Felix Pryor is an emerging Auckland artist and designer whose practice spans collage, sculpture and installation work. His work is inspired by that classic modern art, with its appreciation of clean lines, direct subject matter and simple colour palette. We asked Felix a few questions recently and he shared some of his current obsessions and what he likes to eat in the mornings.
VIEW ALL FELIX PRYOR’S ART PRINT HERE >>
What do you do?
I’m a bit of a work chameleon… I do part-time marketing work for a company in the city called NxtStep, I work for Brothers Beer NZ delivering beer and I freelance my design and copywriting skills.
Working part-time hours is a hidden blessing though. In my spare time, I’m able to pursue collaging, reading, photoshopping, cooking and drinking!
Art for me is an everyday practice, and new stuff gets generated all the time. I find I have to churn out bad ideas to find the spare good ones. My philosophy is that the gold is able to float to the surface only once you have cleared out space for it. I’m still developing a style, I think, still trying to figure out what I need to say. So I collage away, both by hand and in photoshop in between my work hours.
What did you have for breakfast?
Fried eggs on toast laced with sriracha. Over-easy. Stovetop coffee afterwards – smooth and delicious.
What’s currently on your walls at home?
In my bedroom I’ve got my art, cool prints from artists I like, a tattered British Naval Ensign and a few paintings. Lots of random shit as well – playing cards pinned up, ephemera from art shows I’ve liked, matchbox cars, wishbones from roast chickens. The rest of my flat is much the same – a mixture of my work, found materials, and the art my partner has collected.
If you weren’t making art/doing what you do what would you be doing?
It’s weird because I never really consciously decided to begin making art – it was something that just sort of ticked by through high school. Even at art school, I felt like there was a bit of a disconnect between what I was doing at school, and what I did at home. I’d love to transition to working full time on creative projects in the future though and dedicate a proper amount of time to developing my practice.
I also enjoy writing – another creative practice I want to expand and develop. So maybe in a parallel world, instead of making art in my spare time, I would be writing.
Current obsession?
Still obsessed with my parents’ bach in the far north. The light in the Hokianga region is mesmerising; the weather changes rapidly, and the light has this harsh, crystalline quality to it. Best in person, with a cold beer and mates.
My music obsessions right now are King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, a psychedelic rock outfit from Australia, Fleet Foxes (always), Simon and Garfunkel, Mick Jenkins.
And I’m still obsessed with brutalist architecture, shiny surfaces, geometric abstraction and rainy walks.
Career highlight so far?
Maybe in my fourth year of Elam, when I helped curate an exhibition for my entire year at an abandoned bar on Symonds Street. Lots of fun.
Another highlight would be all the personal projects, in collaboration with friends and fellow artists. I always like designing in collaboration with someone – you push the ideas in a new and different way.
Dream project or collab or both?
My dream project at this point would be to do some large scale collage mural for a public park – like in a library or along a beautified alleyway. I love public art – but have never worked at that scale.
But I also want to collaborate more – with other artists and musicians. Creating rad work together is always fun.
Plans for the future?
I would love to do a solo exhibition. I’ve built up a bank of work I’m happy with so keen to let the world see. Otherwise, I’ll be keeping on doing my projects – personal collage work and design for people.
Build your dream concert, 3 acts you wanna see live. Living or dead.
Led Zeppelin to headline. Easiest call so far. Supporting act to be a rapper with a rockstar presence, to feed into this huge gig of a lifetime. Maybe Jay-Z. After party would be Simon and Garfunkel playing a really low key acoustic-only set in a small bar.
