QA_dalek

	A BOY AND HIS MONKEY Q&A (April 2005) James Marshall makes his monkey behave in during recent interview Interview by Lynn del Sol
EXHIBITION PROGRAM ARTIST WAREHOUSE ART SPEAK MEDIA ROOM ABOUT CONTACT SUBMISSIONS LINKS HOME CTS (917)826.5550 mailing address 635 Humboldt Street #3L Brooklyn NY 11222 info@creativethriftshop.com		you get a glimpse of their razor sharp teeth and wielding machetes. Marshall, like any good American kid, developed a unique style that merged traumatic childhood experiences with a television upbringing. Mix that with a dash of street inspiration and BAMO you've got an appealing little character that would become a signature trademark. So man, glad to have caught up with you. You are a busy little beaver. Last time I saw you we were surrounded by tons of people and sold stickers. Tell us what have you?		Yeah, it was a combo ... Extra eyeballs and full slaughtering capabilities are a must. Really though, the smirk is really intense. It's like no matter what, they continue to smile and stare at/or through you, I haven't quite figured out which yet. Have you ever been freaked out by them, like in a scary clown type of way? No ... Clowns freak me out though; especially the one in poltergeist ... had nightmares for weeks...I was like 8 when	I saw that movie. Ventriloquist dummies too...I hate those things...Remember that movie. ...magic... You have a young son right? Yes indeed ... Little James Does he play with your Space Monkeys? Is he attracted to the colors first or the chopping action? He does seem to like the monkeys...I am not sure what the appeal is...Probably the color. It has been over ten years now, what's it like working with the same imagery for such an extended amount of time? Are	you even conscious of it or is it like your hand just takes over? It's been great...I am still really aware when I paint...I am always looking for ways to keep them evolving...I love the idea of continually exploring the same idea...It keeps me on my toes. To a lot of artist making that first move from walls to canvas it's like losing their virginity all over again. When did the monkey make his first leap onto canvas and was it messy? Sure it was, the first canvas was in 97. For a friend...it was a little looser than the modern day monkey.
JAMES MARSHALL (DALEK) is a busy person nowadays. An acclaimed artist of the beloved and bizarre "Space Monkey" Dalek hit the ground running back in 1992 and like the energizer bunny hasn't stopped since. He recently exhibited in a sold out exhibition at the McCaig Wells Gallery in Brooklyn. I met him amidst a swelling crowd of admirers. He is soft-spoken and incredibly down to earth. His character far departed from the maniacal manners of his badass monkey Seen around the world from toy shelves to city walls these pop colored monkeys may seem cute and cuddly but that's only till		Trying to keep from tripping over my shoelaces...Things are rolling far better than I would have ever imagined...so just trying to keep one step ahead of it. Cause it is funny, everywhere I go, from New York to Miami, Europe to Latin America, I see these killer little monkeys following me. It's like a mad science lab left the doors open, does it amaze you how people clamor for these creatures you create? Yeah. It's beyond amazing ... I could never have imagined this ... It's quite wonderful ... keeps me very inspired and motivated	This Cereal Art thing you're doing, tell me about it, I just met Shiya Mangel at the Armory she said your studio blew her away. What was it like having them in your studio? Are there little monkey limbs everywhere? Cereal art is all good, quality folks making quality art products ... that was nice of Shiya to say ... My studio was a wreck when they came over...no monkey limbs ... Just boxes stacked everywhere. And all sorts of other crap. Who's idea was it to have Space Monkey Action Figure come ready with chopping action and an extra pack of eyeballs? Was that just like a must for you?		I read somewhere that the monkeys came into existence in part due to the "subconscious melting pot of excessive cartoon viewing." What was little Dalek hooked on as a child? Everything! Donald duck, Mickey Mouse, Bugs bunny...All the Looney tunes...Tom and Jerry, Popeye, Woody Woodpecker. All the Hanna Barbera stuff...Atom ant, Secret squirrel, Herculoids, Magilla Gorilla, Jetsons, Flintstones, Speed racer, Star Blazers, Battle of the Planets, Marine boy...On and on and on.	I also hear you're a Brooklyn boy huh? I think you're in my neck of the woods. Is there somewhere we can catch a vintage stray monkey still chillin' on a wall around Willy B? I do live here in Geenpoint Brooklyn...for about 4 years now. The monkeys are in for the winter...I am done with the wall thing for the most part. I am sure there will be one here and there...We'll see

