Interview with Fintan Magee
Born in the Australian town of Lismore, Fintan Magee moved to the city of Brisbane as a child and started writing graffiti at the very young age of 13. Today, the artist has not only become one of the leading figures in Australia’s street art scene, but is also making waves across a number of the other countries around the world.
We spoke to Magee about the development of his art over time, the story behind his human motifs and the political messages embedded in his work.
Looking back to his early years of graffiti art, Magee explained how his style has undergone radical transformation, developing from letters and evolving to figures. “I started writing graffiti when I was 13. I was pretty focused on bombing and in particular train bombing when I started out. Now things have slowed down a little. I am not working with letters at all anymore and my work is figurative. My works have also grown in size.”
Magee’s large-scale figurative works are certainly far from a graffiti style. A surreal feel sets his murals apart, and leads the thoughts to the imaginative illustrations of children’s books. Influencing this style is a fondness of blurring artistic boundaries. “I consider myself a lowbrow artist in many ways, and I like to use my subject matter as a way of blurring lines between high and low art. I also just really enjoy certain illustrators, and their work naturally influences me.“
The imaginative style extends into the story behind the figures depicted in Magee’s art. Many of these seem to be on the move, journeying somewhere and the artist explained how some are refugees, and others are in search of water. “Each has its own story.” Apart from these individual narratives Magee also incorporates, although in a subtle manner, themes of waste, consumption as well as loss and transition across his artworks. “My works are embedded with my politics and personal experiences. They are just not as clearly worded as some of the other artists out there.”
When asked about his Australian heritage Magee explained that his experience growing up in Brisbane influences his works in certain ways. “I think when you are working in a public space you often absorb your surroundings into your work so I think most murals develop a pretty distinct local style whether it is subconscious or not.“
In the near future, followers of Magee can expect a solo exhibition to be held in Melbourne, Australia. Follow fluoro on facebook, twitter and instagram to be kept up to date with news on Magee.
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