12 More Questions for Deviant Artist Richard Rossetto
So it’s been a little over a year since we last sat down with my second favorite Canadian artist to see what’s up, so I thought I would take a few minutes sit down and chat with the man himself and see what’s been going on to get it straight from the horses mouth. Here is what he had to say.
1) What has been going on since we last spoke? Last I remember it was just before your first solo show whats happened since then?
A) Well first and foremost I guess the biggest thing is I have retired . I guess the truth is I have semi retired cause as far as I am aware a true artist never retires. My mind is always busy creating SOMETHING regardless of what I say. I guess mostly the method has just changed . It use to be my biggest concern was gaining recognition for my endeavors . Over the past little bit it seems my artistic legacy has been set in stone. Already at a “young age I created a body of work I could have never imagined which now allows me to pursue other goals.
2) You say your legacy is “set in stone” . What gives you the AUDACITY to make such a statement as you are not represented by ANY gallery nor have you ever had recognition from ANY ESTABLISHED ART INSTITUTION?
A) WELL,through my efforts over the past number of years my work has been brought to the attention of a great number of people. Many of whom are are public figures. Once you get to a certain level of recognition in something like art , especially when your body of work is unique, there is a certain momentum that just continues to build. Even if I was to never create another physical work ALL the previous creations rests in time. That especially holds true when people own your work in collections, and my work is owned in a large handful of private collections. After people have invested a certain amount in you it becomes in their best interest you get recognized. That is the position I seem to find my self in now.
It’s funny cause in the beginning I was so DESPERATE to be recognized from the establishment and no matter what I did I found I couldn’t get it. My hair was too long , I was a little WILD, I didn’t have credentials or maybe it was the fact I had a tooth punched out. It gave people in “authority” positions the ability to WRITE ME OFF because I didn’t fit the present norm. Because of all this I had to look for other venues. That was when I discovered the POWER of the BEAST known as the INTERNET. IT SET ME FREE .
Yah see even though someone might make great work , the art industry is just that an INDUSTRY and there fore has an agenda all to it’s own which filters all the way down to the lowest level. The industry can’t just promote anyone art , regardless of how good it is. If it did that it would eliminate a HUGE PORTION of how the industry creates PROFIT.
Here is the part where my statements will rub a lot of people the wrong way. Don’t get me wrong I see the importance of the structure and the roles peoples play in it. In art these days what is created is often irrelevant. Regardless of how great a persons work might be the weeding out process wipes out a lot of great creators.
You have to go through the HOOPS. You can’t be allowed to skip them because if you do certain hoops are no longer needed. Therefore things like Art School(which I do believe in) and masters programs become the STANDARD. If a step as such is skipped , then it is no longer deemed as necessary. If things as such are no longer necessary. Then ANYONE is applicable which then upsets the structure.
The History of art has proven ORIGINALITY is probably the worst attribute an artist can have and long gone are the days of the BOHEMIAN ARTIST, they where buried after 9/11. Even Cezanne the “GODFATHER” of Modernism was was left to starve for 40 years. The internet CHANGES that. With proper usage an artist can now use this space to address their audience directly.
3) Last I remember you where really big on goal setting and personal development, can you tell us how that has changed things? I mean I still don’t see you driving your Mercedes Benz, and your economic level doesn’t seem to have changed that much.
A)Goal setting and personal development is probably the greatest things I ever discovered. I have always been a “right brain” thinker so even though I have been satisfied with my creative mind for years I felt my life lacked in MANY other areas. When I first got in to the study of all this it really was a DOLLARS and CENTS thing. NOW that I have studied it I have come to understand that TRUE WEALTH is a LIFESTYLE THING. In TRUTH I live on FAR LESS than I did 5 years ago as a waiter. The appreciation for what I have is FAR GREATER though, I also use resources far more wisely.
4) YEAH RIGHT!!!!…. SO “SUCCESS” is about “OTHER” things other than FINACIAL gain….
A) YES, If I had made the millions I planed on making before(and I have ALWAYS planned on making millions), I could have had it all and still been unhappy. NOW I live with exactly what I am GIVEN and in general my days are surrounded by BLISS. Even when needs are not met I handle ANY GIVEN SITUATION MUCH BETTER than I had previously.
5) So then what are some other goals you are currently working on?
A)I don’t even know where to begin. I started taking art SERIOUSLY at a VERY EARLY AGE. That meant the sacrifice of a lot of things. Now I am working backwards. As things are stabilizing I would like to take some trips and see somethings I’ve never seen. I would like to buy some property for my mother to help ensure her comfort , I would also like to buy property for my daughter and her mother as well. That is a lot of money right there.
I would love to make first appearance in a ring within the next year or so. I love the idea of doing an Ultimate Fighter Type fight. Pro wrestling has been a boyhood dream since I can remember though and once I heard that George Saint Pierre was in my weight division I became a little hesitant , really that guy is a MUTANT. Those who know me well though will tell you I can take a chair shot to the head pretty well though. So I have been spending lots of time at the gym. I have also under gone some profound spiritual changes.
6)Hmmmm. UFC and SPIRITUAL CHANGES ????? What makes you think your good enough to get in the ring.
