rules all other schools and styles. The layering, the personal touch to everything, I'm from the school of dirty styles, but it's more than just style and surface, it's every dirty thing that's inside you. Dirty styles is painting on found object besides a blank peice of paper or blank white wall, this started for me when my dad would bring home used xeroxes's from work so I could crayola all over the backs, then moved onto painting on bus benches and other shit on the street because I couldn't afford canvases... so even before you start there's some history, there's some spills, chills and marks, then you keep creating more history on top of that, spilling, spraying ,dripping, creaming, collaging, making a mess. All this ugly dirty shit and hopefully the end product being something that's tolerable and beautiful... something born from that filth. Creating hope from dark beginings... the fucking dirty styles. It's theraputic as hell. It sounds easy, but most people really suck at it, and a lot of people try. Some people that are great at it like Bill Sienkiewicz , Dave Mckean, Ashley Wood, John Copeland, Jeff Soto, Barry McGee, MARS-1, and dave kinsey. Barron Storey is the current king of the dirty school... past kings were Rauschenberg and Klimt... I'm just a pawn.
Speaking of the documentary, tell us about it. When's it due out?
Fuck man, I don't know. I leave Harry alone to make his movie... check http://dirtyhandsmovie.com/ for updates.
The movie that I helped out in and did some voices for that is done is WE ARE THE STRANGE (an animated movie that my friend M. strange made over the course of the last 3 years, with a little help from me and Sean Boyles) is officially in the Sundance festival!! Not only is it in, it's showing four fucking times (is that normal?)!! and I think it's the only animated feature that got in this year. The hollywood types are already sniffing around, offers from all the major studios are starting to come in... Can't wait to see how this all plays out. I'm excited as fuck. I'll see you all in mormon country next year. It's gonna blow your fucking mind. You've never seen anything like this. Here's the schedule for PARK CITY,UTAH: Friday January 19th. Egyptian. 11:59pm --- Saturday January 20th. Egyptian. 12:00pm --- Sunday January 21st. Broadway 4. 6:00pm --- Saturday January 27th. Holiday IV. 9:30pm
On your site you mention something about working on a project for Heidi Fleiss, the LA madam. What's that all about?
Remind me to tell you another day. I can write a book about that period of my life. She had me paint horses for her bedroom, and tried to pimp me out to rich older ladies... It was a fucking trip man... Heidi's a really cool lady but out of her fucking mind.
Describe an average day.
I actually answered this question once like it was a homework assignment here.
Describe the process of creating a new work.
Skribbles and scrwals and drafting and sketching with markers pens pencils and crayons, collages with matte medium, next a juicy super wet super loose pelican watercolors, don't wait for it to dry, light mist spray from a neutral to dark krylon, tighten up with acrylics, tighten up even more with color pencils and different inks in rapidographs, set the whole thing back with workable fixitve, oil wash over entire painting bring out the highlights by wiping away darks, set the whole thing in stone with kamar varnish remove unwanted parts with graffitti remover and begin the whole process until desired effect is achieved, end with oral sex.
Not making it to the toilet (happens once every other year)
What was your greatest accomplishment in 2006?
Just living my life the way I want... every day is a blessing. I get flown all over the world to basically showoff- especially getting to live out my second life as a musician. People recognizing the drum skills as well as the art skills... After all these years, it's still pretty new for me... One of the biggest highlights for me this year was playing with the Miami high school marching band at Art Basel... In the last few years I've got to jam with Aceyalone, Peanut Butter Wolf, Mad Lib, Cutsoquick, The Fingerbangerz, Ted Shred and the Dandy Warhols... playing beats is as important to me as art.
Read in an interview about you getting lost in the Congo for two weeks. What was that all about?
Well I actually went twice... Once when I was 19. That's when I got lost and then again a decade later last January when I was 29. I didn't get lost that time, but my translator almost had his head chopped off by the chief's sister. Watch the preview here.
What are some of your future plans after this show?
