INTERVIEW: Derek Erdman

Derek Erdman was interviewed last week by Newcity’s Jason Foumberg, for a blip on his blog. He should have done himself–or at least his audience, if he has one–the favor of using Derek’s own words, i.e. publishing the interview in its hilarious entirety. Instead he edited it into a boring report, replacing the subject’s thoughts with the reporter’s. The interview, in full and full of funny, is printed below, courtesy of the artist. Erdman’s website and blog are here. Click here to read another interview with The Huffington Post.

WITHOUT WAX, Mr. Erdman’s final Chicago showcase, opens Saturday, August 14th, 2010. RSVP by emailing derek@nationalheadquarters.org, or RSVP to the Facebook Event.

Jason Foumberg: Where are you moving to, and will you be an artist there also?
Derek Erdman: I’m moving to Seattle, WA. I’m going for the grunge and Frasier. I’m going to start Grunge 2 when I get there. It’s going to be like the first grunge, but moodier with mind control. I reckon I’ll be an “artist” when I get there, and the same variety of artist. I have no idea what I’ll be doing there exactly. A lot of napping, I suppose. That weather is conducive to naps and weight gain. There are so many pho restaurants, that’s all I’m going to eat. Soups and naps.

J: The same type of artist?
D: Yes, painting ducks and stuff, sure. I’ll probably make more geographically fitting paintings, like of those people that throw the fish at that market. Coffee cups, Shannon Kringen, dudes in REI outfits. Man, I can’t wait. Seattle here I come.

J: Did you accomplish what you came to do?
D: In Chicago? I came here to work at a record store and own a table top video game. I did that within the first two years of living here. This town is easy, everybody is nice and it’s so cheap. But the winters are just awful. I didn’t even leave the house from September to March last winter. It was just awful.

J: How many artworks in farewell show? Will they be for sale/priced to sell? Are you taking them all to you new home?
D: I am taking none of my own things to Seattle, all of it will be sold or I will put it in the garbage. My friend Lacey, with whom I’m moving, will probably want some of it. I’ll make her pay for it though, I’ll deduct it from rent. There should be 1,000 paintings and drawings at this event. Everything will be cheap. There will be a number of paintings for $6 & hot dogs and gummi bears.

J: How many cover illustrations have you done for Newcity?
D: Absolutely none.

J: On the $15 portrait project website you ask that no one send in pics of pets, but the preview pics of your farewell show has features tons of animals. So do you like animals or don’t you?
D: I don’t like animals. I certainly don’t think people should have pets. It’s obviously a form of slavery. Can you imagine how many plastic bags full of #2 are floating in the ocean as we speak? It’s mind boggling and totally gross. Dogs don’t want to wait until 6pm to go on walks. They don’t want to be primers for children. The neighborhood I live in has new couples. First they get the dog, then the get the baby. Sometimes there is overlap, the dog & the baby. You can tell the dog is miserable. Cats? They make me sneeze. Drawing people’s pets is like having to look at baby photos, oh brother. But I’ll paint a duck, no doubt. People don’t have ducks as pets. Ducks are free.

J: What will you miss most about Chicago? Least?
D: I will miss my friends and hangin’ on the stoop. It’s easy to talk to people here, I love to talk to strangers. I assume I’ll be able to do that in Seattle as well, I dunno. The only thing I won’t miss is the snow in the winter. I hate snow when it’s old and black and melted slush chunks. Everything else about this city is wonderful. I can’t think of a single thing otherwise that I don’t like. Everything is wonderful!

WITHOUT WAX: 14 Years of Derek Erdman in Chicago opens this Saturday, August 14 at High Concept Laboratories, featuring Music by Odd Obsession DJs and Beer + Wine from Printer’s Row Wine Shop. Click here, there, here, and here for more info. RSVP to derek(at)nationalheadquarters.org or call (312) 834-4290. Exhibition on display through August 22, gallery hours by appointment.

chicago derek erdman interview jason foumberg newcity painter prankster without wax Posted under Interviews by Johnny