Interview: Hush

Nothing we see surprises us lately, whether it’s gun crime, drugs or a high school murder, it just doesn’t seem rare. Newcastle born Graffiti Artist Hush, drew inspiration for his latest exhibition, De-Sensitised, from exactly that.

Hush has established himself over the last 12 months, but it seems that he has come out of thin air; the artist previously designed graphics for some of the world's leading toy brands, but turned his back on it all in favour of his true calling, Art. 

Hush takes his inspiration from all over the place, he gets his kicks from the underground art movements and the 90s club flyer scene, the guy takes from the media and music, he uses Manga in his art work in a way which the world has never seen before.

Nicholas Robinson caught up with the elusive artist and threw him a few Qs.

Myvillage: Allo, why do you think people are being de-sensitised to crime and violence?

Hush: The media, TV and especially the internet all play a part, and it isn’t always crime or violence, it might just be the bizarre.

MV: Why especially the internet?

H: The internet has opened up a lot of strange worlds which are now accessible at the touch of a button. I think people are becoming de-sensitised to images and actions that would once have been deemed unacceptable. Whether it’s right or wrong, that’s another question.

MV: I think there is a lot of truth in that, do you have any first hand experience of it?

H: Aha, I was in a large office space lately where a group of employees, of all ages and sexes, were standing around a computer laughing, or rather being entertained while watching numerous videos of people being ‘happy slapped’; videos of people being involved in serious accidents and just bizarre pics in general. It’s that sort of stuff which is de-sensitising people, it’s almost acceptable.

MV: Yeah I think very few people would bat an eyelid. In a recent interview you were asked, “what you thought about the street scene at the mo” and you said “there needs to be a full blown movement” from the writer, poet and academic. But what is a full blown movement - and what do you want from the writer, the poet and the academic?

H: In my opinion, I think that the street/urban art movement is going forward in the way that it informs everything creative, from advertising, to film music...And artists which might be considered to be contemporary, are informed and adopt some of the ideas which then blurs the between what this or that movement is; the academic side runs as-long as the people involved have the same general aesthetics and ideas which make the movement grow.

MV: Lets work together people, take and borrow ideas from each other and make things grow. Ok Hush, who/what will be the next big sensation on the street ?

H: Who knows? And it’s not for me to comment, a sensation is a media hype, lots of great artists rise everyday. I often see great work and think, how haven’t I heard of this artist before?

MV: What sort of space is your studio?  What does it look like?

H: Well, a mess! People always think that I’ve been broken into or something. I can create work anywhere though, it’s never a ‘right lets get in the studio and do some work,’ I work with all mediums and tend to work on pieces that can be involved in bigger pieces at a later stage.

MV: What does your average day go like?

H: Catch up on the news, think, read, paint, paint and paint.

MV: Well, I didn’t see that one coming. What has been the most challenging part of your career - what has stood in the way the most?

H: Art takes time and your style takes time to mature, I think you’ve just got to believe in what you do and create work. It’s like anything, sometimes you get a break; sometimes you don’t. Artists create work and nothing will stop that, what comes along with that is out of your hands, so don’t think about failure or success.

There you have it, the next big name on the street, Hush. Just in-case you were wondering, the place in the world that Hush would love to create a masterpiece most, is Tokyo city centre, he says that the “British - Urban - Manga mix” would go down well.

Hush's De-Sensitised is at Opus Art, Newcastle until December 1.