Brutal anal sex
Comments
///////// david shoes is the man. one in a million this guy. Written by dude on 2007-01-04 20:28:05
///////// Beside the whole brutal anal sex thing, this guy is the man. At first i wasn't all that into his work but i must say it is growing on me plus his life is pretty interesting. styley Written by Brian Grass on 2007-01-04 20:33:26
///////// great dude, great work. word up choe. Written by ayejay on 2007-01-04 21:04:17
///////// Love that dirt Written by boris Tourko on 2007-01-04 22:26:58
///////// nice.. Written by jesse on 2007-01-04 22:32:49
///////// women as objects are HOT! thanks for the boner david-i needed that! Written by silly steve on 2007-01-04 22:33:32
///////// Dave is one of the coolest cats around. His feverish work habits are amazing to witness. I am stoked about the NYC show. It looks awesome.
Written by Damion on 2007-01-05 10:13:56
///////// Choe so good. Written by The Choeinator on 2007-01-05 12:35:53
///////// sweet Written by critic on 2007-01-05 14:11:25
///////// Choe's talents pour free from the cup of the unconscious. Fearless and talented, he's one if the most amazing contemporary artists living today. Like it or not... Written by K on 2007-01-05 23:30:16
///////// haha it's a shame that guys who like women as objects are whatever the opposite of hot is. Icky? Anyway, this style is tasty. Love this work. And Dave McKean yeh that stuff's goood. Written by joobi shoes on 2007-01-06 02:30:58
///////// Worst thing that happend this year.... That is too funny!
Written by Manuel Bello (aka disciplemaga on 2007-01-06 06:43:55
///////// Korean on the rise, ha! Written by LeftyLoks on 2007-01-06 13:17:40
///////// the movie is rated MHA mega hella awesome
///////// David, why hast thou forsaken me? When I spoke to you in Japan I thought we made a deal. It is never to late to reconnect. I love you, David. Like Lenny Kirk said in Alien Workshop Time Code: "Quit sinnin'!" Written by Jesus on 2007-01-06 15:52:14
///////// love choes work. big fan. so much too look at in just one painting. Written by mildred on 2007-01-09 14:49:06
///////// Hes cool. I want to see an interview with Jesse Edwards tho. He does similiar stuff but hella good. Written by Rick Jacobs on 2007-01-10 19:09:11
///////// Pretty cool kat to chat with for a sec. Busted a cool little collab piece on a photo with my art. Had a dope show up here in Seattle! Stay up choe.DIRT MGIRTfor LIFE!!!---------------->2H myspace.com/2h Written by 2H on 2007-01-10 19:23:29
///////// the choe family is ill, jimmy flies over backyard bonfires. Written by ? on 2007-01-11 16:26:00
///////// Choe is amazing....gnarly, truthful, raw, organic...
Rich Harris ||| Newbie ||| 47Project.com Written by Rich Harris ||| Newbie ||| 47P on 2007-01-11 16:48:21
///////// I was pretty disappointed with the show. While this work isn't bad, it sure isn't great. That said, plenty of mediocre artist do very well in the art world. Lucky for Choe, all it takes is hype. Written by Observer on 2007-01-12 16:52:51
///////// Wow Observer, that was one of the most jealous comments I've ever heard. Then again, I'm sure you've been doing solo shows on both coasts too, so what do you have to worry about, right? Dave Choe is one of the hardest working artists out there, and where other young people rely on pretentious bullshit-ideas and who they know to get by, Dave Choe's work is a perfect example of the "proof being in the pudding." No semen on newspapers, no polaroids of cocaine glorification, etc.,-just straight up raw, beautiful art-most of which is available at ridiculously low prices by art world standards. The best part is, he could truly give a fuck what any of you think! PEACE!!! Written by Mr.Locdog on 2007-01-14 17:47:50
///////// Has definately made an art of self-promotion. Not a bad guy, not a good one either. Written by dog eat dog on 2007-01-15 08:49:51
///////// totally fucking tits! david choe rules! Written by ekon on 2007-01-16 04:22:29
///////// A real easy going guy. Was kind enough to do a quick sketch for me at a show of his a couple years back. Definately worth getting framed when i have the time.