A) This year marked my 10th anniversary having studied SENSHIDO. Senshido is a style of self defense that involves REALITY BASED TRAINING that incorporates MANY DIFFERENT STYLES of fighting. The word translates into “the style of 1000 masters”. The basic premise is ANY PERSON of ANY SIZE can defend themselves against another or OTHERS. This involves learning to do the MOST DAMAGE to your attacker with the least amount of energy. I believe that this style could be easily altered for the cage. Sure lots of the tactics would be considered illegal if toned down though I believe it’s principles would ensure victory.
Senshido also involves a lot of OVERKILL TRAINING which in turn also creates an immense amount of mental toughness. Really, when you are trained to DEFEND against multiple opponents with weapons stepping in to a cage or ring to fight doesn’t seem that implausible. I realize that there are all sorts of other factors involved, I am pretty sure I have the “basics”covered and I would love to fight a guy like Nick Diaz. If nothing else it is getting me back into some TREMENDOUS SHAPE.
Automatic Word Painting
7) What about this NEW FOUND SPIRITUALITY?
A)First off it’s not NEW FOUND I have ALWAYS been a spiritual being, art was part of that which is why I have always been so dedicated. I always believed it was my LIFE’S MISSION. Art is also MEDITATIVE IN NATURE. Lets say I have come to a greater understanding of what spirituality is. Before when I thought of things I use to think in terms of destroying what I saw in order to start a new. Now I can see that everything around me is all part of the plan. So it is our duty to utilize it, help it evolve and help others understand what needs to be done. It sortta came to head this past Christmas as I was watching it all go down. Just like everyone else this season I had a little extra this season so I got to enjoy some extra things. What I noticed was that even though I had less than many others I seemed to be enjoying more of what I had. I would see people with bags and bags of things they just bought and a look of quiet desperation in their eyes. Nothing they bought had fulfilled them. I realized that I felt fulfilled almost everyday. Regardless of the money I had in my pocket or the value of the things I owned.
8)Any other goals?
A) Well I have been thinking about publishing some books. Maybe releasing some of my early journals , that would take an immense amount of editing though. Most recently the thought of releasing a coffee table book of images is at the forefront of my mind. After receiving a copy of Attila Richard Lukcas’ latest catalog “Attila Richard Lukacs from the Collection of Salah J. Bachir”. The book and Mr. Bachir’s collection is a COMPLETE retrospective of the artist’s work spanning throughout his career to. With image quality so high you can see brush strokes and the fact the works are from throughout the artist’s development is also compelling. As it eludes to the artist’s thought process and life. I though it might give some great insight to those who enjoy my work.
9) So where does this all lead you Artistically?
A) I guess the big difference is I use to be an ARTIST WHO DABBLED in BUSINESS , now I see myself as a BUSINESS MAN who DABBLES IN ART. Many of my current works are private. Recently I have also developed a keen interest and understanding of Instillation art. The ideas steam from the more performance side of me. The ideas are extensions of my other interests. Maybe that has something to do with my desire to get in the ring. In order to have that happen though I would have to be involved in a showing at a major institution.
AS fer showing art publicly I have very little interest in gallery exhibitions or shows, not with out a check first at least….It cost an arm and a leg to set up a show, my work gets damaged and there are no guarantees. Setting up a show also puts me short on other resources which I am then criticized for lacking, which then creates resentment on my part, then leading to a lack of art production.
I like my art where it is. In private collections. I also do what I can to share it online for the public. Another way I am working on sharing it is by further expanding it’s availability through editions. This allows access to old works or works that are already held in private collections.
10) What is your opinion of the current market trend of editions?
A) At first I was VERY HESITANT of such an idea. After being approached and having sold out of my first editions, I can clearly see clearly see how it can benefit everyone involved. Buyers can get unique images printed in limited numbers they may not have had access to before. For the artists it creates an extra stream of income which helps solves one of the oldest problems in the market. PRODUCTION vs VALUE. As the creative process is NURTURED, it takes time to create quality ART. In many cases if that process is rushed , the art then becomes a diluted version of what it was. We see it in Music all the time. Music has also proven you can’t always write a number one hit. So what is the ARTIST to do in between time. Editions give the artist a little more breathing space and elbow room.
BUYER BEWARE THOUGH. If you are INVESTING in EDITIONS , they should be SIGNED and NUMBERED (or at least come with a number and signed certificate).ANYTHING ELSE is just A POSTER. The idea behind editions is that the lower the number the higher the value. The works should also come from a REPUTABLE COMPANY or the ARTIST THEMSELVES, if you are purchasing them off the artist ask for a signed receipt it helps further prove providence.
11) Do you believe that having Editions created DEVALUES the original work?
A) NO. There are MILLIONS of reproductions created from the images of artists such as Hokusai and Picasso. Does that mean you can buy one of the “36 view of Mount Fuji” for 28 bucks? No, it’s a reproduction we all know that. It’s VALUE stems from the fact the image speaks to us intrinsically as humans, as such it’s VALUED is based upon the image rather than the VALUE. Therefore we are are willing to buy a reproduction regardless of it’s monetary value.
12) What are some words of advice you might pass on to a younger artist or someone struggling to accomplish their dreams?
A) HMMMM……..The person you are is not the person you be in five years. If they are the same then you have stagnated. That being said, DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, do something that takes you out of the comfort zone of the person you believe yourself to be. For me that was studying personal development, that was taken a step further when I did some construction(or was that deconstruction) for my landlord.
All those things that are holding you back now won’t be there in five years. That includes your own limiting belief as well as the opinions of your friends and the ones you love. Use that to your advantage. CHANGE NOW!!!!
