RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS WITH ~ MARK WHALEN BY PABLO G. VILLAZAN
It’s Friday! and yes we have another great session of “Rapid Fire Questions” with our good friend, Pablo G. Villazan. Today, Pablo shares with us his Q&A with a League favorite/IG buddy, artist Mark Whalen. Mark hits us every time with amazing sculptures that leaves you admiring the funny expressions with our pupils wide open due to his bright color palette. Every collection needs a Whalen sculpture! - The League
So, Ready! Set! Gooooooo!
Who is Mark Whalen?
I am originally from Sydney, Australia, and now based in Los Angeles with my wife Kimberly and our dog Leon.
Did you always want to be an artist?
Art has always been in the background as a significant personal force connected to skateboarding, traveling, and contributing as a designer in my earlier years. That gave me push to pursue making art full time
Where does your inspiration come from?
Physical space has always been one of my favorite pursuits. Life’s challenges represented by human form and everyday objects.
What is your process to create your work?
I start by drawing a lot of sketches, then the process moves into rendering and hand building molds. The pieces then go to metal casting and fabrication which I do in my studio
Is there something you can’t live without in your studio?
Music and a large supply of Topo Chico
What is the meaning behind your artwork?
The sculptures are a harmonious stacking of disturbances, problems, and provocative questions about life. Each sculpture is an invitation for the viewer to participate in the physical, travel around the object, and add to the ongoing narrative or ask more questions.
Imagine that your sculptures could talk, what would they say about you?
I would imagine them asking me why I have to put them in all these uncomfortable positions.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Trust your gut
Do you find the social channel’s influence Positive or Negative?
There are positives and negatives to everything. For art it’s nice to be able to view what’s happening if you can’t physically be there in person
Describe in 3 words how social channels affect you as an artist.
Algorithms Baffle Me
What is your dream project?
Completing a work for my wife that she still has not received since we started dating lol
