Emil Kozak
Barcelona, Spain
Bio
Danish artist Emil Kozak is a current resident of Barcelona and has collaborated with companies like Vans, Elements and Burton (can you tell - he’s also an extreme sports addict?) He's used his Spanish traffic experiences as the inspiration behind his Infectious Car Art.
Interview
Describe your style:
Clean, positive and free.
What are the names of your Infectious art pieces?
The Sunday Driver and The Monday Driver.
Can you tell us a little bit about the pieces and the inspiration behind them?
The Sunday Driver is inspired by a relaxed drive for a Sunday morning surf. On Sundays the traffic in Barcelona is moving slowly and is less hectic than the rest of the week. Nobody is in a hurry and everybody is without a worry in the world. The Monday Driver is inspired by the exact opposite…Mondays.
What car or vehicle would you love to see your art on?
The Sunday Driver would look awesome on an old car from the Seventies. The Monday Driver would be perfect for a Muscle Car, like a Firebird.
What was your first car and what is your dream car?
My first car was a soapbox car I made when I was 10. In my head it was a red Ferrari Formula One race car, in reality it was made of old wood and wheels from a baby carrier. My dream car would be Knight Industries Two Thousand (KITT) from Knight Rider.
What’s been the most extreme reaction to your work?
Marriage proposals and general stalking :-)
If you had to draw yourself a tattoo design, what would it be and where on your body would you have it?
I would probably take one of my millions of drawings of boxers that I drew when I was a kid, and I’d put it somewhere out of sight!
Name three artists whose work you’ve recently seen and loved?
Alex Trochut, Keiichi Tanaami and Brosmind.
What’s playing on repeat on your iPod this week?
The Queers and Munki Brain.
If your art was music, what would it sound like?
It would sound like the artist Boom Boom Kid.
You asked your fans to submit their sweetest/most embarrassing story from their youth to be exhibited alongside your artwork at your Trading Magic for Facts show. What’s yours?
When I was a kid I wanted roller skates so badly that I glued Lego wheels to my slippers. It kinda worked… I don’t remember how old I was. I was little, but big enough to know that going fast was cool.
What’s the reason behind naming your surfboard Milo and do you name all your cherished sports equipment?
My surfboard is named after Milo Aukerman, the lead singer of (Eighties punk band) Descendents. Like Descendents, the Milo board is fast and full of energy. It also used to have a Descendents sticker, but it fell off last week. If my skate or surfboards have personality, they usually get a name along the way.
If you had to change careers, what would be next?
I’d be a stunt man or a pancake chef. My pancakes are killer!
Are there any upcoming shows or projects you’d like to share?
I’ve got projects with Vans, Elements, Burton, a book and another solo show coming up.
Check out emilkozak.com for more details.
2/25/08