A stand up individual berefit of needless ego. Obviously in it because he loves it but a little cash on the side never hurts no? Written by Dan on 2007-01-16 14:19:51
///////// besides the whole pussy thing, he is fucking amazing. now to dash off nd get me and issue of juztapoz featuring ..only the amazing DC! Written by fridg3-/0990 on 2007-01-19 13:32:12
/////////
doesn't anyone else get the irony of the "don't steal my paintings" rant? Written by meatlop on 2007-01-25 14:39:14
///////// heaps of respect goes out to dave on this, his work is great.
but um, dirty hands? huh? for such an individual artist you'd think a more original title for his film is deserved.
Come on, the movie dirty hands is one of the best writer's films of all time. the name is almost iconic, you can't really get away with jacking that without looking silly now can you? Written by yodie on 2007-01-28 17:47:59
///////// what gets me thinking....
as famous as he is, the brutal anal sex is very possible. Written by mike on 2007-02-01 10:42:02
///////// word life kid. Written by cozendsin on 2007-02-27 10:50:23
Free Fridayz: POO, The Cat He's all soft, he's all cute, his claws all kill, he likes all chicken dinners from Trader Joes while wearing his turtle neck sweater.
Antistrot & Never a Dull Moment We stopped through White Walls and the Shooting Gallery for a quick preview of these two shows opening Saturday Feb 6th.
David Choe @Fifty24SF Preview We headed up to Fifty24SF to preview his show "Character Assassination" opening Friday, Feb 5th.
2/9 - Jeff Lurker (Portland, OR) submit: potd(at)fecalface.com
Michael Sieben & Cody Hudson Interview This is a great one where we talk art, design, music, film, BBQ, etc whilst enjoying a few suds.Jeremy Fish's Mix This Fecal Pal adds his mix heavy on Hip Hop- Aesop.Paul Urich's Mix Warning: lots of country, but don't worry, it's some southern good stuff.Paul Urich Interview This SF based artist and first artist ever featured on Fecal Face back in 2000 speaks of his art, the Nike he designed, and answers your questions. 12/19/07Rich Jacobs & Tim Kerr Austin Texas artist & music legend Tim Kerr (The Big Boys, Poison 13, Now Time Delegation), and recent SF transplant, curatorial heavy hitter (MOVE), and artist, Rich Jacobs... Andrew Scott interviews including two songs played live by Rich and Tim. Recorded 12/6/07Jay Howell Mix 45 minutes of Jay's favorite music - 11/14/07
///Dana Dart-McLean Interview Our Chicago corespondent Ryan Christian recently discovered her work at Kavi Gupta during the show "The Vaguely Paperly".
///Kevin Taylor Studio Visit We stopped through this SF based artist's Union Square studio and got some video and photos... We also got video of Kevin playing music too.
///Meredith Dittmar Interview This Portland artist does incredible things with clay. She opens a solo show Dec 9th in Mexico City.
///Hiro Kurata Interview 29 yr. old Brooklyn based artist preparing for a February show at Joshua Liner in NYC.
///Maxwell Loren Holyoke-Hirsch This SF based artist opens Megarealms at Fecal Face Thurs. Nov 5th in San Francisco.
///Derek Albeck Interview We love the work of this LA based artist and the fact that he plays "cornhole", can hardly hear out his right ear, searches for Chupacabras, and that he gets back forth to work in LA without driving his car.
///Steve Powers: A Love Letter For You Love Letter is literally a love letter painted on the walls facing the Market elevated train in Philadelphia.
///Marc Bell Interview He almost killed a co-worker once, prefers a cheese burger over fish-n-chips... oh, and has a new book, HOT POTATOE, out through Drawn and Quarterly.
///Austin Eddy Interview This 22 years young painting student at The Art Institute of Chicago is humble and shows much promise.
///Hot & Cold: The End is Here This collaborative art zine made by Chris Duncan and Griffin McPartland is releasing it's final issue on September 11th, 2009 w/ a show @Baer Ridgway in SF.
///Mel Kadel Preview A preview of Echo Test opening Thurs Sept 10th @Fecal Face. Mel Kadel answers a few submitted viewer questions as well.
///Allison Schulnik Interview This LA based painter, sculptor, filmmaker, and all around talent prepares for a solo show @Mark Moore Gallery in LA opening Jan 2010.
///Jason Faulkner Interview "I pretended to be a student at the Museum School for nearly a year, taking out expensive camera equipment and trying to weasel into any classes I could."