A BOY AND HIS MONKEY
Q&A (April 2005) James Marshall makes his monkey behave in during recent interview
Interview by Lynn del Sol

EXHIBITION PROGRAM

ARTIST WAREHOUSE

ART SPEAK

MEDIA ROOM

ABOUT

CONTACT

SUBMISSIONS

LINKS

HOME

CTS
(917)826.5550

mailing address
635 Humboldt Street #3L
Brooklyn NY 11222
info@creativethriftshop.com

you get a glimpse of their razor sharp teeth and wielding machetes. Marshall, like any good American kid, developed a unique style that merged traumatic childhood experiences with a television upbringing. Mix that with a dash of street inspiration and BAMO you've got an appealing little character that would become a signature trademark.

So man, glad to have caught up with you. You are a busy little beaver. Last time I saw you we were surrounded by tons of people and sold stickers. Tell us what have you?

Yeah, it was a combo ... Extra eyeballs and full slaughtering capabilities are a must.

Really though, the smirk is really intense. It's like no matter what, they continue to smile and stare at/or through you, I haven't quite figured out which yet. Have you ever been freaked out by them, like in a scary clown type of way?

No ... Clowns freak me out though; especially the one in poltergeist ... had nightmares for weeks...I was like 8 when

I saw that movie. Ventriloquist dummies too...I hate those things...Remember that movie. ...magic...

You have a young son right?

Yes indeed ... Little James

Does he play with your Space Monkeys? Is he attracted to the colors first or the chopping action? He does seem to like the monkeys...I am not sure what the appeal is...Probably the color.

It has been over ten years now, what's it like working with the same imagery for such an extended amount of time? Are

you even conscious of it or is it like your hand just takes over?

It's been great...I am still really aware when I paint...I am always looking for ways to keep them evolving...I love the idea of continually exploring the same idea...It keeps me on my toes.

To a lot of artist making that first move from walls to canvas it's like losing their virginity all over again. When did the monkey make his first leap onto canvas and was it messy?

Sure it was, the first canvas was in 97. For a friend...it was a little looser than the modern day monkey.

JAMES MARSHALL (DALEK) is a busy person nowadays. An acclaimed artist of the beloved and bizarre "Space Monkey" Dalek hit the ground running back in 1992 and like the energizer bunny hasn't stopped since. He recently exhibited in a sold out exhibition at the McCaig Wells Gallery in Brooklyn. I met him amidst a swelling crowd of admirers. He is soft-spoken and incredibly down to earth. His character far departed from the maniacal manners of his badass monkey

Seen around the world from toy shelves to city walls these pop colored monkeys may seem cute and cuddly but that's only till

Trying to keep from tripping over my shoelaces...Things are rolling far better than I would have ever imagined...so just trying to keep one step ahead of it.

Cause it is funny, everywhere I go, from New York to Miami, Europe to Latin America, I see these killer little monkeys following me. It's like a mad science lab left the doors open, does it amaze you how people clamor for these creatures you create?

Yeah. It's beyond amazing ... I could never have imagined this ... It's quite wonderful ... keeps me very inspired and motivated

This Cereal Art thing you're doing, tell me about it, I just met Shiya Mangel at the Armory she said your studio blew her away. What was it like having them in your studio? Are there little monkey limbs everywhere? Cereal art is all good, quality folks making quality art products ... that was nice of Shiya to say ... My studio was a wreck when they came over...no monkey limbs ... Just boxes stacked everywhere. And all sorts of other crap.

Who's idea was it to have Space Monkey Action Figure come ready with chopping action and an extra pack of eyeballs? Was that just like a must for you?

I read somewhere that the monkeys came into existence in part due to the "subconscious melting pot of excessive cartoon viewing." What was little Dalek hooked on as a child?

Everything! Donald duck, Mickey Mouse, Bugs bunny...All the Looney tunes...Tom and Jerry, Popeye, Woody Woodpecker. All the Hanna Barbera stuff...Atom ant, Secret squirrel, Herculoids, Magilla Gorilla, Jetsons, Flintstones, Speed racer, Star Blazers, Battle of the Planets, Marine boy...On and on and on.

I also hear you're a Brooklyn boy huh? I think you're in my neck of the woods. Is there somewhere we can catch a vintage stray monkey still chillin' on a wall around Willy B?

I do live here in Geenpoint Brooklyn...for about 4 years now. The monkeys are in for the winter...I am done with the wall thing for the most part. I am sure there will be one here and there...We'll see