MICHAEL SWANEY

Happy Juggalo, 2014, 130 x 97cm

 

 

 

What are you working on in your studio right now?

 

I'm working on a new series of medium sized format oil paintings on stretched vinyl table cloths. The paintings are a kind of like a game about camouflaging figuration. From a distance you can't really see what's happening but upon closer viewing you can see where the paint texture contrasts with the vinyl and a figure emerges. Simultaneously I'm making a more uncontrolled series of assemblage/sculptures. I don't know exactly how to classify these works as they are kind of like sculptures that hang on the wall. A mixture of painted clay, wood, found and purchased objects, photographs, fabric and whatever ends up in my studio. Also, a really large tapestry-like carpet is soon to be in the making.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can you describe your working routine?

 

Very variable. When I have a show I'm in there everyday, but for the last couple months I've been going every other day only for a few hours. It's nice though because when I go I really make use of my time there and get down to work. 

 

 

Can you describe your studio space and how, if at all, that affects your work?

 

I have a 40 sq meter space in a big warehouse in the industrial neighborhood of Barcelona called Poble Nou. It has really nice light in the mornings because of the almost floor to ceiling windows. Size wise, it's the biggest studio I've ever had so that definitely affected the work immediately. The formats got bigger and I began working on stretched canvas and making larger sculptural things. Also being able to start a lot of big works at once and to be able to step back from them has been amazing. It's probably freed up my process because of the fact that I don't have to worry about spilling on the floor and collecting and storing useless garbage etc. 

 

 

 



 

 

 

Tell me about your process, where things begin, how they evolve etc.

 

I draw smaller stuff at home and when travelling. I'm always taking photos of the surroundings from which I select and print the most interesting ones and bring them to the studio along with the drawings. My sculptural stuff comes out of the photographs of odd moments and human-made found objects, and the paintings usually come out of the drawings. There's always some sort of overlapping happening and one always creeps into the other. 

 

 

 

Fertile New Year, 2014

 

 

 

What are you having the most trouble resolving?

 

The most challenging part at the moment is sticking to one thing. I love trying new mediums, techniques and ways of making things so it's hard to resist sometimes. Not sure if that's something that needs resolving though. 

 



 

 



 

Drawings

 

 

 

 

Do you experiment with different materials a lot or do you prefer to work within certain parameters?

 

Yes, all the time. I'm at a point where I could do each body of work with a completely different medium and overall feel. I was really into doing collage/mixed media work for a long time until I got tired of it and needed to change drastically. The best parameters for me are changing whenever I need to make a change. Always challenging myself when I get too comfortable with something.

 

 

 

 

in progress

 

 

 

 

What does the future hold for this work?

 

I want to get into doing more big installations and sculptures, and hopefully some public sculpture.

 

 

 

Is there anything else you would like to add?

 

 

Thanks a lot Valerie for the invitation! It's a really interesting archive of interviews and photos you've got on Studio Critical and I'm proud to be a part of it.

 

 

 

 

Youthful Thieving & Conniving Shitheads,

12013, 114 x 146 cm