///Matt Furie Interview An update on this SF artist as he prepares "Monster Family" opening Oct 8th at Beams T Harajuku in Japan.
///Ben Jones Interview Invaluable source of inspiration, genius, and drum solos. Meet Ben Jones.
///Unagi Interview Bay Area hip-hop producer Unagi just wants us all to feel good.
///Eric Yahnker Interview "I personally get a kick out of the cable guy who can appreciate my work on his own terms, while the academic art critic can excavate further and appreciate it on theirs."
///Alexis Mackenzie Studio Visit Her show opens Fri. June 26th at Park Life in San Francisco. We stopped through for a preview.
///AJ Fosik Interview Alex Lukas interviews and visits AJ's Philly studio before his big show There's Aliens in Our Midst which opens Saturday June 13th at White Walls in San Francisco.
///Henry Gunderson Interview This first year student at SFAI is killing at only 18. His first solo show opens @Fecal Face July 23rd.
///Brian Willmont Interview "Wasted youth, totally lost and really angry. I hung out downtown drinking beer, getting high, cheering on bum fights, and going to shows. I was probably one of the worst students in my high school but did great in art school, ha!"
///Damon Soule Interview We catch up with the Portland based artist as he prepares for Same Loud No opening May 7th at Fecal Face Dot Gallery.
///Aaron Johnson Studio Visit "Works that are visceral, beautiful and flamboyantly timely, which is saying a lot" Roberta Smith, The New York Times.
///RIPO Interview Now living in Spain but this street artist was raised in NYC. He's currently showing at No New Enemies in Brussels. Manuel Bello interviews.
///Catching up with Matt and Kim Since our last interview with Brooklyn's Matt and Kim was so much fun, we decided to catch up with them again as they came through San Francisco to promote their new album.
///Shawn Barber Interview He answers your questions and we visit his studio for a video interview.
///Paul Nudd Interview The celebrated Chicago artist creates nasty gurgling vomiting videos and worm/slug/pest drawings.
///Bay Area Graffiti An interview with Steve Rotman who, with Chris Brennan, put out a book on graffiti in the Bay Area published through Mark Batty. Dan Carlson interviews.
///Souther Salazar & Megan Whitmarsh We visit the Eagle Rock studio of Souther Salazar, Megan Whitmarsh, Carlos Ramos, Mark Todd, Esther Pearl Watson, Seonna Hong, and Martha Rich in LA.
///Interview: Child Abuse New York's Post-millennial mathemagicians Child Abuse do not listen to their own jazz and metal fusion during sex which is good to know.
///Marsea Goldberg of New Image Art On the eve of New Image Art's 15 year anniversary show, Jeff Soto interviews Marsea, the founder and curator, about the gallery's unique past and its future.
///Mike Giant Interview Tattoo/ graffiti/ fix gear/ clothing mogul legend. Mike answers your questions.
///Michael Krueger Interview This art professor from the University of Kansas has recently had solo shows in Paraguay, Florence, Italy and the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Our Chicago man, Ryan Christian, interviews.
///Martha Cooper Interview Photographer Martha Cooper just released Tag Town a book of her photos which document the infant NYC tagging & graffiti scene in the late '70s.
///Interview: Mark Gergis aka Porest Audio revisionist Mark Gergis aka Porest discusses Sublime Frequencies, Tourrorists! and other sonic morsels from a comfortable cruising altitude.
///Carl Baratta Interview Just coming off a show @Western Exhibitions in Chicago, Ryan Christian interviews.
///Studio Visit: Faile Out in Brooklyn, Manuel catches up with FAILE at their studios as they prepare to School London.
///Studio Visit: Anthony Lister The Bello seeks out and finds the infamous Mr. Lister at his new studio in Brooklyn.
///Death Sentence: Panda! San Francisco trio prove that when pushed to the limit, any living
creature will revolt.
///José Parlá Interview Brooklyn based artist José Parlá sits down with Manuel Bello and reflects on the complexities of his journey into the world of 'Segmented Realities' and more.
///The Dodos Interview Our music editor, Chris Rolls, catches this 3 piece band before they head off for more world touring.
///Ryan Wallace Interview Been a fan of this RISD graduate and now NYC resident for some time. He was in SF last week and we got to ask him a couple questions.
