Long Island Art! Features David Graham
Art is a lot of things, and many often debate what makes art what it
is. However, many people will agree that art is expression. Some art is
beautiful, some art is disturbing, and some art is beautiful because it
is disturbing. Such is the case with the work of David Graham. Long
Island Art had the pleasure of speaking with him about his aspirations
to destroy childhood memories, one work of art at a time.
Long Island Art !: Thanks for letting us pick your brain. Shall we start right in?
David Graham: Ask away.
LIA!: So when did you first begin making your art, and what was the catalyst?
DG: I have been drawing cartoons my whole life, but got into fine art in college. After college I started painting these celebrity death portraits and they became a hit. Soon after, I branched out into other ideas of creating projects. My theme for each is to be fun and childlike, but also morbid at the same time.
LIA!: Are you currently working on a specific project? And how has the focus of your work changed over the years?
DG: I am currently working on several projects. Two are in progress and the rest are still in the research/idea phase. When I first started in 2010, I was creating celebrity death portraits, which were great, but I knew if I stuck with it it would become tired. A good friend of mine took me to the MoMa to show me the works there because I had never been. I learned after that to basically create whatever I damn well pleased.
LIA!: Nice! So would you say your work is primarily self-indulgent?
DG: You can say that. I usually base my projects on fascination or any random idea that comes to mind.
LIA!: Where can the public view your work? Do you have a blog or a website, or is your work currently exhibited at a gallery?
DG: At the moment I am not on display anywhere, but I do have a website which has a link to my Facebook fan page. www.thedavidgrahamcollection.com On Valentine’s Day I will be showing a piece at Ripe Art Gallery in Greenlawn. It’s a very awful painting.
LIA!: We doubt that! What is the title of the piece that will be showing, and what time will it be open to the public to see?
DG: The name of the piece is “The Things You Do For Love,” and it shows Snow White with semen on her mouth. The semen is made with glitter. The show starts at 7:00pm.
LIA!: That sounds spectacular. Do you ever sell your work? And do you do commissioned art or replicas of your older works for willing customers?
DG: My work is for sale. I am always up for commissions and can always make copies of my previous work. In my career, my work is still in the “too weird to be hung in my home” phase for most people.
LIA: In the frame of mind of your career, what are your hopes for the future of your art and your career?
DG: The overall theme of my work is childhood and how I am basically destroying it for people (a compliment I love getting). My goal is to always create something that will either be enjoyable, devastating, or both. I want to have a future still doing what I love.
LIA!: Do you want your art to be your only career or do you aspire to have other, equally interesting careers?
DG: To support myself with art would be nice, but for the most part won’t create full stability. I also have a degree in graphic design, so that can be a possibility. Recently, I was thinking about doing set designs because every October I work at a haunted house and create rooms for them. That could be an opportunity.
LIA!: That’s very exciting. Taking your entire collection of work — haunted house work included — into account, what project or piece would you say you are most proud of or happy with?
DG: At the moment I have a series called “Monster.” It was the idea of what the imaginary friends for 50 American murderers would have looked like. I created these adorable cartoon characters, drew them on paper, outlined them with a black Sharpie, then colored them with crayons. People have said the show was either extremely disturbing or really sad. Not many people want to think of murderers as children, I guess, but this is so far a crowning achievement in my career.
LIA!: That’s so unique! That was obviously a success for you, and we’re sure you have many successes ahead of you, so in your experience, what do you think will best help the Long Island art community to grow?
DG: Thank you. What would help the Long Island art community is all of us working with each other. The scene is landscapes or still life or other mainstream works. There are so many of us that have new ideas or warped visions, but many galleries won’t even consider us. If we ban together and maybe start D.I.Y. art shows or even find businesses and individuals who are interested in what we have, then maybe we have a fighting chance.
LIA!: Do you think that Long Island Art is a step in the right direction? And what would you like to tell us about yourself or your art in general?
DG: Long Island Art is a great step in the right direction. It’s very helpful in getting names out to the public. What I would like to tell Long Island Art is that I am most likely going to destroy your childhood memories. If you loved it when you were little, odds are I will find a way to ruin it. I won’t apologize for it, and no one should ever apologize for creating what they want. Unless it kills someone. That is illegal.
LIA!: Well said! What pearls of wisdom, then, would you like to bestow upon other aspiring artists?
