Jasper Stieve
Numerous works from your collection feature scenes of a nocturnal cityscape. What is the allure of urban streetscapes for you–especially landscape at night? Is your work partially inspired by your move to New York City and/or the New Jersey cities that you grew up in?
I feel an overwhelming sense of solitude being surrounded by urban streetscapes. You play such a small role in this chaotic and disorderly maze. Comfort and hardship accompany each other. You can just exist. I’ve always been fascinated with that aspect, but making the move from my small hometown to the city was very formative. By simply removing society from the streets, the character radiates and still exists. There is something special about being the only person to experience the streets after hours, like being let in on some ambiguous performance.
Your most recent entry into Court Tree’s “Summer Feeling” group exhibition (as well as other works you have exhibited in this gallery) showcase airbrushed imagery. In what ways does airbrushing allow you to express your artistic vision differently than other techniques?
There are a lot of reasons I gravitate towards airbrush, but I would say the shading and luminosity you can pull off attracts me most. Those are two key components that bring my paintings to life. They’re always the last details I add. The pressure that comes along with approaching the end of a project is eased when you step back and see those details tie the whole thing together. It’s extremely satisfying and fulfilling for me.
Some of your most unique artworks are the ones where you create a ‘moving’ image encased within a vintage Fisher-Price Giant Screen Music Box TV. These toys were popular in the 1960-80’s, before your time, and so how did this idea come about? How did you initially come into possession of these toys and what inspired you to repurpose them for your artworks?
I got my first Fisher-Price TV at an antique store upstate in Hudson, NY. My late mother walked up to me holding it, knowing we both had an appreciation for obscure antiques. We were fascinated by the never-ending scroll of illustrations depicting the nursery rhymes “Row, Row, Row your boat” and “London Bridge”. I bought it and it sat on a shelf in my room for months. One day I had the thought of setting a stationary car to a moving cityscape background. I immediately dismantled it and got to work. Whenever showing these pieces I hear “I remember these things!” That’s stuck with me a lot. I’ve seen people interact with them and reminisce on how they haven’t seen one since they were a kid and mention the fond memories that come along with that. I discovered through those pieces that I enjoy making interactive work. It feels incredible to be able to bring someone to their adolescent state of mind.
Skateboarding plays a significant role in your life, and so can you tell us about how you first became acquainted with it? Who taught and motivated you to pursue this lifestyle? What was the hardest yet most rewarding skill to master? What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned through skateboarding and how does it influence your art practice?
Ever since I can remember I’ve always admired skating, but when I was 10 when a family friend named Noah took notice and taught me the foundations of it. He played a huge role in me getting into skating, and from there it was all I wanted to do. I couldn’t thank him enough. I think the hardest part of skating aside from skill, is excepting that you will always be learning. You commit endless hours to something that will beat you down and push your limits. It can be a very humbling, yet rewarding process. Skateboarding has taught me how valuable human interaction is. The friendships I’ve made over the years mean everything to me. My friends are my favorite skateboarders and they are the ones who inspire me the most to keep doing what I love. That being said I directly apply that perspective to art.
In your eyes, what are some of your biggest accomplishments? And what currently fulfills you?
Moving to New York has been one of my greatest accomplishments. It has been nothing short of life changing for me and will always mark a pivotal moment for my creative outlets and myself. That move is responsible for my first upcoming solo show at Pollyanna Projects , growth in the skateboarding world, and some of the realest relationships I’ve been able to make. Through all of the ups and downs, I’ve found a good balance of making art and skateboarding to keep me in check.
Last great piece of media (book/movie/show/music)?
A rotation of Bobbi Humphrey and Theo Parrish.
Jasper’s Instagram: @bigjasp
Interview by Tiffany Kang.
@by_inyoung