///Damon Soule Interview We've known this Portland based artist for years, back when he lived in SF. Well, he's got a show at the NYC based Joshua Liner opening Oct 11th. Manuel Bello interviews.
///Joshua Petker Interview It's not all about the girls. This LA based artist's solo show opens Oct 4th @Corey Helford.
High 5s: Rain Rain Rain Just some things like police, rain, rattle snakes, bowling and your cousins.
Pearl C. Hsiung Studio Visit Michael swings through the studio of this LA based artist as she prepares for the international group show Arte Contemporaneo - ARCO Madrid opening Feb 17th.
Manfred Naescher - Mini Interview Berlin based artist/ illustrator... "film frames provide me with ready-made compositions and figurative constellations that I can work from."
Dumping out the 2009 Junk Drawer The Shopkeep blogs one up sharing Needles & Pens shows Tim Kerr, Russ Pope Mathew Rodriguez, Michael Sieben Nikki McClure, & Sara Thustra.
High 5s: My Holiday Vacation The last week of 2009 spent wishing a magical baby happy birthday in a complete haze.
Interview with Director Erich Weiss The film Hori Smoku Sailor Jerry explores the roots of American tattooing through the life of its most iconoclastic figure, Norman "Sailor Jerry" Collins.
Back in Papua New Guinea Artist Tiffany Bozic and her husband, who's the curator of Birds and Mammals at the Cal Academy, take a trip to study some of the rarest birds on Earth.
Michael Dotson - Mini Interview Inspired by Michael Jordan, this DC based 27 year old is a genius with masking tape and has a show coming up Jan 2010 in LA @Lawrence Asher.
Free Fridayz: I Swear to God... Full theme title: I swear to fucking God that if you do that one more God damn time I'm going to rip your fucking head off and feed it to a cute little squirrel named Fecal Face.
Mini Interview: Sam Falls This MFA photography student @ICP-Bard in NYC just released a new book "Color Dying Light" and is preparing for his solo PS1 solo show @Capricious Space in June.
Mini Interview: Matt Relkin Otherworldly landscapes & skyscapes containing dark primordial objects all belonging to a self-made mythology.
London: A Trip to Berlin And assisting Dalek for his show @Elms Lesters Gallery in London plus a lot of Berlin street art.
Free Fridayz: Your Saint This is a great week, but I can't wait to see what people draw for next week's theme.
DUALITY OF MAN Great photos from Carlos de Spinola trying to visualize South Africa's crime problem.
Free Fridayz: Stupid Police Chase This week's prize is a two day pass to the Treasure Island Music Festival running Oct 17th & 18th... Obviously you need to live somewhere near SF to win.
Michael Sieben's Summer Vacation Hopefully this blog gives you some temporary relief from the crushing terror of the impending Swine Flu epidemic.
Up and Down From LA Mel Kadel and Travis Millard came up from LA to SF to install Mel's show Echo Test @FFDG. This is Travis' blog from their trip.
High 5s: Sure, You Can Fly Contest winner, more Mel, marooned at China Camp, KQED, and people you've never met.
If You Build It We Will Burn It North Carolina collective, Team Lump, travels to East London's arty Bethnal Green neighborhood for this group show @Cell Projects.
Free Fridayz: POOR "I'd like to live as a poor man with lots of money." -Picasso
Ben Tour takes Manhattan Ben Tour, Bacon, Hotdogs & Heartburn. Manuel brings us a "Ben Tour" Tour of Manhattan and more.
Free Fridayz: Monkey & The Apocalypse The full title: A monkey eating the Eiffel Tower while ice skating off a cliff wearing a mini skirt and hoop earings during the apocalypse... Might be one of the best Free Fridayz to date.
Mini Interview: Adam Sullivan Paper, scissors, blades, UHU Stic, pens and pencils are what's used to create these great collages from this Ohio based artist.
Material published on FECAL FACE DOT COM online service is copyrighted by Fecal Face or its licensors, including the originating wire services. Such material is protected by U.S. and international copyright laws and treaties. All rights reserved.
Users of the Fecal Face online service may not reproduce, republish or redistribute material found on the web site in any form without the express written consent of the copyright holder.
"#22 :D:D love it!" //
