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> contents / Jeff Soto - U.S.A. / interview by Sztuka Fabryka (2008) / > Introduction: > Sztuka Fabryka: "Scholars and writers always love to put artists in a scène or movement. Can we say that you are especially popular among who follow the street art scène, whatever that may be. Do you like to be tagged as member of a certain movement? Are you connected with the street art movement and the wide scène around that?" Jeff Soto: Yeah, people always have to label things, everything has to fit neatly into categories. Writers sometimes connect me with the "street art" movement but I don't really feel comfortable with that. I did paint graffiti for over a decade but my current work doesn't have much to do with art on the streets. I understand the aesthetic though, and I definitely know the feeling of making art illegally late at night. But for the most part, that era of my life is in the past. The "street art" label used to bug me but then I started seeing all sorts of artists labeled as "street" who have never even done a tag. It's just a blanket term for "urban" art. I try not to worry about how writers and other artists label my work- it is what it is. > Sztuka Fabryka: "In an earlier interview you surprised us by saying that an olive tree painting by Van Gogh influences you. OK, his paintings are as colorfull and full of dynamic as yours, but we thought that surrealism would be your main inspiration?" Jeff Soto: Well, the Van Gogh piece was one of the first real masters I saw in person. I was in high school and had just read a huge book on Van Gogh's life, and I really felt like I understood what he was going through. So seeing his brushstrokes in person I could see the torment going on in his mind. It was powerful stuff. I still enjoy his work, the colors are so beautiful and his strokes are genius. As far as surrealism goes, I was inspired for sure. Frida Kahlo, Max Ernst, and Yves Tanguy, were some of my favorites. But I skipped around a lot - I was really into the Mexican muralists for a while, then got into traditional landscapes and photography. I was all about exploring and trying new things. I guess I'm still like that, though I've been focusing on painting the last few years. > Sztuka Fabryka: "Your work is build up with specific images such as robots and a kind of out of space creatures. Where and how do you come up with the images in your work? What is the history behind these images?" Jeff Soto:
> Sztuka Fabryka: "Giving your paintings a first look the imagery is powerfull and does ask for your full attention. But when you take a closer look and compare all your paintings there comes up a dark atmosphere. With the show "Storm Clouds" at LeVine Gallery you show concern for your daughter 's future and the World she would live in. Does this mean that your paintings does not have an aesthetic value only but that there is also a message in each painting?" Jeff Soto: For me, content and aesthetics are equally important. A pretty picture with no message is just a pretty picture. There's nothing wrong with that necessarily, but for my own work, I like to have a balance. I feel like painting and visual art in general can be a powerful form of communication. Many artists don't take advantage of it, but a painting can express your views and act as a vessel for your thoughts and opinions. When I create imagery, I'm thinking about what I want to say to the viewer, and how I want to communicate it. It's usually subtle but my work is always addressing politics, social issues, and fears I have as a father. The work has gotten darker and I hope things change so I can paint pretty pictures someday. > Sztuka Fabryka: "From paintings to toys is that a big boys dream comming true?" Jeff Soto: Yeah, this would have been a dream come true when I was 8. I was always customizing my Transformers and G.I. Joe's, I would have loved it. For now I think the vinyl toy industry is getting a bit stale, nothing is coming out to shake things up. People say it's a slowly sinking ship, I don't follow it enough to know if they're right but I do know the releases I see are mostly uninspiring. Just re-hashed ideas and new colorways. I guess I'm part of that in a way, I had a Qee toy with 4 colorways. I've been hesitant to jump head first into the toy scene. I don't know if it's my thing anymore. We'll see... > Sztuka Fabryka: "From your 'Walker' toy there exists already since many years a prototype. When will we able to see it in real life on our desk? With other words when will it be in the shops?" Jeff Soto: The Walker is still in production as far as I know. Three years in the making! > Contact: www.jeffsoto.com Jeff Soto- Potato Stamp Studios |
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"Through striking visual imagery, Jeff Soto
communicates profound visions and fears, nostalgia of his youth, and
themes of love, lust, and hope. Soto's distinct color palette, subject
matter, technique and bold themes resonate with a growing audience.
Inspired by childhood toys, the colorful lifestyle of skateboarding and
graffiti, hip-hop and popular culture, Soto's representational work is
simultaneously accessible and stimulating. Environmental issues also
take precedent for Soto, who is concerned with conflict of humans trying
to harness, or take advantage of nature. His paintings exude this
tension, as robotic creatures duel, organic tentacles and flower
bouquets thrive, and black smog looms amidst floating, ominous
skulls." Source: 
Well like a lot of people my age I grew up immersed in science
fiction. My dad was and still is a big fan, and we had books lying
around and were always watching Sci-Fi movies. As a child in the 70's
and 80's we were in awe of Star Wars, we just couldn't get enough of it.
That movie's success spawned a million other movies, cartoons, toys, and
comic books and as a kid I loved it. I started drawing Sci-Fi imagery
when I was very young and have kept at it. When I was in college I
started looking at the idea of Man vs. Nature and felt that robots or
man made objects contrasted nicely with organic imagery. I started
exploring this idea in my paintings and made 100's of robots at odds
with their natural surroundings. The last couple of years I've been
painting less of the robots as my work becomes more about politics and
the loss of innocence.