This painter creates its own bubble "Gum", and we loved chewing him! Meeting with the artist affected by the Peter Pan syndrome...

FatCap : Where does “Gum” come from?

Gum : I don't know where it came from but it’s a good one… it perfectly matches with my acidulous universe, fun and bubble. In fact, plastic is the main point of my artistic approach and it leads themes as advertising, consumption and over-consumption, sex... Gum perfectly summarizes that.

FC : How did you discover street art?

G : Like everyone, with a bunch of friends, at late 1990s. The first tags, the first race-prosecution and unforgettable adventures. I was one of a Graff group. We used to do trains, factories. It was a way to exist. Put your name everywhere, it’s a way to feel recognized.

FC : Why Graffiti?

G : Because it’s part of culture which revolt against society… Even today, even if things are changing, graffiti remains for many people vandalism. This is wrong. It’s so much more than that. Graffiti has renewed many things in contemporary art for example. Street art directly follows from that. Today, my approach isn’t close to graffiti, but these are my roots, it has made my style and I kept this involvement in my work. But I'm still graded as a street artist. I don’t paint on the street anymore. The only thing that brings me closer is that I only draw with bomb. And my world draws inspiration from street art. I’m rather: “street art in my bedroom”.

FC : How would you define society?

G : For me society comes down to the Titanic syndrome: we still polish the ceiling lights of the boat which flows. Everything is pre-chewed, everything is pre-sliced. We have instructions for everything. We are attracted by all that is “bling bling”, everything that glitters, that flies, while bombs fall down on our heads, we look elsewhere. Everyone stay in his world, everyone wants to have its Internet, his last high-tech stuff. We promise us the unable, sold us dream, wind. It’s a bulimic society, artificial, lobotomized by advertising. Too full conditioning, aseptic and loan-a-drink that corrupts all of our senses.

FC  : Can you explain your opinion?

G : I’m the witness of a social schizophrenia where nothing isn’t at its place, the adult world mixes with children, in a profusion of latent hypocrisy. I draw for children and I’m talking to adults. These two worlds get mixed up so much so that it product anxiety. “Young people want to become old and the old people want to become younger. Candy look like drugs, and drugs seem to be candy.” I try to paint not serious things, wishing that people will understand my messages. My paintings are cartoons of everything that bothers me in this world. I don’t want to give lessons, but by making people laugh, by making them questioning themselves, I think that we can change things.

FC : Does painting make you free?

G : Actually, it helps to express all these demons inside… It’s better than a psychiatric session… It allows me to say what I think. They say that a picture is worth than a thousand words… And I am very productive...

FC : How would you define your style?

G : My style is simple, I draw kitties and dicks with irony…

More seriously, my work consists into redefine some “prefabricated” codes with a constant weapon, the irony. It helps to turn away, turn upside down, to highlight the contradictions of our world. And as our Earth is full of plastic and waste… My works also. Plastic is melting because of global warming, while the world looks somewhere else.

FC : How do people react?

G : Oh! There are several reactions. The one I love, it’s the one I call “the Kisscoll effect”. First they smile, and then they ask themselves about this indigestible chewing of Gelatinex... In General, I have good remarks, people have fun!

But, children are my biggest fans. Obviously, my painting is quite colorful, I often repeat themes that they understand, characters they saw on TV...

FC : In which direction would you like to change your style?

G : As Picasso, I would like to draw as a child again.

FC : Your  track?

G : Toxicity of System Of A Down.

FC : Your book?

G : The Alchemist of Coelho.

FC : Your movie?

G : Fight Club.

FC : Your artist?

G : Dran, he’s from Toulouse. I’m completely fond of what he does.

FC : Your extravagant last thing?

G : Last night at the Rockstore… It’s a famous place for concerts in Montpellier. I made the settings on the stage for a drum and bass band called Urbanbass.

FC : What makes you progressing in life?

G : Love and supportive friends.

FC : What would you like of God to tell you?

G : “Apocalypse is coming soon…”

FC : Exclusive news for FatCap?

G : An exhibition soon in New York… (Fingers crossed!)

FC : Thank you Gum!