DG: I guess my pearl of wisdom for artists is to create what you love. If there is a subject you are fascinated with, make something out of it. Never be afraid to do what you want. I once, in front of an audience, painted the singer, Prince, doing something graphically sexual. I didn’t care that the old people watching left in disgust, because it is what I love doing. Just create.
Long Island Art !: Thanks for letting us pick your brain. Shall we start right in?
David Graham: Ask away.
LIA!: So when did you first begin making your art, and what was the catalyst?
DG: I have been drawing cartoons my whole life, but got into fine art in college. After college I started painting these celebrity death portraits and they became a hit. Soon after, I branched out into other ideas of creating projects. My theme for each is to be fun and childlike, but also morbid at the same time.
LIA!: Are you currently working on a specific project? And how has the focus of your work changed over the years?
DG: I am currently working on several projects. Two are in progress and the rest are still in the research/idea phase. When I first started in 2010, I was creating celebrity death portraits, which were great, but I knew if I stuck with it it would become tired. A good friend of mine took me to the MoMa to show me the works there because I had never been. I learned after that to basically create whatever I damn well pleased.
LIA!: Nice! So would you say your work is primarily self-indulgent?
DG: You can say that. I usually base my projects on fascination or any random idea that comes to mind.
LIA!: Where can the public view your work? Do you have a blog or a website, or is your work currently exhibited at a gallery?
DG: At the moment I am not on display anywhere, but I do have a website which has a link to my Facebook fan page. www.thedavidgrahamcollection.com On Valentine’s Day I will be showing a piece at Ripe Art Gallery in Greenlawn. It’s a very awful painting.
LIA!: We doubt that! What is the title of the piece that will be showing, and what time will it be open to the public to see?
DG: The name of the piece is “The Things You Do For Love,” and it shows Snow White with semen on her mouth. The semen is made with glitter. The show starts at 7:00pm.
LIA!: That sounds spectacular. Do you ever sell your work? And do you do commissioned art or replicas of your older works for willing customers?
DG: My work is for sale. I am always up for commissions and can always make copies of my previous work. In my career, my work is still in the “too weird to be hung in my home” phase for most people.
LIA: In the frame of mind of your career, what are your hopes for the future of your art and your career?
DG: The overall theme of my work is childhood and how I am basically destroying it for people (a compliment I love getting). My goal is to always create something that will either be enjoyable, devastating, or both. I want to have a future still doing what I love.
LIA!: Do you want your art to be your only career or do you aspire to have other, equally interesting careers?
DG: To support myself with art would be nice, but for the most part won’t create full stability. I also have a degree in graphic design, so that can be a possibility. Recently, I was thinking about doing set designs because every October I work at a haunted house and create rooms for them. That could be an opportunity.
LIA!: That’s very exciting. Taking your entire collection of work — haunted house work included — into account, what project or piece would you say you are most proud of or happy with?
DG: At the moment I have a series called “Monster.” It was the idea of what the imaginary friends for 50 American murderers would have looked like. I created these adorable cartoon characters, drew them on paper, outlined them with a black Sharpie, then colored them with crayons. People have said the show was either extremely disturbing or really sad. Not many people want to think of murderers as children, I guess, but this is so far a crowning achievement in my career.
LIA!: That’s so unique! That was obviously a success for you, and we’re sure you have many successes ahead of you, so in your experience, what do you think will best help the Long Island art community to grow?
DG: Thank you. What would help the Long Island art community is all of us working with each other. The scene is landscapes or still life or other mainstream works. There are so many of us that have new ideas or warped visions, but many galleries won’t even consider us. If we ban together and maybe start D.I.Y. art shows or even find businesses and individuals who are interested in what we have, then maybe we have a fighting chance.
LIA!: Do you think that Long Island Art is a step in the right direction? And what would you like to tell us about yourself or your art in general?
DG: Long Island Art is a great step in the right direction. It’s very helpful in getting names out to the public. What I would like to tell Long Island Art is that I am most likely going to destroy your childhood memories. If you loved it when you were little, odds are I will find a way to ruin it. I won’t apologize for it, and no one should ever apologize for creating what they want. Unless it kills someone. That is illegal.
LIA!: Well said! What pearls of wisdom, then, would you like to bestow upon other aspiring artists?
DG: I guess my pearl of wisdom for artists is to create what you love. If there is a subject you are fascinated with, make something out of it. Never be afraid to do what you want. I once, in front of an audience, painted the singer, Prince, doing something graphically sexual. I didn’t care that the old people watching left in disgust, because it is what I love doing. Just create.
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