Alex Diamond
Age, location, education?
I am originally from Lost Vegas, which is a tiny place within the right cerebral hemisphere. Just dust, sand and sun; nothingness really. No past, just a present and future, that's why I was never born and will never die.
But seriously: One part of being Alex Diamond is not to reveal any backgrounds, because the primary influence on what Alex Diamond stands for is life itself and the battle with the complexity of it. It is rather an artistic statement, with the luxury of defining the artists persona depending upon the subject of the exhibition/work.
How long have u been living there?
Forever.
Where do you get your inspiration?
Inspiration is a floating matter, surrounding us. Ideas for new works come from what I see, what I experience, what I feel and what influences my existence. At one point, ideas start to battle in my head, then continue the fight in my sketchbook. I draw everything down, rough and basic. Then there is always one idea or concept that is stronger than the others. And that one is then taken in to the studio and worked out to the fullest.
I don't allow myself the luxury of taking everything I do into public, only ONE idea can survive at a time. The work process is hard. It starts with research, sketches, drawings, models, photoshootings - whatever is needed. It is very analytical and theoretical at first. There is no sleep, no rest until everything is put down on the choosen surface.
Of course, in the end there is always more you can do, but there is only one chance in life to take. So I take it as if it would be my last.
What's your favourite color?
I don't have any favourite color.
When are you the most productive?
When I am being left alone.
Where is your favourite vacation-spot?
Alex Diamond doesn't do vacation. Alex Diamond is a sleepless worker, doesn't know pain or suffering (or, if you want, the "burn-out-syndrome"), and exists only through his art. No holidays needed then.
What kind of music do you like?
The good stuff. You know. Not the shitty one.
Any exhibitions planned this year?
A few things are lined up, but I am not a big fan of doing too many shows. I rather take it slow and with patience, and am pretty selective. And yes, as Alex Diamond doesn't really exist as a defined persona, some projects and exhibitions are off limits. This year, you will be able to see new works in Miami in December at the SCOPE art fair, then in January 2009 at IGUAPOP in Barcelona.
What is your favourite material to work on? What are your tools? (special pens, colors etc.)
Coming from an "upringing" in the streets and working primarily on surfaces such as concrete and bricks and found objects, painting and illustrating came first. But that phase was just for training purposes. Today I am using the materials and techniques necessary for visualizing my ideas best. It can be anything, really.
I am pretty anal about the perfection within the work. So I usually use damn good materials and work on optimizing the results until my fingers bleed. I love pens and markers, brushes and quality acrylics, wood and heavy duty tools, but as stated above - the right materials are a result of thoroughly researching the thought behind a new "project", then finding the best technique and the tools for translating it into a visual entity.
