Oh snap! A new Polite Conversation for you all. And I'm happy to introduce, Indigleaux. Her work speaks for itself - such bold lines, uniqueness, and passion. We bonded over Twitter and had to have a conversation. I enjoy her words just as much as her art.
Enjoy and thanks for always sticking around!
INDIGLEAUX - I always like to believe everyone has a story behind their artist name. What is yours?
The story behind my name is always comical to me. It isn't riveting. It is less poised and profound than other artists who often recollect on the defining moment of finding their niche in the creation of their name.
How I conceived "Indigleaux" was through my fascination with Twitter renditions of celebrity names. A lot of them were hilariously creative - "Petty Wap" and "Ol Qwerty Bastard" being among my favorites. I wanted to create a moniker under the likes of those, so I chose "Gloprah Winfrey". It lasted for a while. I would then stylize it with the French phonetic spelling/IPA of "EAUX" for an "O' sound. To me, it was demure yet sexy. I loved the way GLEAUXPRAH looked in all caps, so I would eventually ditch the last name.
GLEAUXPRAH would soon be reduced to GLEAUX, and merged with the preffix INDI. I've always considered myself to be an INDI-vidual, so the combo fared to be fitting and more defining.
You're from Jersey and recently moved to Texas to focus on your artwork and goals. Do you miss NJ? Has Texas sparked your creativity thus far?
Sometimes I miss Jersey City. The bodegas, everything being within a two-mile radius. The adventure of hopping the lightrail without paying my fare, the sweaty parties and art shows, the smog of Fried Chicken, on the hill of Communipaw, I'd smell on my way home. The slang, the hustle, the culture... I, very much so, miss it.
Yet, in the midst of things, my move to Texas was creatively formative and warranted. It has sparked my creativity. I needed to depart and retreat to a place I've haven't lived or been attached to before so I could really develop myself.
How did you develop your style of art? How would you describe it?
My style in the recent years, developed on drawings I doodled on sketch paper with sharpie markers. It was affordable and ambiguous, and it satiated my fascination with the creation of creatures. I'm inspired by my imagination. My mind tends to gravitate to things and beings considered to be unconventional and ugly. I enjoy digging deep into the content and thought behind socio-cultural controversy - controversy in general.
Ugliness & Controversy: I'd like to say the majority of my artwork merges and imbues both.
What are you currently working on at the moment? What is your process like when creating?
I am currently working on a series I want to develop into an exhibition. I don't really want to expound on the details - as I want it to be unexpected.
As for my process, I usually begin with an interview I have with myself. I talk to myself about things that inspire and/or afflict me, and through these conversations, I generate ideas. I'm not poised with a dogmatic regimen of creation. I create best when I am alone and oblivious; detached from the outside world.
Who or what inspires you?
What inspires me tends to be topics and conversations that serve to be "the big elephant in the room." The things that people tend to beat around the bush, and hide underneath the cellophane of social acceptance.
As for other artists and painters, I am inspired by George Condo, Kara Walker, Maya Angelou, Jean Debuffet, & Cecil Skotness.
We had a quick convo on the Jersey creative scene and we shared our thoughts on how it can be visceral and "cliquey". When did you come into realization about this? What inspiring words can you give to the audience reading this that may have encountered similar situations?
When every event you attend has the same 70 people, in rotation, who are also artists, you begin to see things for what they are versus how they're being presented. You become privy to how the scene "works". The realization becomes inexplicably clear and you then have to take the responsibility to act accordingly; To weigh your options.
In regards to dealing with a cliquey Art scene, I would say put some things into perspective that are formidable to your craft, discipline, art - whatever you feel serves your purpose. If you want to move up within the ranks of a scene and smoke blunts with it's patrons - who happen to be underpaid part-time local artists working retail, then by all means partake in the festivities.
However, if you feel as though you want to be a full-time artist, the recalibration of surroundings, environments, and people must happen. You become detached from the popularity contest, and you focus on two things: your craft and your coins.
Lastly do you have any upcoming events/exhibits? Where can we stay in the loop?
I have no desire to do events and/or exhibitions any time soon. Not within the next 6 months. I intend to be under the hiatus from the public eye to create. To evolve into my next.
Stay in touch with Indigleaux:
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